JP7210033B2 - CACAO PULP POWDER AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, AND CHOCOLATE AND OIL PRODUCTS - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to cacao pulp powder and its production method, chocolate, and oil-and-fat processed products.

In general, raw materials for chocolate are cacao mass, cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder, emulsifiers, flavors, and the like (Patent Document 1).
In recent years, attention has been focused on the health effects of chocolate, and chocolate containing a large amount of cacao is popular.

JP 2018-074909 A

By the way, the inventors of the present application were able to discover a raw material that produces an unprecedented flavor while developing chocolate that is particular about cacao.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cocoa pulp powder that can be used in the production of chocolate, a method for producing the same, and a chocolate and oil-and-fat processed product with a new flavor.

The present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a chocolate containing 1% by mass or more of cacao, characterized in that it contains cacao pulp powder which is 0.1% by mass or more of cacao pulp powder by mass excluding water. and

According to such chocolate, it is possible to provide a chocolate with a new flavor that is derived from cacao pulp powder and has unprecedented sourness and soft sweetness. In addition, the chocolate form shields the cocoa pulp powder from water and air, making it less susceptible to spoilage, making it easier to enjoy the flavor of the cacao pulp together with the flavor of the cacao whenever desired.

Note that the chocolate referred to in this application is not limited to the chocolate referred to in the Fair Competition Regulations Concerning Labeling of Chocolates (hereinafter simply referred to as "Regulations"). That is, it may contain less cacao than the chocolate dough specified in the regulations, and for example, chocolate dough and quasi-chocolate dough defined in the regulations, as well as those with a cacao content of less than 7%. In addition, the present invention also includes chocolate (including those not limited by convention) partially used for so-called chocolate confectionery and quasi-chocolate confectionery.

In the chocolate described above, it is desirable that the proportion of cocoa pulp powder is 80% by mass or less, excluding water.

By making the cocoa pulp powder content 80% by mass or less, it is possible to make it easier to combine the chocolate with a layer of edible fats and oils containing cacao.

In the chocolate described above, it is desirable that the water content is 3% by mass or less.

By setting the water content to 3% by mass or less, the chocolate can be easily put together with the layer of the cacao-containing edible oil. Moreover, the preservability of chocolate can be improved.

In the chocolate described above, the cacao content may be 35% by mass or more, and the content of components other than the cacao content and cacao pulp powder may be less than 1% by mass excluding water.

According to such chocolate, 99% by mass or more of the components can be derived from cacao, and it can be appreciated by chocolate lovers.

The chocolate described above may be solid at 20°C.

Thus, by being solid at 20° C., the chocolate can be easily handled and eaten.

The present invention, which solves the above problems, is cocoa pulp powder, which is a cocoa pulp powder from which moisture has been removed.

With this cocoa pulp powder, the moisture is removed, making it easier to mix with foods such as chocolate that contain a high proportion of fats and oils. In addition, since the cocoa pulp powder has been dehydrated, it has excellent long-term storage stability compared to cacao pulp. Furthermore, cocoa pulp powder is easy to store because it is a powder, and is easy to weigh when used as a food material.

The cocoa pulp powder described above preferably has a water content of 10% by mass or less.

When the water content is 10% by mass or less, long-term storage stability can be enhanced. In addition, stickiness of the cocoa pulp powder can be suppressed, and handling such as weighing can be facilitated.

The cacao pulp powder described above preferably has a particle size of 5 mm or less.

Such a particle size facilitates handling such as measurement of cacao pulp powder.

The method for producing cacao pulp powder of the present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, comprises freezing the puree of cacao pulp at a temperature of −20° C. or lower, depressurizing it to remove moisture, returning it to normal pressure, and pulverizing it into a powder. It is characterized by passing through a predetermined mesh.

According to such a production method, it is possible to obtain a powder having a uniform particle size from which moisture has been removed.

The present invention, which solves the above-described problems, is an oil-and-fat processed product containing edible oil and fat, characterized by containing cacao pulp powder of 0.1% by mass or more excluding water.

According to such a processed oil and fat product, it is possible to provide a processed oil and fat product with a new flavor that is derived from cacao pulp powder and has unprecedented sourness and soft sweetness. In addition, by making it into the form of an oil-and-fat processed product, the cacao pulp powder is shielded from water and air, making it less susceptible to damage, so that the flavor of the cacao pulp can be enjoyed at any time.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY According to the chocolate of the present invention, it is possible to provide chocolate with a new flavor that has unprecedented sourness and soft sweetness. In addition, the chocolate form shields the cocoa pulp powder from water and air, making it less susceptible to spoilage, making it easier to enjoy the flavor of the cacao pulp together with the flavor of the cacao whenever desired.

