IE84655B1 - Sweet manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT A method for manufacturing chocolate sweets comprises providing a plurality of moulds, each mould having a plurality of chocolate — receiving recesses arranged in rows and columns extending across and along the mould; and providing a preheater at a preheating station, the preheater comprising a number of heating elements which are individually controllable. The mould is preheated to a temperature of from (25°C) to (28°C) by heating elements such that each of the recesses of the mould are at substantially the same temperature. The liquid chocolate is heated to a temperature of from (45) to (50°C), cooled to a temperature of from (27) to (29°C) over a period of from 10 to (15) minutes and then the cooled chocolate is heated to a temperature of from (29) to (3l°C) to provide tempered chocolate. A pre-set quantity of the tempered chocolate is deposited in each preheated recess in a mould. The mould is vibrated so that the chocolate substantially covers the surface of the recess. The mould is then turned over to drain excess chocolate from the mould; and the tumed-over mould is vibrated. The chocolate in the tumed-over mould is cooled at a temperature of less then (l0°C) for a period of less then (5) minutes. The cooled mould with a cooled chocolate shell lining each recess is then turned so that the bottom of the shell is uppermost. The mould is lead through a cooling tunnel at a temperature of from (10) to (l2°C) for a period of at least (15) minutes to dry and set the chocolate shells in the mould recesses. At least one filling is deposited into the shells, the filling being at a temperature of less than (28°C); and the mould is vibrated to distribute the filling in the recesses. The mould is then cooled by leading the mould through a cooling tunnel at a temperature of from (10) to (12°C) for at least (10) minutes. A backing of tempered chocolate is deposited over the filling; excess chocolate is then wiped from the mould; and the mould is cooled by leading the mould through a cooling tunnel at a temperature of from (10) to 12°C for at least (10) minutes prior to demoulding the sweets from the mould.

Description

Sweet Manufacture Introduction This invention relates to a method for manufacturing chocolate sweets of the luxury type comprising high quality chocolate with filling.

The manufacture of such chocolates on a factory scale presents a number of difficulties. The process involved is complex and even relatively small variations due to changes in ambient conditions can present serious processing difficulties with increased rejects and plant downtime.

There is a need for an improved process which optimises production capacity whilst maintaining product quality.

Statements of Invention According to the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing chocolate sweets comprising the steps of: — providing a plurality of moulds, each mould having a plurality of chocolate-receiving recesses arranged in rows and columns extending across and along the mould; providing a preheater at a preheating station, the preheater comprising a number of heating elements which are individually controllable; preheating a mould to a temperature of from 25°C to 28°C by heating the heating elements such that each of the recesses of the mould are at substantially the same temperature; heating liquid chocolate to a temperature of from 45 to 50°C, cooling the chocolate to a temperature of from 27 to 29°C over a period of from 10 to minutes and then heating the cooled chocolate to a temperature of from to 31°C to provide tempered chocolate; depositing a pre-set quantity of the tempered chocolate in each preheated recess in a mould; vibrating the mould so that the chocolate substantially covers the surface of the recess; turning the mould over to drain the excess chocolate from the mould; vibrating the tumed-over mould; cooling the chocolate in the tumed-over mould at a temperature of less than 10°C for a period of less than 5 minutes; turning the cooled mould with a cooled chocolate shell lining each recess so that the bottom of the shell is uppermost; leading the mould through a cooling tunnel at a temperature of from 10 to 12°C for a period of at least 15 minutes to dry and set the chocolate shells in the mould recesses; depositing at least one filling into the shells, the filling being at a temperature of less than 28°C; vibrating the mould to distribute the filling in the recesses; cooling the mould by leading the mould through a cooling tunnel at a temperature of from 10 to 12°C for at least 10 minutes; depositing a backing of tempered chocolate over the filling; wiping the excess chocolate from the mould; vibrating the mould; cooling the mould by leading the mould through a cooling tunnel at a temperature of from 10 to 12°C for at least 10 minutes; demoulding the sweets from the mould; testing the sweets; and packing the sweets.

In one embodiment the preheater comprises side heating elements and at least one other heating element between the side heating elements, the temperature of the side heating elements being set at a temperature lower than that of the other heating element(s).

In one arrangement the heating elements extend longitudinally above the mould.

The heating elements may comprise a pair of side heating elements and a middle heating element transversely spaced-apart from the side heating elements, the heating elements extending longitudinally and the middle heating element being controlled at a temperature greater than that of the side heating elements.

In one embodiment the chocolate in the tumed-over mould is cooled at a temperature of approximately 5°C for a period of less than 3 minutes.

The method may comprise the step of heating the mould to soften the margins of the chocolate shell prior to application of the backing of tempered chocolate. The margins of the chocolate shell may be heated for a period of less than 60 seconds at a temperature of approximately 25°C.

Preferably, the mould is cooled by leading the mould through the cooling tunnel for about 15 minutes.

In one embodiment the method comprises: — depositing a first filling into the chocolate shells in the mould; vibrating the mould; and depositing a second filling onto the first filling.

The method may comprise depositing inclusions into the shells after depositing the first filling.

The invention also provides chocolate sweets when manufactured by a method of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a flow chart of the manufacturing process of the invention.

Detailed Description Referring to the drawing there is illustrated a method for manufacturing chocolate sweets which comprises providing a plurality of moulds 1, each mould having a plurality of chocolate-receiving recesses arranged in rows and columns extending across and along the mould.

