Back to results
US 5,626,900 AGranted
Method of preparation of chocolate crumb, and precursor component therefor
OwnerVan Millerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Milk chocolate may be prepared from a chocolate crumb, or other milk and sugar precursor component, by which the required amount of dried milk solids are provided for subsequent processing, together with at least some sugar. Molasses or brown sugar is hydrated with milk, dried, and further processed by addition of the balance of sugar, fats, cocoa butter, and cocoa liquor if used; and the product is then set aside for subsequent pasting and conching operations which are typically used in the production of milk chocolate.
Claims20
A method of preparation of an anhydrous milk and sugar precursor component intended for use in the production of milk chocolate, in which said milk and sugar precursor component will provide the entire dried milk solids content and flavor ingredient thereof;
- wherein at least a first sugar portion of said milk and sugar precursor component is molasses;
- said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) selecting a total weight of dried milk solids to be present in said milk and sugar precursor component;
- (b) selecting a quantity of molasses as said flavor ingredient to be present in said milk and sugar precursor component;
- (c) mixing said selected quantity of molasses with at least a first portion of liquid milk comprising a first portion of milk solids and a first portion of water, where said first portion of water is sufficient to hydrate said selected quantity of molasses so as to form a slurry batch of hydrated molasses and liquid milk;
- (d) if necessary, mixing said slurry batch with a second portion of liquid milk chosen so that the total weight of milk solids in said further mixed slurry batch from said first portion of liquid milk and said second portion of liquid milk is said total selected weight of milk solids;
- (e) drying said slurry batch from either step (c) or step (d) so as to obtain said selected total weight of milk solids as dried milk solids, together with said selected quantity of molasses as precipitate after dehydration thereof in a dried milk and sugar precursor component;
- and
- setting aside said dried milk and sugar precursor component for later use in the preparation of milk chocolate to be produced.
6 more elements
A method of preparing chocolate crumb which is substantially anhydrous, wherein the prepared chocolate crumb will have a final analysis, expressed in weight units, as follows:
- ______________________________________ dried milk solids 23 to 34 sugar 50 to 55 anhydrous cocoa butter 8 to 12 anhydrous cocoa liquor 4 to 8 additional anhydrous butter fat 0 to 10 moisture less than 1 ______________________________________
- wherein the total amount of dried milk solids and anhydrous butter fat is in the range of 30 to 34 weight units;
- and
- wherein at least a first portion of the sugar constituent of said chocolate crumb is brown sugar, comprising an intimate mixture of fine sugar crystals and molasses;
- wherein said method of preparing said chocolate crumb comprises the steps of:
- (a) mixing a first portion of liquid milk with at least said first portion of brown sugar, wherein said first portion of liquid milk comprises a first portion of milk solids and a first portion of water, which first portion of milk solids may include butter fat, and wherein said first portion of water is sufficient to hydrate said sugar, so as to from a slurry batch of hydrated brown sugar and liquid milk;
- (b) mixing said slurry batch with a second portion of liquid milk, in the event that the weight of milk solids of said first portion of liquid milk is less than within the range of 23 to 34 weight units, so that the total weight of milk solids comprising the milk solids of said first portion of liquid milk and the milk solids of said second portion of liquid milk, if used, is in any event within the range of 23 to 34 weight units, so as to form a pre-crumb slurry;
- (c) transferring said pre-crumb slurry to a conventional drier, and drying said pre-crumb slurry so as to obtain said total weight of milk solids as dried milk solids, together with said brown sugar;
- (d) mixing said total weight of dried milk solids and said brown sugar together with a second portion of sugar, in the event that the weight of sugar of said first portion of sugar is less than within the range of 50 to 55 weight units, so that the total weight of sugar of said first portion of sugar and said second portion of sugar, if used, is in any event within the range of 50 to 55 weight units, so as to form a sweet pre-crumb slurry;
- (e) mixing said sweet pre-crumb slurry together with the anhydrous cocoa butter and the anhydrous cocoa liquor, so as to arrive at the selected analysis amounts of each;
- (f) adding additional anhydrous butter fat, if necessary, so as to bring the total amount of dried milk solids and anhydrous butter fat to the range of 30 to 34 weight units of the prepared chocolate crumb;
- and
- (g) refining said prepared chocolate crumb, if necessary, for pasting and conching the prepared chocolate crumb, as necessary for recovery and further processing or storage thereof.
10 more elements
A method of preparing white chocolate crumb which is substantially anhydrous, wherein the prepared white chocolate crumb will have a final analysis, expressed in weight units, as follows:
- ______________________________________ dried milk solids 23 to 34 sugar 50 to 55 anhydrous cocoa butter 8 to 16 additional anhydrous butter fat 0 to 10 moisture less than 1 ______________________________________
- wherein the total amount of dried milk solids and anhydrous butter fat is in the range of 30 to 34 weight units;
- and
- wherein at least a first portion of the sugar constituent of said white chocolate crumb is brown sugar, comprising an intimate mixture of fine sugar crystals and molasses;
- wherein said method of preparing said white chocolate crumb comprises the steps of:
- (a) mixing a first portion of liquid milk with at least said first portion of brown sugar, wherein said first portion of liquid milk comprises a first portion of milk solids and a first portion of water, which first portion of milk solids may include butter fat, and wherein said first portion of water is sufficient to hydrate said sugar, so as to form a slurry batch of hydrated brown sugar and liquid milk;
- (b) mixing said slurry batch with a second portion of liquid milk, in the event that the weight of milk solids of said first portion of liquid milk is less than within the range of 23 to 34 weight units, so that the total weight of milk solids comprising the milk solids of said first portion of liquid milk and the milk solids of said second portion of liquid milk, if used, is in any event within the range of 23 to 34 weight units, so as to form a pre-crumb slurry;
- (c) transferring said pre-crumb slurry to a conventional drier, and drying said pre-crumb slurry so as to obtain said total weight of milk solids as dried milk solids, together with said brown sugar;
- (d) mixing said total weight of dried milk solids and said brown sugar together with a second portion of sugar, in the e, vent that the weight of sugar of said first portion of sugar is less than within the range of 50 to 55 weight units, so that the total weight of sugar of said first portion of sugar and said second portion of sugar, if used, is in any event within the range of 50 to 55 weight units, so as to form a sweet pre-crumb slurry;
- (e) mixing said sweet pre-crumb slurry together with the anhydrous cocoa butter, so as to arrive at the selected analysis amounts thereof;
- (f) adding additional anhydrous butter fat, if necessary, so as to bring the total amount of dried milk solids and anhydrous butter fat to the range of 30 to 34 weight units of the prepared white chocolate crumb;
- and
- (g) refining said prepared white chocolate crumb, if necessary, for pasting and conching the prepared white chocolate crumb, as necessary for recovery and further processing or storage thereof.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.