EP1956922A1

EP1956922A1 - Confectionery product

Info

Publication number: EP1956922A1
Application number: EP06820412A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Garry Moppett; Mark Joyce; Bert Van Dijk; Tineke Leijdens; Joseph Roeckel
Original assignee: Mars Inc
Current assignee: Mars Inc
Priority date: 2005-12-02
Filing date: 2006-12-04
Publication date: 2008-08-20
Also published as: AU2006321394A1; CN101431901A; WO2007063338A1; GB0524643D0; CA2631583A1; GB2432773A

Abstract

A confectionery product (2) comprising a wafer shell (4) with at least two integral, separable portions (6, 8) is disclosed. Each portion has a cavity (26, 28) at least partially filled with an edible filling (14, 16), wherein the filling of one cavity is different to the filling of another cavity. The confectionery product (2) preferably- comprises means (10) for sealing the substantially filled cavities. A method and apparatus for the production of a confectionery product (2) are also disclosed.

Description

CONFECTIONERY PRODUCT

The present invention relates to a confectionery product and a method and apparatus for the production thereof.

Confectionery products having two or more ^■ identical finger portions which are packaged together are known. In some cases, the finger portions are separate from each other but held together by a single wrapper, while in other cases the finger portions are wrapped individually. It is also known for the finger portions to be physically joined together, for example by the chocolate coating, so that the consumer has to separate the fingers by ^λsnapping' them apart.

It has been desired to make a new confectionery product which provides a wider variety of tastes and textures than existing products .

According to the invention there is provided a confectionery product comprising a wafer shell with at least two integral, separable portions, each portion having a cavity at least partially filled with an edible filling, wherein the filling of one cavity is different to the filling of another cavity.

Preferably, the filling of one cavity is of a different flavour and/or appearance and/or texture to the filling of another cavity. This provides the consumer with a single item of confectionery which can be separated into individual portions having different fillings, thereby offering a choice of portions which may be eaten together or independently, ^• as and when desired, or may be shared between two people having differing tastes .

Preferably, the cavities are substantially filled with the edible fillings.

Preferably, the confectionery product further comprises means for sealing the cavities. The means for sealing the cavities may comprise, for example, a layer of chocolate covering the cavity opening. The provision of a chocolate base, rather than a wafer base, provides a texturally different eating experience to the consumer than is provided by existing products. The wafer shell on one side of the product and the chocolate base on the opposing side provide two contrasting textures which the consumer will experience simultaneously when biting into the product. The provision of chocolate on one side of the product only means that the consumer can avoid melting the chocolate on their fingers by holding the uncoated wafer shell of the portions whilst eating.

Preferably, the confectionery product further comprises a barrier layer between the filling and ^■ the means for sealing the cavities and particularly . preferably, the barrier layer comprises a layer of edible paper such as rice paper. The barrier layer acts as a physical barrier between the fat based filling and the sealing layer and prevents or reduces the migration of fat from the soft filling to the sealing layer, thereby preserving the physical properties of the sealing layer. In the example of a chocolate sealing layer, the prevention of fat migration prevents the softening of the chocolate and the formation of bloom, which would otherwise result from the chocolate being in direct contact with the soft fat based filling. The thin layer of edible paper within the confectionery product dissolves very quickly in the mouth and is therefore virtually undetectable to the consumer.

Preferably, the exterior of the wafer shell is such that the different fillings may be identified. This may be achieved by decorating the exterior the wafer shell using edible ink. The colour of the decoration of a portion can correspond to the colour or. flavour of the filling in that portion. Not all of the portions need to be decorated to distinguish- between the fillings in the portions; portions containing one of the fillings may be undecorated. Preferably the fillings are fat based creams. The fillings may comprise up to 70% by volume of edible inclusions, such as wafer and/or biscuit pieces, which will affect the texture of the confectionery product. ^'

Also according to the invention there is provided a method of making a confectionery product comprising:

(a) forming wafer shells comprising at least two integral, separable portions, each portion having a cavity; and

(b) depositing an edible filling into each cavity wherein the fillings deposited in cavity is different to the filling deposited in another cavity.

