GB2264035A

GB2264035A - Applying dry toppings to dough products

Info

Publication number: GB2264035A
Application number: GB9301064A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Madonna M Ray; Jean Zoborowski; Shahed Zaman
Original assignee: Pillsbury Co
Current assignee: Pillsbury Co
Priority date: 1992-01-28
Filing date: 1993-01-20
Publication date: 1993-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 2013-01-20
Also published as: CA2088036C; CA2088036A1; GB9301064D0; HK1007937A1; GB2264035B

Abstract

Apparatus for applying and embedding dry toppings to both rolled and scone-like dough products comprises applying dry toppings via applicator 37 on the surface of the dough product in a sheeting line. Then, the roll pairs 31-35 in the sheeting line embed the dry toppings into the surface of the dough product. Preferably flour is applied via hoppers 36 and 38 on either side of applicator 37. Specified toppings are grains, seeds, nut pieces and candy and the dough product may be bread, Danish rolls, or coffee cakes or scones. <IMAGE>

Description

"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO A FOOD PRODUCT" THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a food product and in particular relates to refrigerated dough products.

Specifically, the invention relates to a method for applying dry toppings to the surface of refrigerated dough products and the resulting product.

For many years, customers have enjoyed the convenience of packaged dough products. These dough products are commonly stored under normal refrigeration until the package is opened for baking. Over the years, the industry has developed a variety of different dough products suitable for packaging. Some popular dough products are breadstuffs, scoNes and sweet goods.

The processing and packaging methods differ for different types of dough products. Two common types of dough products are rolled and scone-like products. "Rolled dough products" are dough products which are sheeted, cut into rectangular pieces, rolled into cylindrical shapes, and then slid into a container. Conversely, "scone-like dough products" are sheeted, cut into circular-type pieces (e.g. hexagonal), and then a vacuum/pressure plunger holds each scone-like individual piece while they are put into a container. The plunger then releases each piece.

Typically eight pieces are inserted into a container.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a typical processing method for both rolled and scone-like products. First, a dough mass is prepared 10. Next, the prepared dough mass travels through a sheeting line 12.

The sheeting line 12 rolls the dough mass into a dough sheet of uniform thickness.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a typical sheeting line for both rolled and scone-like dough products. The sheeting line consists of a plurality of roll stands 16. Each roll stand 16 consists of a plurality of roll pairs 17. The rolls of each pair are spaced apart vertically to define a "nip". The roll pairs are spaced apart horizontally to form a path passing through the successive "nips".

The rolls of each roll pair are spaced closer together vertically than the rolls of the preceding roll pair so that the "nips" are successively narrower. The progressive narrowing of the space between the rolls of the roll pairs reduces the thickness of the dough sheet. The nips of each roll stand are narrower than the nips of the preceding roll stand. Ultimately, once the dough proceeds through all the roll stands, a uniform dough sheet is made.

The reader is directed to United States Patent No.

3,593,676 which discloses an example of a dough sheeting apparatus.

Returning to Figure 1, the uniform dough sheet is then cut 14 into individual dough pieces. The cutting step 14 differs for rolled and scone-like products. Prior to packaging, the rolled products are cut with the use of cutter rolls. A cutter roll is essentially a roll with a plurality of blades positioned thereon. As the dough travels on a conveyors, cutter rolls cut the dough sheet both longitudinally and transversely into evenly rectangular pieces. The dough sheet may also be perforated or slitted with perforator or slitter rolls.

Unlike rolled dough products, scone-like dough products are cut into dough pieces with the use of a cutter unit. The cutter unit has a plurality of openings defining a grid work. The reader is directed to United States Patent 3,427,783 which discloses a cutter unit in which the openings have straight side walls and are hexagonal in cross-section. With the further use of a movable member, such as a roll, the dough sheet is pressed into the openings. The upper edge of the openings are adapted to cut the dough sheet into numerous dough pieces. Lastly, a compression means retains the dough pieces within the openings until the pieces are to be packed into a container.

After the dough sheet has been cut 14, the individual dough pieces are packaged 15. The packaging step 15 for the rolled dough products differs from that of the scone-like dough products For rolled dough products, after the dough sheet is cut into rectangular pieces, the pieces are rolled into cylindrical shapes on a conveyor belt. The pieces of dough cylinders then fall into a series of loading spoons. Finally, the spoons are tipped to slide the dough pieces into containers aligned with the ends of the spoons.

The reader is directed to United States Patent No.

