Coated confectionery having a crispy starch based center and method of preparation
AssigneeMars, Incorporated
InventorsMarla D. Belzowski, David W. Bauman, Keith Schafer, Jennifer L. Reff, Carolyn Peucker
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Abstract
A coated confectionery having a crispy starch based center with a thin continuous rigid outer, coating is disclosed. The integrity of the thin continuous rigid outer coating is maintained even after prolonged storage. Also disclosed is a method for preparing such coated confectionery.
Claims21
A method for preparing a coated confectionery having a crispy starch based center, with a continuous hard panned outer sugar shell coating, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a starch based center;
- (b) drying said starch based center to form a crispy starch based center;
- (c) rehumidifying said crispy starch based center to provide said crispy starch based center with a water activity which minimizes cracking of said sugar shell due to volumetric expansion of said crispy starch based center after application of said continuous outer sugar shell coating surrounding said crispy starch based center, wherein said water activity is greater than about 0.30;
- and
- (d) applying said continuous outer hard panned sugar shell coating that surrounds said crispy starch based center, wherein said step of applying includes the application of successive layers of sucrose syrup by hard panning.
A method for preparing a water activity conditioned crispy starch based center comprising the steps of:
- (a) extruding a starch based composition to form an expanded starch based center;
- (b) drying said starch based center to form a crispy starch based center;
- and
- (c) rehumidifying said crispy starch based center at a relative humidity, temperature and time to form a water activity conditioned crispy starch based center having a water activity greater than about 0.30.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.