Also according to the invention there is provided apparatus for making a confectionery product comprising:

a mould for forming wafer shells comprising two integral, separable portions each having a cavity; and

a filling station for depositing filling into the cavities comprising at least two fillers such that the filling deposited into one cavity is different to the filling deposited in another cavity.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a confectionery product according to the invention;

Figure IA shows a cross section through the confectionery product of Figure 1;

Figure 2 shows the empty wafer shell of the confectionery product of Figure 1; Figure 2A shows a cross section through the wafer shell of Figure 2.

Figure 3 is another perspective view of the confectionery product of Figure 1;

Figures 4A to 4G show schematically the apparatus according to the invention, for the production a confectionery product;

Figure 5 shows the forming station of the apparatus of Figures 4A to 4G.

Figure 6A shows a male horn used in the forming station of Figure 5;

Figure 6B shows a female mould cavity used in the forming station of Figure 5; and

Figure 6C shows a cross sectional view of the male horn of Figure 6A in place inside the female cavity of Figure 6B.

The confectionery product 2 of Figures 1, IA and 3 comprises a 32mm x 71mm x 10mm hollow wafer shell ^' 4 with two separable finger portions 6,8 and a chocolate base 10. The base 10 is shown at the top in Figures 1 and IA. As shown in Figure IA, the first finger portion 6 contains a chocolate flavoured cream filling 14 and the second finger portion 8 contains a caramel flavoured cream filling 16.

An empty wafer shell 4 is shown in Figure 2, prior to filling. The wafer shell is formed from a single sheet of . wafer and comprises first 26 and second 28 elongate hollow cavities, both of which are 8.5mm deep, substantially semi-circular in cross^' section and closed at both ends. The first cavity 26 defines the first finger portion 6 of the confectionery product and the second cavity 28 defines the second finger portion- 8. The cavities 26,28 are connected by a central bridge section 24, which may be perforated so that the wafer shell may be easily broken along the bridge section in order to separate the finger portions 6,8. The walls of the cavities 26,28 and the central bridge portion 24 are of substantially uniform thickness- of

■ 1.5mm. The wafer shell 4 is open at one side and the opening is surrounded by a flat, rectangular outer rim 22.

As shown in Figure IA, one cavity 26 is filled with a chocolate flavoured cream filling 14 and the other cavity 28 is filled with a caramel flavoured cream filling 16. Both fillings 14,16 contain 70% by volume of small biscuit and wafer pieces 18. The fillings are sealed inside their respective cavities by the chocolate base 10.

The confectionery product of Figures 1, IA and 3 includes a thin layer of edible paper 12, as shown in Figure IA, which lies on top of the cream fillings 14,16 and beneath the chocolate base 10. This layer of edible paper 12 acts as a barrier to separate the cream fillings 14,16 from the chocolate base 10, in order to prevent fat migration from the cream to the chocolate, which would results in softening of the chocolate and/or the formation of bloom. The edible paper may be perforated centrally along its length and/or width in order to facilitate breaking of the product into the separate portions.

As shown in Figure 3, the exterior surface of the wafer shell 4 has an embossed reeding pattern and has been decorated using edible ink so that the filling in each finger may be identified prior to eating. The wafer shell in the first finger portion 6 is printed all over with a brown ink 42, except for a product logo 44, which is left in the natural, lighter, colour of the wafer. In contrast, the wafer shell in the second finger portion 8 is left in the natural colour of the wafer and has a product logo 40 printed in brown ink. The resultant dark and light colour of the two fingers 6,8 correspond to the dark and light colour of the respective chocolate and caramel cream fillings. Confectionery products according to the invention, such as those described above can be made using the apparatus shown in Figures

4A to 4G and 5. . In these figures, the direction of travel of

^' the wafer is shown by a horizontal arrow. The wafer shell 4 of the confectionery product is formed from a continuous film of wafer batter 52 which is baked in a continuous belt oven 54 comprising an endless belt 56 and a batter reservoir 58 which deposits the continuous thin film of wafer batter 52 onto the belt 56, a plurality of induction heaters 60 which heat the wafer batter film from below and a plurality of infra-red heaters 62 which heat the wafer batter film from above. A continuous belt oven and the baking of a wafer batter film therein is described in EP 1 479 692.

