GB2211393A

GB2211393A - Whipping cream

Info

Publication number: GB2211393A
Application number: GB8825173A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Stuart Wilkes; Andrew Edward Crispian Clow
Original assignee: United Biscuits Ltd
Current assignee: United Biscuits Ltd
Priority date: 1987-10-27
Filing date: 1988-10-27
Publication date: 1989-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 2008-10-27
Also published as: GB2211393B; GB8825173D0; GB8725099D0

Abstract

Cream is whipped in the presence of an emulsifier. In the presence of 0.15 to 1.0% by weight emulsifier, whipped cream having an overrun in the range 170 to 230% is produced. The whipped cream has a mouthfeel and other eating characteristics very close to those of known full-fat creams having overruns in the 80 to 130% range. The cream can have very good freeze-thaw characteristics, particularly under abuse conditions, and is very difficult to butter. The whipped cream preferably also contains a stabiliser and may be homogenised and/or aged before whipping. The starting cream may be a low-fat cream containing skimmed milk. The emulsifier may be one or more ester derivatives of a mono- or di-glyceride.

Description

WHIPPING CREAM DESCRIPTION This invention relates to whipping creams.

Unhomogenised dairy whipped creams having butterfat contents of about 38% by weight have overruns falling in the range of approximately 80 to 130%. This means that incorporation of air into the cream by whipping increases the volume of the unwhipped cream by a factor falling in the range of 1.80 to 2.30. The fat content of such cream is usually the natural content of the cream, that is about 38% by weight of the unwhipped cream.

Increasing the overrun of a whipped cream is generally desirable because it will lead to a product which, for a given product volume, contains more air and less cream. Economies are thereby achieved. Also, it is desirable from the point of view of the health of the consumer that his or her cream intake be reduced so as to lessen his or her consumption of fat which is a significant component of cream. For this reason, an increased overrun is desirable.

Previous attempts to increase the overrun of whipped cream have tended to be unsuccessful because continued whipping of the cream beyond the end point corresponding to 80 to 130% overrun tends to cause the cream to butter. Careful monitoring of the end point has accordingly been necessary to avoid buttering and inconvenience is thereby introduced. Further, increasing the overrun of whipped cream has tended to lead to a cream having unsatisfactory mouthfeel, principally as a result of educed body. Reduction of the fat content of whipped cream leads to similar undesirable effects.

The present invention provides a cream-whipping process in which cream is whipped in the presence of nn emulsifier. The emulsifier preferably comprises one or more ester derivatives of a mono- or di-glyceride, the derivative having one of the following formulae:

wherein, in each formula, n is from 2 to 20, preferably 13 to 17 and R is a C1 to C21, preferably C1 to C4, alkyl group, more preferably a methyl, or a

group; or one of the following formulae

wherein, in each formula, n is from 2 to 2G, preferably 13 to 17, and R1 and R2, which may be the same or different, are each a C1 to C21, preferably C1 to C4 alkyl group, more preferably a methyl group, or a or a

group; or one of the following formulae

wherein, in each formula, n and R are as above and m is from 2 to 20, preferably 13 to 17.Mixtures of emulsifiers having any of formulae (I) to (VII), and mixtures of such emulsifiers with other emulsifiers, can also be used. The emulsifiers of formulae (I) to (VII) may also contain an amount of the parent glyceride, in which the

group is replaced by -OH.

The emulsifier is preferably introduced to a level of not more than 1.0% by weight of the cream-emulsifier mixture and, more preferably to a level in the range 0.15 to 0.33% by weight.

The invention also provides whipped creRm obtained by this process.

Advantageously, the mixture which is whipped contains a stabiliser for the aqueous phase of the whipped cream, the stabliser preferably being present in an amount of from 0.1 to 1.08 by weight, more preferably from 0.1 to 0.5% by weight and most preferably 0.1 to 0.3% by weight of the mixture which is whipped.

