GB2308287A - Producing french bread - Google Patents

Abstract

French bread loaves are produced by pre-mixing under controlled ambient conditions at a pre-mix section (2). In this section the ingredients are added to the bowl, left to stand for 20-40 mins, agitated, and left stand for 4 hours at a temperature of 22{C to 25{C and a relative humidity of 45-55. After addition of water at a final mixing section (3) flour is added and the dough stands for a further 3-5 minutes. After addition of further ingredients and agitation the dough stands for a further 23-27 minutes. Salt is added at a final mixing location in the final mixing section (3) and portions are dispensed by a dispensing section (4). The portions are conveyed through an intermediate prover (6) for 8-12 minutes and through a final prover (7) for 2.5 hours at 25-29{C. The portions are then either partly or fully-baked in an oven (9) and if partly baked they are blast frozen in a freezing chamber (11) to a core temperature of -5{C to -10{C.

Description

WA Process for Producina Bread Products" The invention relates to a process for producing bread products, and more particularly French bread loaves or baguettes.

Heretofore, a good deal of work has been carried out in providing devices for mechanically forming dough during the production process to provide the required shapes.

Such devices are described in, for example, EP 0 165 888, FR 2520977, EP 0 670 115, EP 0 564 131, WO 94/14145, FR 2500266 and FR 2704727. Further, some work has been carried out in developing processes for automatic production of such bread products at high volumes in a manner whereby a consistent and high quality is achieved, in which the taste is much like that achieved in home baking or in a small bakery. For example, in JP 59055140 a process is described in which dough is prepared, is left to stand and is subsequently moulded and proved, before being rapidly cooled for storage. However, it has been found in general that the presently available high-volume production processes are unsuitable at providing bread having the required taste. In many cases the final product has a good appearance, however, the taste is not as good as that of home baking.

A further disadvantage is the shelf life of the product is not adequate in many situations.

The invention is directed towards providing a process for producing French bread loaves in a manner whereby high volumes may be produced, while retaining the unique French bread taste and providing a relatively long shelf life.

According to the invention, there is provided a process for producing French bread loaves in a production plant, the process comprising the steps of: in a pre-mix section preparing a dough pre-mix of yeast, flour and water in a bowl, leaving the pre-mix to stand for 20 to 40 mins, agitating and conveying the bowl under controlled ambient conditions at a temperature in the range of 22"C to 25"C and a relative humidity of 45 to 55 in a conveyor cycle having a duration of 3.75 to 4.25 hours; transferring the bowl to a final mixing section at which water is added to provide a low-viscosity mix; adding flour and other ingredients to the low viscosity mix and leaving the mix to stand for 3 to 5 minutes; agitating the mix and subsequently leaving the mix to stand for 23 to 27 minutes; adding salt and further agitating the mix for in excess of 4 minutes; dispensing loaf portions onto a conveyor and forming the portions into a desired elongate shape; suspending the portions as they are conveyed through an intermediate prover for 8 to 12 minutes at a temperature of 23"C to 250C; forming and panning the portions and conveying the trays to a final prover at a temperature of 25"C to 29"C, a relative humidity of 65 to 75, for a time duration of 2.25 to 2.75 hours; baking the portions sufficient to provide part-baked or full-baked loaves and if part-baked, blast freezing the loaves to a core temperature of 50C to -100C; and packing the loaves.

Preferably, the dough pre-mix comprises 1:90:90 relative proportions by weight of yeast, flour and water, respectively.

In one embodiment, each dough pre-mix comprises 0.2 kg yeast, 18 kg flour and 18 litres of water.

In another embodiment, the relative humidity at the premix section is 50 and the time duration is four hours.

In a further embodiment, the dough is left to stand in the final mix section after addition of flour and additives for 4 minutes.

Ideally, the dough is left to stand for 25 minutes between mixing locations in the final mixing section.

In another embodiment, the loaf portions are dispensed by initial dispensing of the contents of a bowl into a dividing hopper which outputs a quantity of dough, which is in turn conveyed to a portion dispenser which dispenses the individual portions.

In a further embodiment, the portions are conveyed through the intermediate prover for 9 minutes.