A removal device 64 removes the baked sheet of wafer 53 from the belt 56 and the sheet passes to a continuous forming unit 66, shown schematically in Figures 4B and 4C and in Figure 5, while still hot and flexible. The continuous forming unit 66 includes a moulding belt 70, onto which the hot wafer sheet 53 is deposited. The moulding belt 70 includes a continuous array of female mould cavities 72, the inner shape of which corresponds to the shape of the wafer shell 4 described above. A continuous chain of discrete metallic male horns 74 is passed- around a series of rollers 76 above the moulding belt 70. The spacing of the male horns 74 in the chain corresponds to the spacing of the female mould cavities 72 on the moulding belt 70 and the path of

- the male horns 74 includes a horizontal section which coincides with the path of the moulding belt 70 so that the male horns 74 engage with and are pressed into the female mould cavities 72.

The male horns 74 remain within the female mould cavities 72 until the end of the horizontal section, at which point the chain of male horns 74 is moved up and away from the moulding belt 70. The male horns are held in place within the female mould cavities by their own weight. As the male horns 74 press into the female mould cavities 72, the wafer sheet 53 is stretched and deformed into the shape of the cavity. During the time in. which the male horns 74 are within the female mould cavities 72, the wafer shells 4 are cooled by the male horns to below their glass transition temperature so that the moulded wafer shape is maintained once the male horns are removed. The male horns 74 are cooled by a cooling unit 80 upstream of the horizontal section.

A rotating cutting roller 84 is located on the moulding belt and cuts the deformed wafer shells^' 4 from the continuous wafer sheet 53 before the male horns are removed from the female cavities. A vacuum extraction system 86 removes wafer dust created by the cutting process.

A single male horn 74 and female mould cavity 72 are shown in Figures 6a and 6b, and Figure 6c shows a cross sectional view of the male horn 74 in the female mould cavity 72. The male horn 74 includes a rectangular base 200 with two parallel projections 202 which are substantially semi-circular in cross section. The female mould cavity 72 has a rectangular opening and comprises two elongate hollow cavities 204 which are separated by a central partition 206, the top of which is below the level of the mould opening. The bottom of each hollow cavity 204 has a pattern of criss-cross grooves 208, which create a diamond reeding pattern on the moulded wafer shells 4. As shown in Figure .6c, the cross section of the male horn projections 202 and the hollow cavities 204 are complementary to each other so that the male horn fits inside the female mould cavity leaving a uniform space between them of around 1.5rnm to accommodate the wafer sheet. The gap must be such that the wafer sheet 53 is moulded by ^• the male horn against, the female mould cavity to impress the reeding pattern 208 onto the exterior of the wafer sheet 53, without creating areas of wafer which are too thin and therefore weak.

The moulding belt 70 of female mould cavities 72 with the deformed wafer shells 4 still inside passes out of the forming station 66 to the filling station 90, shown in Figure 4D. The filling station comprises a first mixer 92 for preparing a chocolate flavoured cream and a second mixer 94 for preparing a caramel flavoured cream. Biscuit and wafer pieces are added to both of the mixers and mixed to disperse them relatively evenly- through the creams. The creams are transferred from the first 92 and second 94 mixers into first 96 and second 98 hoppers respectively, from which metered amounts of each cream are deposited into the cavities of the wafer shell 4. The conveyor belt 70 stops below the 'hoppers 96,98 so that the caramel cream is deposited into one cavity 28 of the wafer shell while the chocolate cream is deposited into the other cavity 26.

The moulding belt 70 with the filled wafer shells 4 still held within the female mould cavities 72 then passes a barrier application station 100, shown in Figure 4E. Pieces of edible paper 102 are cut from a roll 104 to a size corresponding to the opening of the wafer shell 4 and each piece is transferred to the surface of a filled wafer shell on the moulding belt. The pieces of edible paper 102 are then pressed down by a press 106 to adhere them to the surfaces of the creams. The edible paper^' fully covers the surface of the creams to ensure that there is no leakage of the creams between cavities and that the cream does not contact the chocolate base, which is applied on top of the paper.