In addition, since the cacao pulp powder of the present invention has been dehydrated, it can be easily mixed with foods such as chocolate that contain a high proportion of fats and oils. In addition, since the cocoa pulp powder has been dehydrated, it has excellent long-term storage stability compared to cacao pulp. Furthermore, cocoa pulp powder is easy to store because it is a powder, and is easy to weigh when used as a food material.

Further, according to the method for producing cocoa pulp powder of the present invention, it is possible to obtain a powder having a uniform particle size from which moisture has been removed.

In addition, according to the processed fats and oils of the present invention, it is possible to provide processed fats and oils with a new flavor that is derived from cacao pulp powder and has unprecedented sourness and soft sweetness. In addition, by making it into the form of an oil-and-fat processed product, the cacao pulp powder is shielded from water and air, making it less susceptible to damage, so that the flavor of the cacao pulp can be enjoyed at any time.

1 is a table showing the composition of materials in Examples and Reference Examples.

Next, each embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[Cacao pulp powder]
The cacao pulp powder of the present embodiment is powder of cocoa pulp from which moisture has been removed. Cocoa pulp is the white pulp that surrounds the cocoa beans in the cocoa pod. Cacao pulp powder is a powder obtained by removing moisture from this cacao pulp, and was invented by the inventors of the present application.

The moisture content of the cacao pulp powder is desirably 10% by mass or less, more desirably 9% by mass or less, and even more desirably 5% by mass or less. As an example, the moisture content of cocoa pulp powder is 3% by mass.

Long-term storage stability can be enhanced by lowering the moisture content of the cocoa pulp powder. In addition, stickiness of the cocoa pulp powder can be suppressed, and handling such as weighing can be facilitated.

Although the particle size of the cacao pulp powder is not particularly limited, it is preferably 5 mm or less. By making the particle size not too large, handling such as measurement of cacao pulp powder can be facilitated.
The finer the particle size of the cocoa pulp powder, the better the texture when it is added to other ingredients, so it is preferably 3 mm or less, preferably 2 mm or less, and more preferably 1 mm or less.
Such adjustment of the particle size can be easily performed by allowing the particles to pass through a predetermined mesh. For example, when the particle size is to be adjusted to 5 mm or less, cacao pulp powder may be sieved with a mesh having an opening of 5 mm or slightly smaller than 5 mm. The same applies to the case of arranging other particle sizes.

If the particle size of the cocoa pulp powder is too small, it will flutter and become inconvenient to handle. The lower limit of the peak particle size is more preferably 100 µm or more, and the upper limit is more preferably 500 µm or less.
Here, the particle size distribution shall be measured by a laser diffraction method/scattering method. For example, the particle size distribution can be measured with a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer Mastersizer 3000 manufactured by Malvern.

Such cacao pulp powder, from which moisture has been removed, can be easily mixed with foods such as chocolate that contain a high proportion of fats and oils. In addition, cacao pulp powder is easy to store because it is a powder, and is easy to weigh when used as a food material.

Cacao pulp, which is a raw material for cocoa pulp powder, contains about 85% by mass of water. Cacao pulp has been used for smoothies and the like in recent years, but has not been used for chocolate so far. This is because if the water content is high, it cannot be used for chocolate as it is. When producing chocolate from cacao pods, cacao pulp supplies water and sugar during fermentation, and the cacao pulp itself liquefies and disappears. In other words, cocoa pulp is not used as it is during ordinary chocolate production.

The use of cocoa pulp powder is not limited to chocolate. Cacao pulp powder can be used for oil-and-fat processed products similar to chocolate, and can be used for other confectionery such as powders such as wheat flour, and general confectionery using grains such as potato and rice. Powdered cacao pulp can be easily used in these confections. In addition, since the cocoa pulp powder has been dehydrated, the flavor of the cacao pulp can be enhanced. Also, cacao pulp powder can be used as a topping to adhere to the surface of snacks and cakes, rather than being mixed into confectionery.

[Method for producing cocoa pulp powder]
A so-called freeze-drying method can be used to produce cacao pulp powder.