3,458,970 which discloses an example of a dough packing apparatus for rolled dough products.

With scone-like dough products, plungers hold the individual dough pieces and then release them. Either vacuum or pressure is supplied to the plungers to facilitate the holding and releasing of the dough pieces.

When vacuum is supplied, a plunger holds a dough piece momentarily until the receiving container is positioned directly below the dough pieces. The plunger then lowers the dough piece into the container. The vacuum is released, and an air burst assures that the dough piece drops from the plunger tip into the container positioned beneath the cutter unit. The plunger prevents damage to the dough pieces or loss resulting from the dough pieces prematurely falling from the openings.

Recently, dry toppings have been added to various dough products, especially dough products to be refrigerated. The dry toppings add to the flavour and appearance of the traditional dough products. The type of dry toppings used directly depends on the selected dough product.

In the past, dry toppings were only added to rolled dough products. Common examples of rolled dough products are dinner rolls, Danish rolls, and breadsticks. Dry toppings were commonly applied after the last roll stand, when the dough was fully sheeted. The sheeted dough was cut, the dry toppings were applied, and then the dough pieces were rolled into cylindrical shapes. To maintain an even distribution of dry topping on the dough product, the selected dry toppings had to stick well to the floured dough handled on line. Thus, the only suitable dry toppings were fine and granular in nature.

Expanding to new varieties of dry toppings to be applied on the rolled dough products provided a problem.

Dry toppings such as cracked wheat or rolled oats acted differently from the dry toppings previously handled on line. These dry toppings do not adhere well to the flour dough surface. As a result, two common problems occurred during the production process. First, the dry toppings would move towards the centre of the dough product during the subsequent rolling process, producing a dough piece with uneven patches of dry topping. Second, the dry toppings would easily fall off during the subsequent rolling, producing a dough piece with a scarce amount of dry topping. Thus, dry toppings which did not readily adhere to the floured dough surface would not be evenly or sufficiently densely distributed on the surface of the rolled dough product.

Unlike the rolled dough products, the packing methods for scone-like dough products prevented the application of dry toppings after the dough was fully sheeted. Naturally, scones are a common example of a scone-like dough product. As described above, the packing method incorporates a plunger which holds the dough pieces that are to form the scones and releases them into a container. If the dry toppings were added after the sheeting line, as done with rolled dough products, it could be assumed that the vacuum in the plunger would pull the topping off, thereby clogging the plunger and ripping the dough piece. Accordingly, prior to the present invention, dry toppings were not applied to scone-like dough products.

In summary, two problems were present with the prior methods. Firstly, although dry toppings could be added to rolled dough products, the prior methods limited the varieties of dry toppings that could be used satisfactorily. Dry toppings which did not readily adhere to the floured dough surface were often sparsely or unevenly distributed and frequently resulted in a dough piece with patches of dry topping. Secondly, due to the packing method for scone-like dough products, dry toppings could not be added to scone-like dough products.

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a method of applying dry toppings to a dough product, which comprises applying dry toppings on the surface of the dough product in a sheeting line and embedding the dry toppings into the dough product through the action of roll pairs in the sheeting line.

According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a dough piece which comprises: a) a dough product; b) dry toppings applied on and embedded into the surface of the dough product in a sheeting line.

Conveniently the dry toppings are applied on and embedded into the surface of the dough product in the last roll stand of the sheeting line.

Advantageously the dry toppings are selected from the group consisting of grains, seeds, nut pieces and fabricated toppings.

Conveniently the dough product is selected from the group consisting of breadstuffs, biscuits, sweet goods and the like.

Advantageously the amount of dry toppings ranges between about 0.1 to about 5.0 weight percent of the dough product.

Conveniently the dough product contains: a) a flour blend in the amount between about 48 percent to 54 percent by weight of dough; b) shortening in an amount between about 2 to about 20 percent by weight of dough; c) water in an amount between about 24 to about 31 percent by weight.

The dough product may be a refrigerated dough product.

The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the method outlined above, the apparatus comprising a sheeting line for sheeting a dough product, the sheeting line comprising a plurality of roll pairs adapted to act successively on the dough, means being provided to apply dry toppings to the dough before the dough passes a plurality of final roll pairs.

Unexpectedly it has been found that applying and embedding a dry topping on the dough product produces a dough piece with evenly distributed dry topping. The novel embedding method of the present invention expands the variety of suitable dry toppings for rolled dough products.

In addition, the invention teaches a method of applying dry toppings to scone-like dough products, which was impossible with prior methods.

