# US 5,707,676 A · Process for making frozen bagel shapes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,707,676 A - Document ID: US5707676A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/613,472 - Filed: 1996-03-11 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1996-03-11 - Assignees: Einstein Bros. Bagels, Inc. - Inventors: Ronald Savelli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5707676A ## CPC - A21D 6/00: Other treatment of flour or dough before baking, e.g. cooling, irradiating or heating (preservation of flour or dough before baking A23B40/00) - A21D 13/22: coated before baking - A21D 13/40: Products characterised by the type, form or use - A21D: TREATMENT OF FLOUR OR DOUGH FOR BAKING, e.g. BY ADDITION OF MATERIALS; BAKING; BAKERY PRODUCTS (preservation of flour or dough before baking A23B40/00; preservation of bakery products A23B45/00) ## Abstract An improved bagel made by forming toroidal dough pieces, treating the surface of the dough pieces with a warmed acidic solution, and freezing. After storage in a frozen state, the dough pieces are thawed and baked to produce bagels at least as desirable as fresh bagels produced by conventional processes which do not use an intermediate freezing step. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An improved process for preparing frozen bagel dough shapes having organoleptic properties, when defrosted and baked, at least as desirable as fresh bagels produced by conventional boil and bake processes comprising: preparing a bagel dough; forming the bagel dough into one or more toroidal-shaped dough pieces; proofing the toroidal-shaped dough pieces; bathing the toroidal-shaped dough pieces in an aqueous food grade acidic solution warmed to a temperature up to about 190.degree. F.; and freezing the acid-treated, toroidal-shaped dough pieces. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the bagel dough is prepared by combining the following ingredients, in percentages by weight: ______________________________________ flour about 50-70 water about 25-35 yeast about 1.2-0.4 liquid non-diastatic malt syrup about 2.0-5.0 powder non-diastatic malt syrup about 1.2-0.4 sugar about 0.8-1.8 molasses about 0.5-2.0 salt about 0.7-2.0 powdered egg whites about 0.8-1.8 dough conditioner about 1.2-0.4 ______________________________________ ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 in which the bagel dough is made from flour having a protein level of about 11.0% to 14.2% by weight. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 in which the bagel dough is made from flour having a protein level of about 13.8% to 14.2% by weight. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the proofing is carried out for from about 20 to 60 minutes at about 90.degree. to 105.degree. F. and about 75 to 90% relative humidity. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the proofing is carried out for from about 30 to 40 minutes at about 95.degree. to 100.degree. F. and about 80 to 85% relative humidity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the proofing is carried out for from about 30 to 35 minutes at about 100.degree. F. and about 85% relative humidity. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which, after the toroidal-shaped dough pieces are proofed, they are refrigerated. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which, after the toroidal-shaped dough pieces are proofed, they are refrigerated at about 38.degree.-40.degree. F. for about 30-60 minutes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the aqueous acidic solution is maintained at a temperature of about 140.degree. to 190.degree. F. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the aqueous acidic solution is maintained at a temperature of about 160.degree. to 185.degree. F. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the aqueous acidic solution is maintained at a temperature of about 170.degree. to 180.degree. F. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the dough pieces are bathed in an aqueous acidic solution maintained at a pH of about 3.0 to 6.0. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the dough pieces are bathed in an aqueous acidic solution maintained at a pH of about 3.5 to 5.0. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the acidic aqueous solution is at a pH of about 4.0 to 4.5. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the toroidal-shaped dough pieces are bathed in the aqueous acidic solution for about 15 to 40 seconds. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the toroidal-shaped dough pieces are bathed in the aqueous acidic solution for about 20 to 35 seconds. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which the toroidal-shaped dough pieces are bathed in the aqueous acidic solution for about 25 to 30 seconds. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which, after bathing the toroidal-shaped dough pieces, they are sprayed with clear water. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 in which the clear water is at a temperature in the range of about 35.degree. to 50.degree. F. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 in which, after bathing the toroidal-shaped dough pieces, they are placed in a freezer at a temperature of at least about -15.degree. F. and held there until they are cooled to at least about 10.degree. F. at the core. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 in which the freezer is a blast freezer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 in which a pre-freezer is used ahead of the freezer to freeze the moisture on the surface of the dough pieces before they enter the blast freezer. ### Claim 24 An improved process for preparing bagels from frozen bagel dough shapes comprising: preparing a bagel dough; forming the bagel dough into one or more toroidal-shaped dough pieces; proofing the toroidal-shaped dough pieces; bathing the toroidal-shaped dough pieces in an aqueous food grade acidic solution warmed to a temperature up to about 190.degree. F.; freezing the acid-treated, toroidal-shaped dough pieces; thawing the frozen toroidal-shaped dough pieces; and baking with steam addition. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 in which the frozen toroidal-shaped dough pieces are thawed by refrigerating for about 6 hours and then heated to achieve a core temperature of about 65.degree.-70.degree. F. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 in which the frozen bagel pieces are thawed by refrigerating for about 8-16 hours at about 38.degree.-42.degree. F. and about 65% relative humidity and then heated for about 15 minutes at about 90.degree. F. and about 75% relative humidity. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 in which the thawed toroidal-shaped dough pieces are baked at about 500.degree. F. for about 10-14 minutes. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 in which the steam is added for a period of about 5 to 15 seconds. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 in which the steam is added for a period of about 6 to 12 seconds. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24 in which the steam is added for a period of about 8 seconds. ### Claim 31 An improved process for preparing frozen bagel dough shapes having organoleptic properties, when defrosted and baked, at least as desirable as fresh bagels produced by conventional boil and bake processes comprising: preparing a bagel dough from the following ingredients in percentages by weight, in which the flour has a protein level of about 11.0 to 14.2% by weight: ______________________________________ flour about 50-70 water about 25-35 yeast about 1.2-0.4 liquid non-diastatic malt syrup about 2.0-5.0 powder non-diastatic malt syrup about 1.2-0.4 sugar about 0.8-1.8 molasses about 0.5-2.0 salt about 0.7-2.0 powdered egg whites about 0.8-1.8 dough conditioner about 1.2-0.4 ______________________________________ forming the bagel dough into one or more toroidal-shaped dough pieces; proofing the toroidal-shaped dough pieces for from about 20 to 60 minutes at about 90.degree.-105.degree. F. and about 75-90% relative humidity; refrigerating the proofed toroidal-shaped dough pieces; bathing the toroidal-shaped dough pieces in an aqueous food grade acid solution at a temperature of about 140.degree.-190.degree. F. and a pH of about 3.0 to 6.0; and freezing the acid-treated, toroidal-shaped dough pieces.