The filled wafer shells 4 are allowed to cool and are then removed from their mould cavities 72 by inversion of the mould cavities and transported to an enrobing station 110/ shown in Figure 4F, where a chocolate layer 10 is applied to the open end only of the filled wafer shells by passing them through a bottom enrober 112 and then a cooling tunnel (not shown) , using established confectionery technology. If a further chocolate layer is desired, the enrobing process can be repeated.

The filled wafer shells 4 then pass^' to a printing station 120, shown in Figure- 4G, where the desired decoration is applied to the exterior of the wafer shell by printing with food grade ink 122 using a high-speed inkjet printer 124, similar to that used, for example, in conventional package printing technologies .

The production of a confectionery product according to the invention will now be further described with reference to the following example:

Example The ingredients listed in Table 1 were mixed to form a wafer batter.

Table 1

A thin film of the liquid batter was deposited onto the hot surface (190°C to 200°C) of a continuous- baking oven, as described above, using a slot depositor, to form a wafer sheet 200mm wide and 1.8mm thick. The wafer sheet was baked for approximately 2.5 minutes at a belt speed of 2.2m/min and was removed from the oven at a. temperature of 150°C to 16O⁰C by a doctor blade mounted on the oven return drum. The hot flexible wafer sheet was transferred immediately to the forming station, described above, ensuring that the wafer sheet Was kept above its glass transition temperature of approximately 12O⁰C in order to maintain its flexibility. A wafer shell was formed in a female mould cavity using a male horn, as previously described, with the male horn being held inside the female cavity for a minimum period of 2 seconds.

The ingredients listed άn Table 2 were mixed to form a caramel cream and the ingredients in Table 3 were mixed to form a chocolate cream.

Table 2

Table 3 Pieces of biscuit and wafer, 2mm to 3mm in size, were mixed into the creams to give resultant fillings comprising 70% by weight of cream, 18% by weight of biscuit pieces ■ and 12% by weight of wafer pieces. A portion of around 5.4g of caramel cream was deposited into one of the cavities of the formed wafer shell and a similar portion of chocolate cream was deposited into the other cavity. A layer of edible paper was cut to the size of the wafer shell opening, placed on top of the filled wafer shell and pressed down to cover the fillings. This was done while the cream filings were still warm so that the edible paper stuck to the creams. The resultant filled wafer shell was cooled until the creams were hard and removed from the female mould cavity by inverting the mould. A layer of chocolate was applied on top of the wafer paper using a conventional bottom enrόber. A logo was printed on the exterior of the wafer shell using a standard ink jet printer and an edible ink.

While in the embodiment described the two cavities are integrally moulded in a single wafer shell, it will be appreciated that the cavities do not need to be formed together but may be formed separately and subsequently attached to each other, for example, by means of a chocolate layer or a separate bridging portion of wafer.

It will also be appreciated that, while in the confectionery product described, the fillings are caramel and chocolate flavoured soft fat based creams, other flavours or edible fillings, such as fruit pastes or low water activity caramels may be used. In the confectionery product described,, the cream filings differ in both flavour and colour; however, it will be appreciated that the fillings could differ just in flavour or just in colour, or may differ in other ways such as in texture or type of filling.

While in the embodiment described, the confectionery product comprises two separable portions, it will be appreciated that there could be more than two separable portions and it will be apparent to the skilled man how the described method of production could be adapted to make confectionery products with more than two portions. It will also be appreciated that, while in the ^'embodiment described the cavities are ^' elongate^' and substantially semi-circular in cross section, the cavities may be- a different shape and the cavities in one product may be different shapes to each other. While in the embodiment described, the filled containers are sealed by means of a layer of chocolate, it will be appreciated that the containers could be sealed in a different way, for example, by applying a separate layer of biscuit or wafer.

While in the embodiment described, the decoration is applied using edible ink, it will be appreciated the decoration may be applied in other ways, such as by branding or embossing the exterior of the wafer shell. It will also be appreciated that, while in the embodiment described the wafer shell is decorated with the product logo, pictures, patterns, or words may be applied instead in order to identify the filling in. each cavity.

