WO2007042097A1

WO2007042097A1 - Method for preparing a chilled dessert product

Info

Publication number: WO2007042097A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/007721
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bronwyn Elliott
Original assignee: Unilever N.V.; Unilever Plc
Priority date: 2005-10-12
Filing date: 2006-08-03
Publication date: 2007-04-19
Also published as: EP1933637A1

Abstract

A chilled dessert product can be prepared by the following steps: a) heating an edible composition and transferring it to a mould, and cooling the composition under quiescent conditions to form a gel in the mould, which gel comprises 40-95 wt% water, 1-11 wt% protein and 3.5-35 wt% fat, wherein the gel is not a gel dependent on gelatin, b) demoulding the gel and causing its temperature to be 0-25°C, c) enrobing at least 50% of the surface of the gel part with an anhydrous fat-based coating, the coating material having a temperature of 20-40°C, and d) storing the product at 1-10°C. There is no need for freezing or extrusion and the use of moisture binders can be avoided.

Description

Method for preparing a chilled dessert product

The invention relates to a method for preparing a chilled dessert product. The product comprises a gel part and an anhydrous fat-based coating, for example a coating consisting of chocolate.

WO 97/15198 describes chilled food products that comprise two edible materials having different water activities, said edible materials being in contact with and separated by an edible moisture barrier. The first edible material may e.g. consist mostly of fresh cheese. The second edible material may for example be chocolate. The composition to form the filling of the product includes e.g. fresh cheese, sucrose, locust bean gum and flavour. It is cooled to e.g. -2°C, extruded into a strand, the strand is cooled down to -20 or -25°C and cut into pieces. Thereafter the barrier layer and coating are applied by dipping or enrobing.

EP 714 608 describes a process for preparing an enrobed snack product having a fat -based enrobing and a water-continuous filling. A filling mixture based on soft cheese is prepared. The mixture is pasteurized and then cooled to below 10⁰C, extruded and separated into shaped portions. The portions of filling are enrobed with a fluid fat-based coating material. Before enrobing, the filling portions are preferably frozen, especially to a temperature between -18°C and -35°C.

US 4,795,650 describes a method of making an extruded frozen cheesecake product by combining ingredients to form a stabilized dispersion of cream cheese, sour cream, cream, egg yolks, sweetener, water and flavours which is then cooked, homogenized, aerated and frozen. The frozen mixture is extruded to form a free-standing structure and is further frozen to a stable state.

EP 931 462 and EP 938 847 describe a process for preparing a chilled product with a filling and a coating. The filling and the coating are each dosed into a separate piston chamber. Then the coating is fed to the outer conduit of a concentric nozzle and simultaneously the filling is fed to the central conduit of the nozzle. Then first the coating, then the coating and the filling and then the coating are dosed into a mould. The steps are then repeated for the next chilled product. The filling may for example be a fermented milk product e.g. fresh cheese or yogurt. The coating may for example be chocolate.

WO 00/76325 discloses a process to increase the shelflife of cottage cheese dessert products. Cottage cheese is mixed with flavouring agents, spices and possibly other ingredients and post-heat treated and cooled to below 10⁰C in a continuous process using a closed system. The cooled mixture is then forced through a pipeline, in closed system, into the last equipment finishing the technology, where if desired the product is formed, coated, decorated and packed. It may e.g. be formed into bars and dipped into a chocolate bath.

FR 2 544 592 describes a process for the production of petit fours which consist mainly of expanded cream. Each sweet is formed on one of a set of spaced, parallel prongs extending at right angles from a straight support bar. A portion of cream is deposited upon the end of each prong. When the cream is sufficiently set not to run, it is enrobed with an edible coating such as meringue. Once the coating has dried, the sweet is detached from its prong.

FR 2 639 796 describes a composite food product having a core of non-fermented fresh cheese and a protective coating that provides an improved shelf life. The coating may consist e.g. of chocolate. The preparation of the product starts with making fresh cheese by preparing a curd, cutting and draining the whey, filling into moulds and submitting to further draining and turning. The moulding and draining is carried out in a room with controlled atmosphere at a temperature of about 23°C. After 24 hours of draining, the cheeses are demoulded, placed on a grid and dried at below 10⁰C to a solids contents of at least 30%, preferably 40%. The shaped portions are heated to 20⁰C and are enrobed with the coating. The coating is in liquid or paste form and has a temperature of about 30⁰C. The enrobed centres are cooled to 18°C and packed.