The stabiliser is preferably a hydrocolloid stabliser such as sodium alginate, which may be provided by adding appropriate amounts of alginic acid and sodium bicarbonate in a combined amount constituting 0.38 by weight of the mixture to be whipped. Other hydrocolloid stabilisers, for example gelatine, tapioca starch, carboxymethylcellulose or bean gums such as xanthan gum and locust bean gum, and mixture of such stablisers, for example a blend of xanthan gum and locust bean gum can however be used.

Sodium alginate is nevertheless preferred.

The mixture which is whipped may incorporate one or more a sugars or sugar derivatives, or mixtures thereof, in an amount of from 8 to 13Q by weight of the mixture. This has been found to improve the freezingthawing performance of the whipped cream. The sugar or derivative used, which need not be sweet, may be, for example, a monosaccharide such as dextrose or fructose, a disaccharide such as sucrose, or a glucose or fructose syrup, for example 42DE glucose syrup.

The process of the invention advantageously includes, prior to the whipping step, a homogenisation step, carried out either in the presence of the stabiliser, if any, or before addition thereof. When the stabiliser is sodium alginate or gelatine, addition after homogenisation and preferably immediately before whipping is preferred. The homogenisation may be carried out in two stages, preferably a first stage at a higher pressure, for example 3000 to 4000 psi, and a second, lower pressure stage at, for example, 500 psi.

Before whipping and after any homogenisation step, the cream is preferably aged at a low temperature, preferably in the range 2 to 50C, for example 40C, preferably for 36 to 48 hours.

The present invention is particularly suitable for the production of low-fat creams, having for example fat levels of 25 te 30% by weight of the unwhipped cream. Such low-fat creams can be produced by, for example, blending of an appropriate amount of skimmed milk with the unwhipped cream. The expression "unwhipped cream" used herein includes low-fat creams produced in this or any other way.

The invention can provide whipped creams having overruns which can be as high as 230% and will normally fall in the range of 170 to 230%. Overruns of around 2008 are thus readily achievable. The overrun increases with increased level of emulsifier, an overrun of 230% corresponding typically to an emulsifier level of 1.0 wgt %.

Creams, including low-fat creams, produced in accordance with the invention can have a mouthfeel and other eating characteristics which are perfectly acceptable and can indeed be very close to those of known full-fat creams having overruns in the 80 to 130% range. The creams of the invention can also show very good freeze-thaw stability, particularly under abuse conditions where the creams of the invention can be superior to fresh cream. Moreover, it is found with the process of the invention that it is very difficult to make the cream butter, even if the whipping process is continued for periods of time which would cause previously-known whipped creams to butter. The cream is thus insensitive to overwhipping and careful monitoring of the end point is not normally necessary.

The process of the invention can produce creams with fat contents as low as 25% by weight, whilst still maintaining overruns in the 170 to 230% range, satisfactory eating characteristics, including mouthfeel, and acceptable freeze-thaw stability.

A process according to the invention will now be described by way of example only.

Dairy cream having a fat content of 38 wgt % is heated to 600C and a sugar such as sucrose (or a blend of two or more sugars) is added to a level of 8 to 13 wgt % of the sugar-cream mixture. Further heating to 800C is then carried out, at which temperature an emulsifier according to formula (I), (II) or (III) above, in which n is 16 and R is a

group, is added to a level of 0.15 to 0.33 wgt % of the total mixture. The mixture is then homogenised, first at 3000 psi and then at 500 psi, in a two-stage homogeniser. After homogenisation, the mixture is immediately cooled to 200C and then further cooled to 40C over a period of 6 to 24 hours, after which the cooled mixture is aged by being allowed to stand at 40C for a further period of 36 to 48 hours.

After ageing, the mixture is whipped using a planetary whipping machine to an overrun of about 200%.

Alternatively, a continuous pressurised whipping machine could be used. During whipping a mixture of alginic acid and sodium bicarbonate is added to the mixture at a level of 0.3 wgt % of overall mixture.

