Method for preparing solid milk product

A method for preparing a solid milk product, said method comprising:

• (1) blending about 20 to about 50 percent condensed fat-free milk or sweetened condensed fat-free milk, about 10 to about 35 percent anhydrous milkfat, and about 8 to about 30 percent concentrated dry milk powder at a temperature of about 40 to about 95° C. to form a first blend, wherein the blending continues until essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated;
• (2) heating the first blend to a temperature of about 60 to about 95° C. under high shear conditions with a bulk peak shear rate of greater than about 950 sec−1;
• (3) adding 0 to 1 percent of an emulsifier to the first blend either before or after essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated;
• (4) adding, once essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated, about 1 to about 3 percent of an emulsifying salt and about 0.4 to about 1 percent TiO2 to the first blend to form a second blend;
• (5) continuing to heat the second blend to the temperature of about 65 to about 95° C. under the high shear conditions until a homogeneous paste is obtained;
• (6) pasteurizing the homogenous paste;
• and
• (7) cooling the pasteurized homogenous paste to form the solid milk product,
• wherein the solid milk product is a solid at ambient temperatures, has a moisture level of less than about 40 percent, and has a fat/protein ratio of less than about 2.5.

A method for preparing a solid milk product having a moisture level of less than about 40 percent, said method comprising:

• (1) blending an aqueous liquid, an edible fat, and concentrated milk protein source at a temperature of about 40 to about 95° C. and under high shear conditions with a bulk peak shear rate of greater than about 950 sec−1 to form a first blend, wherein the blending continues until essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated and wherein the edible fat has a melting point less than about 50° C.;
• (2) adding 0 to about 1 percent of an emulsifier to the first blend either before or after essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated;
• (3) added 0 to about 3 percent of an emulsifying salt and 0 to about 1 percent TiO2 to the first blend to form a second blend;
• wherein, if the moisture level of the solid milk product is to be greater than about 25 percent, the emulsifying salt and the TiO2 are added to the first blend either before or after essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated;
• and wherein, if the moisture level of the solid milk product is to be less than about 25 percent, the emulsifying salt and the TiO2 are added to the first blend after essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated;
• (4) continuing to heat the second blend to the temperature of about 65 to about 95° C. under the high shear conditions until a homogeneous paste is obtained;
• (5) pasteurizing the homogenous paste;
• and
• (6) cooling the pasteurized homogenous paste to form the solid milk product,
• wherein the relative amount of the aqueous liquid, the edible fat, and the concentrated milk protein source in the first blend are adjusted such that the solid milk product has a moisture level of less than about 40 percent and a fat/protein ratio of less than about 2.5;
• and wherein the solid milk product is a solid at ambient temperatures.

A solid milk product comprising about 15 to about 60 percent of an aqueous liquid, about 8 to about 40 percent of an edible fat;

• about 10 to about 35 percent of a concentrated milk protein source;
• 0 to about 3 percent of an emulsifying salt;
• 0 to about 1 percent TiO2;
• and 0 to 1 percent of an emulsifier,
• wherein the solid milk product is a solid at ambient temperatures, has a moisture level of less than about 40 percent, and has a fat/protein ratio of less than about 2.5.

A method for preparing a solid ingredient-containing solid milk product, said method comprising:

• (1) blending an aqueous liquid and concentrated milk protein source under low to moderate shear conditions to form a first blend, wherein the blending continues until essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated and the first blend forms a sticky white mass;
• (2) adding an emulsifying salt to the first blend either before or after essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated,
• (3) adding sugar to the first blend either before or after essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated;
• (4) adding a solid ingredient to the sticky white mass to form a solid ingredient and first blend mixture;
• (5) blending the solid ingredient and first blend mixture under low shear conditions until the solid ingredient is coated with the first blend to form a second blend;
• (6) placing the second blend into a container;
• (7) baking the second blend in the container;
• and
• (8) cooling the baked second blend to form the solid ingredient-containing solid milk product,
• wherein the relative amounts of the aqueous liquid, the emulsifying salt, and the concentrated milk protein source in the first blend are adjusted such that the solid ingredient-containing solid milk product has a moisture level of less than about 40 percent and a fat/protein ratio of less than about 2.5 and wherein the solid ingredient-containing solid milk product is a solid at ambient temperatures.

A method for preparing a solid milk product, said method comprising:

• blending an aqueous liquid, an edible fat, and concentrated milk protein source under moderate shear conditions with a bulk peak shear rate of greater than about 500 sec−1 to form a first blend, wherein the blending continues until essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated and wherein the edible fat has a melting point less than about 50° C.;
• (2) adding 0 to 1 percent of an emulsifier to the first blend either before or after essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated;
• (3) adding, once essentially all components in the first blend are hydrated, 0 to about 3 percent of an emulsifying salt and 0 to about 1 percent TiO2 to form a second blend;
• (4) heating the second blend to the temperature of about 65 to about 95° C. under low to high shear conditions until a homogeneous paste is obtained;
• (5) pasteurizing the homogenous paste;
• and
• (6) cooling the pasteurized homogenous paste to form the solid milk product,
• wherein the relative amount of the aqueous liquid, the edible fat, and the concentrated milk protein source in the first blend are adjusted such that the solid milk product has a moisture level of less than about 40 percent and a fat/protein ratio of less than about 2.5 and wherein the solid milk product is a solid at ambient temperatures.