The present invention discloses a method for applying dry toppings to both rolled and scone-like refrigerated dough products. The novel method involves embedding the dry toppings into a dough sheet in the sheeting line. Although the invention may be practised at any roll stand of a dough sheeting line, the preferred method applies the dry toppings in the last roll stand of the sheeting line. Through the action of the roll pairs, the dry topping is embedded into the dough product.

Although the dry topping is pressed into the dough sheet, the dry topping remains at the surface of the dough product. Then when the dough product is baked, the dough expands causing the dry topping to emerge. The baked dough piece looks as if the dry topping was sprinkled on top of the dough product immediately before baking.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference primarily to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a typical processing method for rolled and scone-like dough products, FIGURE 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a typical sheeting line, and FIGURE 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the preferred sheeting line of the present invention.

The present inventor has surprisingly found that embedding toppings into a refrigerated dough product during a sheeting line facilitates even distribution of the toppings at a desired density onto the surface of the dough product. The novel embedding method expands the range of possible toppings to be applied on rolled dough products.

Some possible toppings which may be used in the present invention are grains, seeds (sesame or poppy), nut pieces and fabricated toppings (candy or synthetic nuts). In addition, the novel embedding method now allows for the satisfactory application of dry toppings to scone-like dough products. The above-mentioned toppings and also the fine and granular toppings previously applied on rolled dough products can now be applied to scone-like dough products.

Embedding the toppings into a dough product in the sheeting line produces a baked dough piece which looks as if the topping had been sprinkled on immediately prior to baking. The pressure exerted from a plurality of rolls in a roll stand embeds the toppings into a dough sheet.

Although the invention may be practised at any roll stand of a dough sheeting line, the preferred method applies the dry toppings in the last roll stand of the sheeting line.

Throughout the subsequent cutting and packaging processes, the dry toppings remain embedded at the surface of the dough product. Unlike past methods, the dry toppings do not fall off or move so they are unevenly distributed on the surface of the dough product. Upon baking, the dough expands causing the dry toppings to emerge. The final rolled or scone-like dough piece has evenly distributed dry toppings on its entire surface.

The present invention may be practised by applying the dry toppings through a topping applicator at a suitable position in the sheeting line. Although the topping applicator may be positioned in any roll stand of a sheeting line, the preferred method positions the topping applicator in the last roll stand. Toppings from about 0.1 weight percent or about 5.0 weight percent may be applied to the dough product. However, the preferred range is from about 0.1 percent to about 2.0 percent by weight of the dough product.

The method of forming a dough piece with dry topping embedded into the dough product comprises the same general steps as illustrated in Figure 1. As will be described below, the sheeting line process differs from prior methods. The first step includes the forming of a dough composition 10. Examples of some dough products suitable for the present invention are breadstuffs, scones and sweet goods. "Breadstuffs" include products such as breadsticks, breadtwists and loafs. "Sweet goods" include products such as Danish rolls, cinnamon rolls and coffee cakes. The following is a tabulation of the main ingredients in a typical dough composition. For details of dough compositions the reader is directed to U.S. Patent 4,381,315.

Ingredient Weight Percent of Dough Flours 47-58 Water 28-36.5 Saccharides 4-10 Shortening 2-25 Salt 1.0-1.5 Optionally, the dough may also contain: Ingredient Weight Percent of Dough Flavouring 0.1-7.0 Emulsifiers 0.02-1.1 Dough Conditioners 0.005-0.25 Bicarbonate of Soda 0.7-1.2 Leavening Acid 1.3-2.5 Edible Alcohol 0-2 Calcium Carbonate 0-1 The dough product formed according to this formula is representative of known refrigerated dough formulas.

"Refrigerated dough" means a dough composition suitable for storage for extended periods of time at a temperature at or below 100 (50 degrees Fahrenheit).

The present invention extends to all dough products. It extends to chemically leavened dough products as well as yeast leavened dough products. The above dough composition is disclosed as an example of a chemically leavened dough product and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Certain ranges of ingredients are preferred. The preferred water content of the dough is between about 24 percent to about 31 percent by weight of the dough. The preferred flour content is between about 48 percent to about 54 percent by weight of the dough. The preferred shortening content is between about 2 percent to about 20 percent by weight of the dough.