The cacao pulp as a raw material is pureed by straining the cacao pulp (fruit pulp) through a mesh of a predetermined size. The puree is then sterilized by heating to 70° C. for 10 minutes. The resulting puree can be preserved by freezing.
In the freeze-drying process, the puree is pre-frozen overnight at a temperature below -20°C. It is then frozen at a temperature below -30°C. After that, the pressure is reduced to remove moisture. After the cacao pulp is sufficiently dried, the pressure is returned to normal pressure and pulverized into a powder. Then, the powdered cocoa pulp powder is passed through a predetermined mesh to adjust the particle size. In this way, it is possible to obtain cocoa pulp powder with a uniform particle size from which moisture has been removed.

As an example, the particle size distribution of cocoa pulp powder obtained by passing through a 0.98 mm mesh had a peak particle size of 214 μm.
The moisture content of the cocoa pulp powder immediately after freeze-drying was 3% by mass. When this cocoa pulp powder was left in a room with a temperature of 23° C. and a humidity of 60% for one day, the moisture content became 9% by mass. The cocoa pulp powder with a moisture content of 9% by mass was more sticky than the cocoa pulp powder with a moisture content of 3% by mass. For this reason, it was considered desirable that the cacao pulp powder have a water content of 10% by mass or less.

The obtained cacao pulp powder is a powder that tends to clump a little like powdered skim milk, but it is a powder that can be easily crumbled. When eaten, it could be easily melted in the mouth, exhibiting refreshing fruity acidity and soft sweetness.

[Chocolate using cacao pulp powder]
The chocolate of this embodiment contains a cocoa content of 1% by mass or more. In addition, it contains 0.1% by mass or more of cocoa pulp powder in terms of mass excluding water. Naturally, the more cacao content, the better the chocolate flavor.
Also, the more cocoa pulp powder, the stronger the cacao pulp flavor.
The cacao content refers to cacao nibs, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, cocoa cake, and cocoa powder, and the mass % of cacao content is the ratio of these masses excluding water.

In order to strengthen the cacao flavor, the cacao content is preferably 7% or more, preferably 15% or more, more preferably 21% or more, and further preferably 35% or more. desirable.
The chocolate of the present embodiment is not limited to so-called sweet chocolate, and may be milk chocolate containing milk solids, or so-called white chocolate containing no cocoa mass.

The chocolate may have a cocoa content of 35% by mass or more, and may contain less than 1% by mass of components other than the cacao content and cacao pulp powder, excluding water. According to such chocolate, 99% by mass or more of the components can be derived from cacao, and it can be appreciated by chocolate lovers.

In this sense, the cacao content and components other than cacao pulp powder in chocolate may be less than 0.5% by mass, may be less than 0.2% by mass, and may be 0% by mass. good too. Conventionally, chocolate with a large amount of cacao-derived components (that is, conventional cacao content) has a strong bitterness unless a considerable amount of sugar is used as a raw material, and the taste is not liked by the general public. According to the chocolate of No. 1, by using cacao pulp powder, it is possible to produce sweetness without using sugar, so it is possible to make chocolate composed of purer cacao. Further, by using cacao pulp powder, it is possible to produce refreshing sourness and soft sweetness even with a large amount of cacao-derived components, and it is possible to create a flavor that is widely liked by the general public.

The amount of cacao pulp powder is desirably 0.5% by mass or more, more desirably 1% by mass or more. In addition, in order to feel sufficient sweetness in chocolate, the cacao pulp powder content is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, and even more preferably 30% by mass or more. Cacao pulp powder has good taste and aroma compatibility with cacao, so even when 30% by mass or more of cacao pulp powder is contained, there is no sense of incongruity, and a strong refreshing fruit aroma can be produced.

The chocolate may optionally contain edible oils and fats other than cacao, powdered milk, milk fat, sweeteners such as sugar, emulsifiers, flavors, and the like. For example, the fluidity of chocolate can be improved by including an appropriate amount of lecithin as an emulsifier.

In the chocolate of the present embodiment, it is desirable that the proportion of cacao pulp powder is 80% by mass or less, excluding water. If there is too much cocoa pulp powder, it is difficult to form a continuous layer of edible fats and oils containing cacao. However, by making the cacao pulp powder content 80% by mass or less, it is possible to easily combine the chocolate with a layer of edible fats and oils containing cacao. The proportion of cacao pulp powder is desirably 70% by mass or less, more desirably 60% by mass or less, in order to facilitate molding of the chocolate.

