Food shell and method of manufacture
AssigneeThe Pillsbury Company
InventorsLeslie L. Skarra, James R. Evans, Annavarapu S. Murty
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A food shell with improved distribution quality, eating texture and resistance to breakage or fracture is provided. A food shell is formed from a cereal grain, for example, wheat or corn, and is processed to form a blistered texture during a cook step. During cooking, the shell develops a controlled delaminated texture and is cooked adequately to make an integral shell in the desired shape. After cooking a softening agent is added to the shell to soften it for delivery to consumer without breakage. By controlling the delaminated structure, the degree of cooking and the final plasticizer content, the cooked shell, if cooked further, will produce a light, crisp and tender shell.
Claims24
A cooked dough food piece which is relatively thin and flexible and has been partially fried, said piece is adapted for further cooking to make same friable, said piece contains:
- at least about 25% starch by weight and plasticizer and softening agent in amounts sufficient to make said piece flexible, said plasticizer includes nonvolatilizable plasticizer in the range of between about 20% and about 38% by weight of said piece, said food piece having at least one delaminated portion, said delaminated portion being in an amount of at least about 60% of the food piece surface area with said delaminated portion having an average size exceeding about 5 mm.sup.2.
A method of making a relatively thin and flexible food piece including
- (a) making a dough from a starch containing flour and plasticizer;
- (b) forming said dough into a piece having a predetermined shape;
- (c) cooking said piece until they are rigid and, during cooking, forming at least one delaminated portion in the dough piece, the delaminated portion being in an amount of at least about 60% of the food piece surface area with said delaminated portion having an average size exceeding about 5 mm.sup.2 ;
- and
- (d) adding a softening agent to said cooked dough piece in an amount sufficient to render said cooked dough piece soft and flexible.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.