While a particular method and apparatus for the production of confectionery products according to the invention have been described, it will be appreciated that a confectionery product according to the invention could be made using other methods and apparatuses. For example, the wafer shells could be baked using a conventional oven, individual moulds could be used, or the wafer shells could be formed without moulds. Similarly, while the method described applies the chocolate sealing layer using a bottom enrober, the chocolate layer could be separately moulded or a ^Λflood and scrape' method could be used. Similarly, alternative methods could be envisaged for applying the ink to the exterior of the wafer shells and a different type of ink, such as a fat based ink, could be used instead of the water based ink.

Claims

1. A confectionery product comprising a wafer shell, with at least two integral, separable portions, each portion having a cavity at least partially filled with an edible filling, wherein - the filling o-f one cavity is different to the filling of another cavity.

2. A confectionery product according to claim 1 wherein the cavities are substantially filled by the filling.

3. A confectionery product according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising means for sealing the substantially filled cavities.

4. A confectionery product according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the means for sealing the cavities comprises chocolate.

5. A confectionery product according to claim 3 or 4 further comprising a barrier layer between the filling and the means for sealing the cavities.

6. A confectionery product according to claim 5 wherein the barrier layer comprises an edible paper.

7. A confectionery product according to any preceding claim wherein the fillings comprise a fat based cream.

8. A confectionery product according to any preceding claim wherein the ^' filling of one cavity is of a different ^'flavour to the filling of another cavity.

9. A confectionery product according to any preceding claim wherein the filling of one cavity is of a different appearance to the filling of another cavity.

10. ^'A confectionery product according to any preceding claim wherein the filling of one cavity is of a different texture to the filling of another cavity.

11. A confectionery product according to any preceding claim wherein at least one of the fillings comprises edible inclusions .

12. A confectionery product according to claim 11 wherein the edible inclusions comprise wafer and/or biscuit pieces.

13. A confectionery product according to claim 11 or 12 wherein at least one filling comprises up to 70% by volume of edible inclusions.

14. A confectionery product according to any preceding claim wherein the exterior of the wafer shell is such that the different fillings may be identified.

15. A confectionery product according to claim 14 wherein the exterior of the wafer shell is decorated with edible ink.

16. A confectionery product according to claim 14 or 15 wherein the colour of the decoration on each portion of the wafer shell corresponds to the colour of the filling in .that portion.

17. A method of making a confectionery product comprising:

(a) forming wafer shells .comprising at least two integral, separable portions, each portion having a cavity; and

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the wafer shells are formed in a mould.

19. A method according to claim 17 or 18 wherein the wafer shells are continuously formed.

20. A method according to any of claims 17 to 19 wherein the exterior surface of the wafer shells is embossed during the forming process.

21. A method according, to any of claims 17 to 20 further comprising:

(c) sealing the cavities following the depositing step.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein step (c) comprises applying a layer of chocolate.

23. A method according to claim 22 wherein the layer of chocolate is applied by enrobing.

24. A method according to any of claims 21 to 23 wherein step (c) comprises:

applying a barrier layer; and

applying a sealing layer on top of the barrier layer.

25. .A method according to any of claims 17 to 24 further comprising the step of applying edible decoration- to the exterior of the wafer shells.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the step of applying edible decoration comprises printing the exterior of the wafer shells with edible ink.

27. A method according to any of claims 24 to 26 wherein decoration is applied to each portion of the wafer shell such that the different fillings may be identified.

28. Apparatus for making a confectionery product comprising: a mould for forming wafer shells comprising two integral, separable portions each having a cavity; and

29. Apparatus according to claim 28 further comprising means for sealing the cavities, downstream of the filling station.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the means for sealing the cavities comprises means for applying at least one layer of chocolate.

31. Apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the -means for applying the at least one layer of chocolate comprises an enrober .

32. Apparatus according to any of claims 29 to 31 further comprising means for applying a barrier layer, upstream of the means for sealing the cavities.

33. Apparatus according to any of claims 28 to 32 further comprising means for .decorating the exterior of the wafer shells.

34. Apparatus according to claim 33 wherein the means for decorating comprises an ink jet printer with edible ink.

35. A confectionery product substantially as described with reference to the figures.

36. A method of making a confectionery product as described with reference to the example.

37. Apparatus for making a confectionery product as described with reference to the figures.