In one embodiment, the portions are conveyed through the final prover for 2.5 hours at a temperature of 27"C and relative humidity of 70.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a production plant carrying out a process of the invention; Fig. 2 is a more detailed plan view showing dough pre-mixing and final-mixing sections; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic front view showing a pre mixing station; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional front view showing some final mixing operations; Fig. 5 is a front view showing diagrammatically the manner in which mixed dough is divided into loaf portions on a conveyor; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side view showing a forming station and an intermediate prover in operation; Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a final forming station in the process; and Fig. 8 shows some of the end products of the process.

Referring initially to Fig. 1, a production plant 1 for carrying a process of the invention is shown in overview format. The plant 1 comprises a pre-mix section 2, a final mix section 3 and a dispensing section 4. This is followed by a forming section 5, an intermediate prover 6, in turn followed by a final prover 7. The output of the final prover 7 is directed through a final forming station 8, the output of which is in turn directed to the input of an oven 9. The oven 9 is connected to an ambient cooling section 10, which is in turn connected to a freezing chamber 11. The output of the freezing chamber 11 directs frozen bread products to a packing station 12 and empty trays to a return conveyor 13.

In more detail, the pre-mix station 2 comprises a conveyor 20 which suspends pre-mix bowls 21 and conveys them on an elongate endless path in which there is a connection station 22 for delivery and removal of bowls. Bowls are delivered to the connection station 22 from a mixing station 23 at which the initial dough mix is prepared.

The raw materials which are combined at the mixing station 23 are 0.2 kg yeast/18 kg flour/18 kg water, these materials being mixed as shown in Fig. 3. An important aspect is that the ingredients are left to stand for 30 minutes before mixing.

As shown in Fig. 3, the mixing station 23 comprises a disc-shaped cover 23(a) through which extends agitator paddles 23(b) and a water injector 23(c). The ingredients are mixed at the mixing station 23 after standing for 30 mins, by operation of the agitator paddles 23(b) before being transferred to the connection station 22 to start a conveying cycle on the conveyor 20. The cycle for the bowl to be conveyed back around to the connection station 22 is 3.75 to 4.25 hours, preferably 4 hours and the temperature is preferably in the range 22"C to 250C and the relative humidity is 45 to 44 and preferably 50. These are the ambient conditions in a controlled environment room within which the pre-mix section 2 is located.

After being conveyed in a full cycle on the conveyor 20, the bowl is transferred as shown in Fig. 2 to a mixing station 30 of the final mix section 3. As shown in Fig.

4 the mixing station 30 comprises a water inlet 30(a) and an outlet pipe 30(b) which is used for suction of the dough after a predetermined quantity of water has been injected to provide a low viscosity. The low viscosity dough is pumped into a bowl 31 located at a receiving location of the final mix section 3. The dough remains in the bowl 31 throughout its passage through the final mix section 30. This is achieved by use of a transfer platform 33 shown in Fig. 2 which moves the bowl between the different locations in the final mix station 3. As indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, the bowls are moved through a mixing location 34, one of three standing locations 35 and one of two mixing locations 36.

As shown in Fig. 4 flour 37 is added to the bowl 31 which is at the receiving location while the bowl is being rotated via a driven gear 38 at its base. The bowl is left to stand for 3-5 minutes. and preferably 4 minutes.

before transfer to the location 34. At the location 34, additional ingredients such as ascorbic acid and yeast foods are added via a dispenser 40 while the dough is agitated by paddles 39. The bowl is then transferred to one of the standing locations 35 at which it remains in place for 23 to 27 minutes and preferably 25 minutes before being transferred to one of the mixing locations 36 at which the dough is again agitated for 6 minutes and salt is added.

After addition of the salt there is further agitation for 7 minutes, and while being agitated the bowl is hoisted upwardly for delivery of the contents into the next section of the plant 1.

As shown in Fig. 5, the dispensing section 4 at the outlet of the final mixing section 3 comprises a hoist 50 having a tipping platform 51 for tipping a bowl such as a bowl 52 into a divider hopper 53. The divider hopper 53 has an outlet control shutter for delivery of a desired quantity of dough onto a transfer conveyor 54, which in turn dispenses the dough into a portion dispenser 55. The portion dispenser 55 is operated to dispense a desired portion of dough onto an output conveyor, bringing it to the forming section 5 having a pair of differential conveyors 60 in which the upper conveyor is moving at a faster rate to cause elongation of the portion, before rotation of the portion through 90" and delivery onto a suspended nylon-coated carrier 61 on a conveyor bringing it into the intermediate prover 6. In the intermediate prover 6, the dough portions are proved for 8 to 12 minutes and preferably 9 minutes and at a temperature in the range of 23 to 25"C. At the outlet of the intermediate prover 6, the portions are conveyed on an output conveyor 62 to a panning station 63.