After deposition, the whipped cream may be frozen at180C and stored.

The whipped cream produced in this way has a fat content of about 33 to 35% by weight (depending on the exact amount of sugar added), based on the unwhipped cream and an overrun of about 200%. Mouthfeel iF very nearly as good as with a known whipped cream and freeze-thaw stability very good, even under abuse conditions.

The above example may be repeated using an emulsifier of formula (I), (II) or (III) in which n is 16 and R is a methyl group. In other exarnples, emulsifiers in which n is 14 or 15 may also be used, as may emulsifiers of formulae (IV), (V), (VI) and (II).

Claims

1. A cream-whipping process in which cream is whipped in the presence of an emulsifier.

2. A process according to claim 1, in which the emulsifier is present in an amount not more than 1.0% of weight of the mixture to be whipped.

3. A process according to claim 2, in which the emulsifier is present in an amount not more than 0.33% by weight of the mixture to be whipped.

4. A process according to claim 1 or 2, in which the emulsifier is present in an amount at least 0.15% by weight of the mixture to be whipped.

5. A process according to any preceding claim, in which the mixture to be whipped contains a stabiliser for the aqueous phase of the whipped cream.

6. A process according to claim 5, in which the stabiliser is a hydrocolloid stabiliser.

7. A process according to claim 6, in which the stabiliser is sodium alginate.

8. A process according to claim 6, in which the stabiliser is one or more of gelatine, carboxymethylcellulose, tapioca starch, xanthan gum and locust bean gum.

9. A process according to any of claims 5 to 8, in which the stabliser is present in an amount of from 0.1 to 1.0% by weight of the mixture to be whipped.

10. A process according to claim 9, in which the stabliser is present in an amount not more than 0.5% by weight of the mixture to be whipped.

11. A process according to claim 10, in which the stabliser is present in an amount not more than 0.3% by weight of the mixture to be whipped.

12. A process according to any preceding claim, in which the emulsifier comprises a compound according to one of the formulae

wherein, in each formula, n is from 2 to 20, and R is a C1 to C21 alkyl group or a

group.

13. A process according to any of claims 1 to 11, in which the emulsifier comprises a compound according to one of the formulae

wherein, in each formula, n is from 2 to 20 and R1 and R2, which may be the same or different, are each a C1 to C21 alkyl group or a

group.

14. A process according to claim 13, in which R1 and R2 are each a C1 to C4 alkyl group.

15. A claim according to any of claims 1 to 11, in which the emulsifier comprises a compound according to one of the formulae

wherein, in each formula, n and m, which may be the same or different, are each from 2 to 20, and R is a C1 to C21 alkyl group or a

group.

16. A process according to claim 12 or 15, in which R is a C1 to C4 alkyl group.

17. A process according to claim 12, 13 or 15, in which n is from 13 to 17.

18. A process according to claim 15, in which m is from 13 to 17.

19. A process according to any preceding claim, in which the mixture to be whipped contains one or more sugars or sugar derivatives in an amount of 8 to 15% by weight of the mixture.

20. A process according to claim 19, in which the sugar or derivative is one or more of dextrose, sucrose, glucose syrup and fructose syrup.

21. A process according to any preceding claim, in which the cream is homogenised prior to whipping.

22. A process according to claim 21 in which homogenisation is carried out in a first, higher pressure step and a second, lower pressure step.

23. A process according to claim 22, in which the first step is carried ot at about 3000 to 40G0 psi and the second step at about 500 psi.

24. A process according to any of claims 21 to 23, in which the homogenised cream is aged by being held at a low temperature between homogenisation and whipping.

25. A process according to claim 24, in which aging is carried out at 2 to 50C for 36 to 48 hours.

26. A process according to any preceding claim, in which the mixture to be whipped contains skimmed milk.

27. A cream-whipping process substantially as hereinbefore described by way of example.

28. Whipped cream made by a process according to any preceding claim.