The moulds are preheated at a preheating station 2. The preheating station comprises a preheater having a number of heating elements which are individually controllable. The mould is preheated to a temperature of from 25° to 28° by heating the heating elements such that each of the recesses of the mould are at substantially the same temperature. We have found that this step is particularly important to ensure that every sweet product in the mound is of consistently high quality. The preheater comprises side heating elements and at least one other heating element between the side heating elements, the temperature of the side heating elements being set at a temperature lower than that of the other heating element(s). Ideally the heating elements extend longitudinally above the mould. The heating elements preferably comprise a pair of side heating elements and a middle heating element transversely spaced—apart from the side heating elements. The heating elements extend longitudinally and the middle heating element is controlled at a temperature greater than that of the side heating elements. This is important to ensure a uniform mould temperature in every mould-receiving recess of each column and row of the mould.

Liquid chocolate 3 is heated in step 4 to a temperature of from 45 to 50°C, and then cooled in step 5 to a temperature of from 27 to 29°C over a period of from to 15 minutes. The cooled chocolate is then re-heated in step 6 to a temperature of from 29 to 31°C to provide tempered chocolate. A pre-set quantity of the tempered chocolate is then deposited 7 in each preheated recess in the mould 1.

The mould is vibrated 8 so that the chocolate substantially covers the surface of the recess. The mould is then turned over 9 to drain excess chocolate from the mould; and the tumed-over mould is vibrated again 10.

The chocolate in the tumed-over mould is cooled 11 at a temperature of less than °C for a period of less than 5 minutes, most preferably at a temperature of approximately 5°C for a period of less than 3 minutes.

The cooled mould with a cooled chocolate shell lining each recess is turned 12 so that the bottom of the shell is uppermost. The mould is then led through a cooling tunnel 13 at a temperature of from 10 to 12°C for a period of at least 15 minutes to dry and set the chocolate shells in the mould recesses.

A first filling 14A is deposited 14 into the shells, the filling being at a temperature of less than 28°C. The mould is vibrated 15 to distribute the filling in the recesses. A second filling 16A may be deposited 16 onto the first filling 14A and the mould vibrated again 17. The second filling 16A may comprise inclusions such as nuts or the like and/or a separate inclusion depositing step may be provided.

The mould is then cooled 18 by leading the mould through a cooling tunnel at a temperature of from 10 to 12°C for at least 10 minutes.

The mould may be heated 19 to soften the margins of the chocolate shell prior to application of a backing 20 of tempered chocolate 20A over the filling. The margins of the chocolate shell are preferably heated for a period of less than 60 seconds at a temperature of approximately 25°C.

Excess chocolate is wiped 21 from the mould which is again vibrated 22. The mould is then finally cooled by leading the mould through a cooling tunnel 23 at a temperature of from 10 to 12°C for about 15 minutes.

The sweets are removed 24 from the mould by turning the mould upside down.

The mould is cleaned as necessary and recycled to the mould station 1. The sweets 25 removed from the mould are tested and packaged.

The invention provides a highly efficient integrated process for producing luxury filled sweets on a large factory scale with consistent high production efficiency and enhanced quality with substantially reduced rejects.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in detail within the scope of the claims.

Claims (1)

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing chocolate sweets comprising the steps of :- providing a plurality of moulds, each mould having a plurality of chocolate-receiving recesses arranged in rows and columns extending across and along the mould; providing a preheater at a preheating station, the preheater comprising a number of heating elements which are individually controllable; preheating a mould to a temperature of from 25°C to 28°C by heating the heating elements such that each of the recesses of the mould are at substantially the same temperature; heating liquid chocolate to a temperature of from 45 to 50°C, cooling the chocolate to a temperature of from 27 to 29°C over a period of from 10 to 15 minutes and then heating the cooled chocolate to a temperature of from 29 to 31°C to provide tempered chocolate; depositing a pre-set quantity of the tempered chocolate in each preheated recess in a mould; vibrating the mould so that the chocolate substantially covers the surface of the recess; turning the mould over to drain the excess chocolate from the mould; vibrating the tumed-over mould; cooling the chocolate in the turned-over mould at a temperature of less than 10°C for a period of less than 5 minutes; turning the cooled mould with a cooled chocolate shell lining each recess so that the bottom of the shell is uppermost; leading the mould through a cooling tunnel at a temperature of from l0 to 12°C for a period of at least 15 minutes to dry and set the chocolate shells in the mould recesses; depositing at least one filling into the shells, the filling being at a temperature of less than 28°C; vibrating the mould to distribute the filling in the recesses; cooling the mould by leading the mould through a cooling tunnel at a temperature of from 10 to 12°C for at least 10 minutes; depositing a backing of tempered chocolate over the filling; wiping excess chocolate from the mould; vibrating the mould; cooling the mould by leading the mould through a cooling tunnel at a temperature of from 10 to 12°C for at least 10 minutes; demoulding the sweets from the mould; testing the sweets; and packing the sweets. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the preheater comprises side heating elements and at least one other heating element between the side heating elements, the temperature of the side heating elements being set at a temperature lower than that of the other heating element(s). A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the heating elements extend longitudinally above the mould. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the heating elements comprise a pair of side heating elements and a middle heating element transversely spaced-apart from the side heating elements, the heating elements extending longitudinally and the middle heating element being controlled at a temperature greater than that of the side heating elements. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the chocolate in the tumed-over mould is cooled at a temperature of approximately 5°C for a period of less than 3 minutes. A method as claimed in any preceding claim comprising the step of heating the mould to soften the margins of the chocolate shell prior to application of the backing of tempered chocolate. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the margins of the chocolate shell are heated for a period of less than 60 seconds at a temperature of approximately 25°C . A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the mould is cooled by leading the mould through the cooling ttmnel for about 15 minutes. A method as claimed in any preceding claim comprising:— depositing a first filling into the chocolate shells in the mould; vibrating the mould; and depositing a second filling onto the first filling. A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising depositing inclusions into the shells after depositing the first filling. A method for manufacturing chocolate sweets substantially as hereinbefore described.