In the production of chocolate, the cocoa mass is finely ground by grinding, so by mixing cacao pulp powder with the chocolate material before the grinding process, the cocoa pulp powder is finely ground in the grinding process. can do. For this reason, the cocoa pulp powder can have a finer particle size than the cocoa pulp powder described above when finished as chocolate, and can have a smooth texture. In this case, the cocoa pulp powder in the chocolate can be, for example, 20 μm or less.

Conversely, the cocoa pulp powder can also be mixed into the chocolate ingredients after the milling process. In this case, the particle size of the cocoa pulp powder can be intentionally left large so that the chocolate can have a strong flavor of the cacao pulp powder.

The chocolate of the present embodiment preferably has a moisture content of 3% by mass or less. When the water content is high, it is difficult for the edible oil and fat containing cacao to form a continuous layer. However, by setting the water content to 3% by mass, it is possible to make it easier to combine the chocolate with a layer of edible oil and fat containing cacao. In addition, the low water content can enhance the storage stability of chocolate.

The chocolate of this embodiment is solid at 20 degreeC as an example. That is, it can be a so-called chocolate bar (chocolate solid at room temperature, not limited to a plate shape). Desirably, the chocolate is solid at 25°C. Since the chocolate is solid at room temperature, it can be easily handled and eaten.

As described above, according to the chocolate of the present embodiment, it is possible to provide chocolate with a new flavor that has unprecedented sourness and soft sweetness derived from cacao pulp powder. In addition, the chocolate form shields the cocoa pulp powder from water and air, making it less susceptible to spoilage, making it easier to enjoy the flavor of the cacao pulp together with the flavor of the cacao whenever desired.

[Processed oils and fats using cacao pulp powder]
The oil-and-fat processed product of the present embodiment is an oil-and-fat processed product containing edible oil and fat, and contains 0.1% by mass or more of cacao pulp powder excluding water. Fats and oils processed products contain edible fats and oils as a main component. That is, the edible oil forms a continuous layer. It is optional whether or not the processed oil/fat product contains cacao.
As an example, processed fats and oils are those that contain fats and oils that melt in the mouth similar to chocolate as a main component. and others.

According to such a processed oil and fat product, it is possible to provide a processed oil and fat product with a new flavor that is derived from cacao pulp powder and has unprecedented sourness and soft sweetness. In addition, by making it into the form of an oil-and-fat processed product, the cacao pulp powder is shielded from water and air, making it less susceptible to damage, so that the flavor of the cacao pulp can be enjoyed at any time.

The amount of cacao pulp powder in the oil-and-fat processed product is desirably 0.5% by mass or more, and more desirably 1% by mass or more. In addition, in order to feel sufficient sweetness in the fat and oil processed product, the cacao pulp powder content is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, and further preferably 30% by mass or more. desirable.

In addition, the processed fats and oils may optionally contain powdered milk, milk fat, sweeteners such as sugar, emulsifiers, flavors and the like.

Next, an experimental example in which chocolate was produced using cocoa pulp powder (denoted as “CPP” in FIG. 1) will be described.

[Example 1]
Cocoa pulp was freeze-dried and passed through a mesh of 0.98 mm to prepare cocoa pulp powder having a moisture content of 3% by mass, a particle size of 1 mm or less, and a peak particle size of 214 μm (see Examples and References below). same in the example).
45% by mass of cacao mass and 15% by mass of cocoa butter were melted by heating to 45° C. in a bowl and kneaded with a spatula. 40% by mass of cacao pulp powder was mixed with this and kneaded well with a spatula. After cooling to 25 to 27° C., the temperature was raised to 28 to 30° C. and tempered to obtain solid chocolate.

[Example 2]
Cocoa mass and cocoa butter were mixed in a mass ratio of 5:3, melted by heating to 45° C. in a bowl, and kneaded with a spatula. The mixture was kneaded with a spatula while gradually adding cacao pulp powder. As a result, up to 60% by mass of cacao pulp powder (that is, 25% by mass of cocoa mass and 15% by mass of cocoa butter) with respect to the entire chocolate could be kneaded into a paste at 40°C. It was confirmed that when the mass ratio of cocoa mass and cocoa butter was 5:3, chocolate could be produced with cocoa pulp powder added up to 60% by mass. FIG. 1 shows the formulation at the time when this 60 mass % cocoa pulp powder was added.
After that, 0.5% by mass of soybean lecithin as an emulsifier was added to improve fluidity. That is, it was confirmed that by using an appropriate amount of an emulsifier, it was possible to produce a chocolate containing more than 60% by mass of cocoa pulp powder.

