Confectionery product comprising vegetables solids

A nutritious confectionery product comprising:

• at least 25% by weight of solid fat selected from the group consisting of cocoa butter, derivative of cocoa butter, vegetable fat, and a combination thereof;
• and
• at least 15% by weight of non-cereal vegetable solids finely ground to a size of about 80 microns or less that are dispersed in a continuous fat phase of the solid fat which serves as a matrix for the vegetable solids that sets to form a stable shape for the product and to impart a confectionery texture to the product, wherein the non-cereal vegetable solids comprises a vegetable selected from the group consisting of potatoes, beans, lentils, peas, asparagus, aubergine, basil, broccoli, Brussel sprout, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chicory, cucumber, curly kale, fennel, garlic, gourd, leeks, lettuce, marrow, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsnip, peppers, plaintain, pumpkin, corn, radish, spinach, spring greens, tomato, turnip, watercress, yam, zucchini, and mixtures thereof;
• and
• from about 6 weight percent to 15 weight percent sugar to control hardness of the solid fat and reduce water activity to about 0.65 or less and wherein the fat imparts a melt-in-the-mouth sensation upon being placed in the mouth.

A nutritious confectionery product comprising:

• at least 25% by weight of solid fat selected from the group consisting of cocoa butter, derivative of cocoa butter, vegetable fat, and a combination thereof;
• at least 15% by weight of non-cereal vegetable solids finely ground to a size of about 80 microns or less that are dispersed in a continuous fat phase of the solid fat which serves as a matrix for the vegetable solids that sets to form a stable shape for the product and to impart a confectionery texture to the product;
• and
• from about 6 weight percent to 15 weight percent sugar to control hardness of the solid fat and reduce water activity to about 0.65 or less,
• wherein the product is formed from a chocolate or equivalent thereof where the vegetable solids have replaced at least a portion of the cocoa solids, sugar solids, or milk solids, or a combination thereof in the chocolate.

A nutritious confectionery product comprising:

• of at least 25% by weight of solid fat, selected from the group consisting of cocoa butter, derivative of cocoa butter, vegetable fat, and a combination thereof;
• and
• about 30% to about 60% by weight of non-cereal vegetable solids comprising finely ground particles having a size of about 80 microns or less, wherein the vegetable solids are dispersed in a continuous fat phase of the solid fat which serves as a matrix wherein the ratio of non-cereal vegetable solids to fat being from about 1:2 to about 3:1;
• at least one cereal-based component in an amount of up to about 40% by weight;
• and
• sugar in an amount from about 6 weight percent to 15 weight percent sugar to control hardness of the solid fat and reduce water activity to about 0.65 or less, wherein the product sets to have a stable shape and a confectionery texture with the fat imparting snap, gloss, and a melt-in-the-mouth sensation when the product is placed in the mouth.

A nutritious confectionery product comprising:

• at least 25% by weight of solid fat selected from the group consisting of cocoa butter, derivative of cocoa butter, vegetable fat, and a combination thereof to impart snap, gloss, and a melt-in-the-mouth sensation upon being placed in a consumer's mouth;
• and
• at least 15% by weight of non-cereal vegetable solids finely ground to a size of about 80 microns or less that are dispersed in a continuous fat phase of the solid fat which serves as a matrix for the vegetable solids that sets to form a stable shape for the product and to impart a confectionery texture to the product wherein the ratio of non-cereal vegetable solids to fat is from about 1:2 to about 3:1;
• and
• from about 6 weight percent to 15 weight percent sugar to control hardness of the solid fat and reduce water activity to about 0.65 or less.