Indulgent edible composition

An edible composition mimicking chocolate melt in an oral cavity, formed from components comprising:

• (a) about 0.25 wt. % to about 4.5 wt. % of a starch, wherein said starch when combined with water in a weight ratio of 5:95 starch to water and cooked for 10 minutes at about 100° C., has a viscosity at 22° C. of about 0.03 Pa-s to about 2 Pa-s at a shear rate of 10 sec−1;
• (b) about 3.25 wt. % to about 18 wt. % of a protein-containing component that will substantially hydrate in water and will not coagulate;
• (c) about 15 wt. % to about 36 wt. % of a sweetener that when substantially hydrated is at least 90% free of crystals in said edible composition;
• (d) about 17.5 wt. % to about 40.5 wt. % of a fat-containing component that melts at a temperature of about 10° C. to about 35° C.;
• (e) about 0.10 wt. % to about 4.01 wt. % of a hydrocolloid gelling agent that facilitates the formation of a gel matrix that will break down at a temperature of about 45° C. or less, the hydrocolloid gelling agent being selected from the group consisting of low-methoxyl pectin, depolymerized agar, carageenan, gelatin, propylene glycol alginate, and mixtures thereof;
• (f) about 0.005 wt. % to about 1.35 wt. % of an edible surfactant that is food-grade and has a HLB value of about 0 to about 12;
• and
• (g) about 1 wt. % to about 4.5 wt. % of a fiber-containing component selected from the group consisting of cellulose, polydextrose, raftilose, raftilin, fructooligosaccharides, palatinose oligosaccharide, guar gum hydrolysate, dextrin, maltodextrin, inulin, and mixtures thereof,
• wherein the weight percentages are on a total weight basis of said composition,
• wherein the edible composition has a final moisture content from about 27% to about 50% moisture by weight of said composition, and
• wherein the edible composition has a water activity from about 0.78 to about 0.92.