In both Examples 1 and 2, the feeling of eating was chocolate with a fruity refreshing sourness and a soft sweetness spreading in the mouth.

[Reference example 1]
Of the ingredients of 35% by mass of cocoa mass, 22.5% by mass of cocoa butter, and 42.5% by mass of cacao pulp powder, part of the cocoa butter was left, heated to 45°C in a bowl to melt, and mixed with a spatula. . This was passed through a three-roll mill twice and ground, and the remaining cocoa butter was added and kneaded for 15 minutes while being kept at 50° C. in a vertical mixer. Then, after cooling to 25 to 27° C., the temperature was raised to 28 to 30° C., tempered, placed in a mold and cooled.
The three-roll mill uses S-4 3/4 × 11 manufactured by Inoue Seisakusho Co., Ltd. (pressure setting: 3.5 to 4.0 MPa), and the vertical mixer is a stand mixer KSM5WH manufactured by KitchenAid (speed setting: 4). (same in the examples below).
As a result, the chocolate became candy-like during grinding with a three-roll mill (this is called "candy"), and did not suddenly melt above a predetermined temperature. After cooling, the candy solidified and had a crunchy texture. In addition, it could not be removed from the mold.

[Example 3]
Materials having the same composition as in Reference Example 1 were heated to 45° C. in a bowl to melt and kneaded with a spatula. Then, after cooling to 25 to 27° C., the temperature was raised to 28 to 30° C., tempered, put into a mold and cooled. In this case, it was possible to remove the mold without making candy, and it was possible to obtain a solid chocolate.
The chocolate of Example 3 had a mouthfeel as if cocoa pulp powder particles were mixed in the chocolate, and a fruity refreshing sourness and soft sweetness spread in the mouth. It is an easy-to-eat chocolate that does not have the strong bitterness of chocolate made from high-concentration cocoa mass.
Cocoa pulp powder is 40 to 45% by mass, preferably 42 to 43% by mass, and materials other than cacao-derived components are less than 1%, so that chocolate with a rich aroma derived from pure cacao can be enjoyed. I found it possible.

[Example 4]
By mass, lecithin and some of cocoa butter was left, heated to 45° C. in a bowl to melt, and mixed with a spatula. This was passed through a three-roll mill twice and ground, and the remaining lecithin and cocoa butter were added and kneaded for 15 minutes while being kept at 50° C. in a vertical mixer. Then, after cooling to 25 to 27° C., the temperature was raised to 28 to 30° C., tempered, placed in a mold and cooled.
As a result, it was possible to remove the mold without making candy, and a solid chocolate was obtained.
The chocolate of Example 4 was so smooth that particles of cacao pulp powder could hardly be felt, and it had a texture as if the juice of the fruit was oozing out of the chocolate. Although the acidity was not as strong as in Example 3, the flavor of the cacao pulp could be sufficiently enjoyed.

[Example 5]
Of the materials with a ratio of 35 cocoa mass, 22.5 cocoa butter, 22.5 sugar, 20 cocoa pulp powder, and 0.3 lecithin by mass (mass % of the composition of the materials is shown in FIG. 1), lecithin and part of cocoa butter was left, heated to 45° C. in a bowl to melt, and mixed with a spatula. This was passed through a three-roll mill twice and ground, and the remaining lecithin and cocoa butter were added and kneaded for 15 minutes while being kept at 50° C. in a vertical mixer. Then, after cooling to 25 to 27° C., the temperature was raised to 28 to 30° C., tempered, placed in a mold and cooled.
As a result, although candy-like substances were observed to adhere to the roll surfaces of the three-roll mill, the molds could be removed and solid chocolate could be obtained.
The chocolate of Example 5 was so smooth that particles of the cocoa pulp powder could hardly be felt, and had a texture as if the fruit juice was oozing out of the chocolate. The strength of acidity was intermediate between that of Examples 3 and 4, and a strong cacao pulp flavor could be enjoyed.

[Example 6]
By mass, among the materials with a ratio of 35 cocoa mass, 22.5 cocoa butter, 12.5 sugar, 30 cocoa pulp powder, and 0.3 lecithin, lecithin and some cocoa butter are left, and refined conche (manufactured by LOW & DUFF 2CR) and heated to 45-50° C. and mixed, ground and scouring for 40 minutes. The weight percentages of the material formulations are shown in FIG. The remaining lecithin and cocoa butter were mixed in after finishing the scouring. Then, after cooling to 25 to 27° C., the temperature was raised to 28 to 30° C., tempered, placed in a mold and cooled.
As a result, chocolate candy was found inside the refining conche, but the chocolate itself had fluidity and could be demolded to obtain solid chocolate.
The chocolate of Example 6 was so smooth that particles of the cocoa pulp powder could hardly be felt, and had a texture as if the juice of the fruit was oozing out of the chocolate. The strength of sourness was intermediate between that of Examples 3 and 5, and a strong cacao pulp flavor could be sensed.