The dough ingredients are mixed according to the most preferred method at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. Conveyor belt 11 then feeds the refrigerated dough product towards the sheeting line. The dry toppings are eventually applied to the dough product in the sheeting line.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a preferred sheeting line of the present invention. The sheeting line consists of a plurality of roll stands 18, 24, 29. Roll stand 18 consists of a plurality of roll pairs 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23. Roll stand 24 consists of a plurality of roll pairs 25, 26, 27 and 28. Roll stand 29 consists of a plurality of roll pairs 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35. Lappers may also be present between roll stands 18, 24 and 29. With the use of conveyor belts 39 and 40, the refrigerated dough is transported through the various roll stands 18, 24 and 29.

As Figure 3 illustrates, placed at a suitable position in the sheeting line are hoppers 36 and 38.

Hoppers 36 and 38 provide the means by which a dusting flour may be applied to the dough product. The dusting flour prevents the dough product from sticking to the sheeting rolls. Although any flour may be used as the dusting flour, rice flour is preferred because its large starch granules help to facilitate separation of the dough pieces stored in contact with each other.

In the present invention, the dry toppings stick to a dough sheet and become embedded into the dough sheet.

Thus, to facilitate sticking, the present invention minimises the amount of dusting flour applied to the dough sheet.

Also positioned at a suitable position in the sheeting line is a topping applicator 37, so that the dough passes between at least one pair, and preferably plurality of pairs, of rolls after passing the topping applicator.

The topping applicator 37 provides the means by which the dry topping may be applied to the dough product. An example of a topping applicator usable in accordance with the present invention is the dispensing machine sold under the Trade Mark CHRISTY Dry Material Dispensing Machine.

The CHRISTY machine is sold by Christy Machine Company of Fremont, Ohio, U.S.A.

The topping applicator 37, such as the CHRISTY Dry Material Dispensing Machine, controls the rate at which dry topping is applied to the dough product and the thickness of the dry topping. A dispensing shaft, rotating at the base of a V-shaped feed hopper, meters the flow of dry topping. The dispensing shaft rotates against nylon brushes or wipers which remove the excess dry topping.

Agitators are linked to the movable interior walls of the hopper to assure continuous flow and reduce clogging of dry topping in the hopper.

The reader is directed to United States Patents Nos. 3,073,607 and 3,070,264 which disclose other examples of apparatus which may be used for dispensing dry materials onto various products.

Within the sheeting line, a dough sheet first travels through roll stands 18 and 24. As the dough sheet travels through each roll stand 18 and 24, it decreases in thickness forming a uniform dough sheet. If lappers are present between roll stands 18 and 24, the thickness of the dough sheet as it exits roll stand 18 will not equal the thickness of the dough sheet as it enters roll stand 24.

Next, a specified amount of dusting flour is added to the dough sheet through hopper 36. Although hopper 36 may be positioned in any roll stand along the sheeting line, the preferred method positions hopper 36 in front of roll pair 30 in the last roll stand 29. In the preferred method, dusting flour of an amount up to about 0.1 weight percent of the dough is applied in hopper 36.

The dry toppings are then applied to the dough sheet. Although the dry toppings may be added anywhere in the sheeting line, preferably they are added in a last roll stand 29. It is believed that applying the dry toppings in the last roll stand results in a dough piece with the most evenly distributed dry topping. It is believed an earlier application results in a dough piece with dry toppings too embedded into the dough product. Whereas, as described above, applying the dry toppings after the last roll stand 29 results in a dough piece with less amount of dry toppings on the surface.

The dry toppings are applied to the dough product with the use of topping applicator 37. Although the topping applicator 37 may be positioned anywhere in the sheeting line, the preferred method positions the topping applicator 37 in the last roll stand 29. Preferably, the topping applicator 37 is positioned between hoppers 36 and 38 in the last roll stand 29. Dry toppings of anywhere from about 0.1 weight percent to about 5.0 weight percent may be applied to the dough product. However, the preferred range is from about 0.1 percent to about 2.0 percent by weight of the dough product.

After the dry toppings are applied, additional dusting flour may be added with the use of a hopper 38.

Hopper 38 is positioned in the middle of the last roll stand 29. In the preferred method, dusting flour of an amount up to about 1.0 weight percent is applied to the dough product. However, the amount of dusting flour applied does depend on the particular type of dough product used. In general, with rolled dough products, a greater amount of dusting flour may be applied in hopper 38.

The dough sheet covered with dry toppings then travels through the remaining roll pairs 33, 34 and 35 of the last roll stand 29. The pressure applied in the remaining roll pairs embeds the dry toppings into the dough sheet. Although the dry toppings are pressed into the dough sheet, the dry toppings remain at the surface of the dough product.