Referring again to Fig. 1, the trays of portions are conveyed into the final prover 7 in which the temperature is 25"C to 290C and preferably 27"C and the relative humidity is 65 to 75 and preferably 70. The time duration is 2.25 to 2.75 hours and preferably 2.5 hours. It has been found that this proving operation is particularly important at achieving the desired consistency, taste, and what may be referred to as an egg shell crust in the end product.

The consistency of the portion at the output of the final prover 7 is such that patterns may be formed in the top surface and in this embodiment the final forming station 8 puts a cross cut in the top surface as shown in Fig. 7.

The station 8 comprises bars 70, each supporting a set of sidewardly directed blades 71 to form the cut as shown in the difference between the products I and II shown in Fig.

7.

Referring again to Fig. 1, the portions are conveyed on the trays through the oven 9 at which they are baked at 1700C with direct live steam injection for 13 minutes. The oven 9 and the final prover 7 are of the type whereby the trays are conveyed upwardly and downwardly in cycles in a "square-wave" path. After exiting the oven 9 the portions are cooled for 16 minutes at ambient temperature, again in an up-down path before being conveyed into the freezing chamber 11.

Within the chamber 11, the portions are blast frozen to provide a core temperature in the portions of between -5 C to -100C. It has been found that a freezing chamber 11 temperature of -350C and a time duration of 25 minutes provides this core temperature.

After exiting the freezing chamber 11, the frozen products are de-panned and directed to a packing station 12, the empty trays being returned on the return conveyor 13.

Instead of part-baking the products, they may be fully baked by being transferred through an extended path in the oven 9 to provide a longer time duration of 30 minutes.

In this case, the fully-baked product is not frozen and is immediately packed after exiting the cooling section 10.

It has been found that in the process of the invention, the pre-mixing stages and the final proving stages are particularly important at providing the necessary taste and consistency in the end product. It has also been found that there is a much lower discard rate than has heretofore been the case. Further the manner of pre mining is particular important at achieving a long shelf life.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims (11)

1. A process for producing French bread loaves in a

production plant, the process comprising the steps of: in a pre-mix section preparing a dough pre-mix of yeast, flour and water in a bowl, leaving the pre-mix to stand for 20 to 40 mins, agitating and conveying the bowl under controlled ambient conditions at a temperature in the range of 22"C to 250C and a relative humidity of 45 to 55 in a conveyor cycle having a duration of 3.75 to 4.25 hours; transferring the bowl to a final mixing section at which water is added to provide a low viscosity mix; adding flour and other ingredients to the low viscosity mix and leaving the mix to stand for 3 to 5 minutes; agitating the mix and subsequently leaving the mix to stand for 23 to 27 minutes; adding salt and further agitating the mix for in excess of 4 minutes; dispensing loaf portions onto a conveyor and forming the portions into a desired elongate shape; suspending the portions as they are conveyed through an intermediate prover for 8 to 12 minutes at a temperature of 230C to 250C; forming and panning the portions and conveying the trays to a final prover at a temperature of 25"C to 290C, a relative humidity of 65 to 75, for a time duration of 2.25 to 2.75 hours; baking the portions sufficient to provide part baked or full-baked loaves and if part-baked, blast freezing the loaves to a core temperature of -5 C to -lO0C; and packing the loaves.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dough pre-mix comprises 1:90:90 relative proportions by weight of yeast, flour and water, respectively.

3. A process as claimed in claim 2, wherein each dough pre-mix comprises 0.2 kg yeast, 18 kg flour and 18 litres of water.

4. A process as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the relative humidity at the pre-mix section is 50 and the time duration is four hours.

5. A process as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the dough is left to stand in the final mix section after addition of flour and additives for 4 minutes.

6. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the dough is left to stand for 25 minutes between mixing locations in the final mixing section.

7. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the loaf portions are dispensed by initial dispensing of the contents of a bowl into a dividing hopper which outputs a quantity of dough, which is in turn conveyed to a portion dispenser which dispenses the individual portions.

8. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the portions are conveyed through the intermediate prover for 9 minutes.

9. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the portions are conveyed through the final prover for 2.5 hours at a temperature of 27"C and relative humidity of 70.

10. A process substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

11. A bread product whenever produced by a process as claimed in any preceding claim.