According to Examples 4 to 6, the chocolate containing 9 to 31% by mass of cacao pulp powder is smooth and the flavor of cacao pulp can be fully felt. In addition, since cocoa pulp powder is currently very expensive, it is possible to reduce costs by adding about 10 to 30% by mass.

In addition, as in Example 4, by making chocolate containing 9 to 11% by mass of cacao pulp powder, it is possible to make chocolate that can fully feel the flavor of cacao pulp while keeping costs down.

In addition, as in Example 5, by blending 19 to 21% by mass of cacao pulp powder, it is possible to make chocolate that can feel a strong cacao pulp flavor while suppressing costs.

Furthermore, as in Example 6, by blending 29 to 31% by mass of cacao pulp powder, it is possible to make chocolate that can feel a strong cacao pulp flavor while keeping costs down.

[Example 7]
The chocolate prepared in Example 4 and sweet chocolate were mixed at a mass ratio of 1:9, melted by heating to 45°C in a bowl, and mixed with a spatula. The weight percentages of the material formulations are shown in FIG. The amount of cocoa pulp powder added corresponds to about 5% by mass in terms of raw cacao pulp.
The blended material was cooled to 25-27° C., then heated to 28-30° C., tempered and cooled in molds.
As a result, it was possible to remove the mold without making candy, and a solid chocolate was obtained.
The chocolate of Example 7 was close to sweet chocolate, and the aroma of cacao pulp powder could not be felt directly while eating. Compared with sweet chocolate, the flavor was slightly different as a whole, and a faint scent of cacao pulp was felt after eating.
As a result, it was found that by blending about 0.5 to 1.5% by mass of cacao pulp powder, chocolate with a new flavor can be produced at low cost.

[Example 8]
By mass, cocoa mass 50, cocoa butter 20, cocoa pulp powder 30, lecithin 0.4, sucrose fatty acid ester 1, leaving some cocoa butter, Refining conche (2CR manufactured by LOW & DUFF) Mixing, grinding, and scouring were carried out for 30 minutes while adjusting the product temperature to 45°C or less (between approximately 40 and 45°C). The weight percentages of the material formulations are shown in FIG. The remaining cocoa butter was mixed in after finishing the scouring. Then, after cooling to 25 to 27° C., the temperature was raised to 28 to 30° C., tempered, placed in a mold and cooled.
As a result, the chocolate inside the refining conche was not candyized, the chocolate itself had fluidity, and the chocolate could be demolded to obtain solid chocolate.
The chocolate of Example 8 was so smooth that particles of cacao pulp powder could hardly be felt, and had a texture as if the juice of a fruit was oozing out of the chocolate. The strength of sourness was intermediate between that of Examples 3 and 5, and a strong cacao pulp flavor could be sensed.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The specific configuration can be changed as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, the chocolate and oil-and-fat processed product of the present invention are not limited to being eaten as such, but can be used as part of other foods such as sweets. For example, it can be coated on, attached to, or mixed with other confectionery. Nuts and snacks can also be mixed into the chocolate and oil-and-fat processed products of the present invention.

In addition, it is also possible to arbitrarily combine the elements described in the above-described embodiment and modifications.

Claims (5)

A chocolate containing 1% by mass or more of cacao,
Cocoa pulp powder, which is a cocoa pulp powder of 40% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less by mass excluding water, and 15% by mass of cocoa butter,
2. A chocolate further comprising 5-45% by weight of cocoa mass. A chocolate containing 1% by mass or more of cacao,
containing cocoa mass and cocoa butter in a mass ratio of 5:3,
A chocolate characterized by comprising cocoa pulp powder, which is cacao pulp powder having a content of 40% by mass or more and 60% by mass or less , excluding water. 3. The chocolate according to claim 1, wherein the water content is 3% by mass or less. The cocoa content is 35% by mass or more,
4. The chocolate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the amount of ingredients other than cocoa and cocoa pulp powder is less than 1% by mass, excluding water. Chocolate according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is solid at 20°C.

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