The thickness of the dough sheet as it exits the sheeting line varies depending on factors including dough wetness, dough temperature and sheeting line time. The thickness of a rolled dough product may range from about 7.6 mm to about 25.4 mm (about 0.3 to about 1.0 inches).

Preferably, the thickness of a rolled dough product ranges from about 10.1 mm to about 15.2 mm (about 0.4 to about 0.6 inches). Similarly, the thickness of a scone-like dough product can range from about 3.8 mm to about 25.4 mm (about 0.15 to about 1.0 inches). The preferred thickness range for a scone-like dough product is between about 5 mm to about 10.1 mm (about 0.2 to about 0.4 inches). These ranges are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Rather, they are illustrative in nature.

Depending on the type of dough product (rolled or scone-like), the dough product is then cut and packaged according to conventional methods for that type. With rolled dough products, after the dry topping is applied, the dough sheet is cut into rectangular dough pieces.

Then, the dough pieces are rolled into cylindrical shapes.

In the present invention, the dry toppings on the rolled dough products do not fall off nor become unevenly distributed on the surface of the dough product. Rather, the dry toppings are securely embedded into the dough product.

With scone-like dough products, a plunger is used to hold and release the scone-like dough piece into a container. In the present invention, the vacuum in the plunger does not pull off the dry toppings nor do the dry toppings clog the various plungers. Instead, the dry toppings remain embedded at the surface of the dough product.

Finally, as the dough expands upon baking, the dry toppings are pushed up to the surface. The dry toppings become well defined, as though they were sprinkled on the top before baking. Surprisingly, the embedding of dry toppings in the sheeting line produces a baked dough piece withe evenly distributed dry toppings on the surface of a baked dough product.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognise that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of applying dry toppings to a dough product, which comprises applying dry toppings on the surface of the dough product in a sheeting line and embedding the dry toppings into the dough product through the action of roll pairs in the sheeting line.

2. The method of Claim 1 wherein the dry toppings are applied on and embedded into the surface of the dough product in the last roll stand of the sheeting line.

3. The method of Claim 1 or 2 wherein the dry toppings are selected from the group consisting of grains, seeds, nut pieces and fabricated toppings.

4. The method of any one of the preceding Claims wherein the dough product is selected from the group consisting of breadstuffs, biscuits, sweet goods, and the like.

5. The -method of any one of the preceding Claims wherein the amount of dry toppings ranges between about 0.1 to about 5.0 weight percent of the dough product.

6. The method of any one of the preceding Claims wherein the product contains: a) a flour blend in the amount between about 48 percent to 54 percent by weight of dough; b) shortening in an amount between about 2 to about 20 percent by weight of dough; c) water in an amount between about 24 to about 31 percent by weight.

7. The method of any one of the preceding Claims wherein the dough product is a refrigerated dough product.

8. A dough piece which comprises: a) a dough product; b) dry toppings applied on and embedded into the surface of the dough product in a sheeting line.

9. A dough piece of Claim 8 wherein the dry toppings are applied on and embedded into the surface of the dough product in the last roll stand of the sheeting line.

10. A dough piece of Claim 8 or 9 wherein the dough product is selected from the group consisting of biscuits, breadstuffs, sweet goods, and the like.

11. A dough piece of Claim 8, 9 or 10 wherein the dry toppings, are selected from the group consisting of grains, seeds, but pieces and fabricated toppings.

12. A dough piece of any one of Claims 8 to 11 wherein the amount of dry toppings range between about 0.1 to about 5.0 weight percent of the dough product.

13. A dough piece of any one of Claims 8 to 12 wherein the dough product contains: a) a flour blend in an amount between about 48 percent to about 54 percent by weight of dough; b) shortening in any amount between about 2 percent to 20 percent by weight of dough; c) water in an amount between about 24 percent to about 31 percent by weight of dough.

14. A dough piece according to any one of Claims 8 to 13 wherein the dough piece is a refrigerated dough product.

15. An apparatus for performing the method of Claim 1, the apparatus comprising a sheeting line for sheeting a dough product, the sheeting line comprising a plurality of roll pairs adapted to act successively on the dough, means being provided to apply dry toppings to the dough before the dough passes a plurality of final roll pairs.

16. A method of applying dry toppings to a dough product substantially as herein described by way of example with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A dough piece having a dry topping embedded therein substantially as herein described by way of example.

18. An apparatus for performing the method of Claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

19. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.