US 3,582,349 describes a process wherein ice cream production equipment can be used outside the season for other food products. The food mix is characterized by an essentially solid state at room temperature and a plastic state above body temperature. The mix typically includes fragile particulated food solids and an uncooked binding agent. It may e.g. be Confectioner's Compound Coating consisting of oil, sugar, milk solids, flavouring and lecithin, combined with expanded crisp rice pieces. The mix is heated and injected into the equipment moulds. After solidification by rapid cooling of the moulds, the moulds are briefly heated and the products are withdrawn from the moulds. The formed products while still cold can be provided with a high gloss dip coating. EP 6 551 637 discloses a composite product having an outer envelope and an internal filling completely enclosed in the outer envelope. The outer envelope or shell, and optionally also the internal filling, are formed from processed cheese paste. The two compositions may be co-metered in the hot state into an intermediate mould where gelling takes place during cooling. After the cooling, the product is unmoulded and can be coated either with an edible coating based on lipids, proteins or polysaccharides, or with a food wax, before being packaged in the final packaging. No information is given about the purpose of the coating or the way to apply it. Generally, cheese is often coated to protect it from drying out and cracking. The coating may or may not be edible. If it is intended to be consumed, it is designed to be, ideally, not noticeable organoleptically to the consumer. The coating may be applied at elevated temperature, depending on the composition, e.g. at 45-55°C.

The known processes have certain drawbacks . Many processes rely on extrusion to obtain shaped pieces to form the centre or core of the composite food product. To have satisfactory extrusion properties, usually dense, pasty compositions that often have low water content are used for the centre part. Such products often do not have very good organoleptic properties.

Other processes use very specific equipment with little tolerance for variation in the structural properties of the filling compositions.

Many processes rely on freezing the centre part to prevent collapse of the composition upon coating. However, if the resulting product is not a frozen confection and it is intended to be consumed in unfrozen condition, the composition constituting the centre typically needs to contain considerable amounts of e.g. modified starch or other structurants to prevent moisture loss when the product is de- frosted before consumption. Such anti-syneresis components usually have an adverse influence on the taste and mouthfeel of the product. Furthermore, freezing equipment is expensive and for that reason also, freezing of the composition is preferably avoided.

In some applications, e.g. for cheese products, the purpose of the coating, is to protect the product during its shelflife. The coating, or film, may be removed before consumption, or it may be intended to be organoleptically neutral rather than forming part of the product architecture for optimal sensoric properties .

We have now found a method for preparing a chilled dessert product that is versatile and allows the presence of substantial amounts of moisture in the centre part. It has an anhydrous, fat-based coating, which together with the moisture rich centre part can provide an interesting and enjoyable sensoric contrast. There is no need to include structurants in the centre part to prevent syneresis upon de-frosting. The taste and flavour profile and other organoleptic properties can be similar to those of high quality artisanal products. Nevertheless, the process can be applied under industrial conditions and thus meet high standards of hygiene and reproducibility.

Accordingly the present invention provides a method for preparing a chilled dessert product that comprises the steps of a) heating an edible composition and transferring it to a mould, and cooling the composition under quiescent conditions to form a gel in the mould, which gel comprises 40-95 wt% water, 1-11 wt% protein and 3.5-35 wt% fat, wherein the gel is not a gel dependent on gelatin, b) demoulding the gel to provide a gel part and causing the temperature of the gel part to be 0-25⁰C, c) enrobing at least 50% of the surface of the gel part with an anhydrous fat-based coating, the coating material having a temperature of 20-40⁰C, and d) storing the product at 1-10⁰C.

It is preferably ensured that subsequent to the formation of the gel in step a, the temperature of the composition is not allowed to be lower than O⁰C, i.e. that freezing of the gel is avoided. Preferably the temperature of the gel is at least 1°C. Freezing and subsequent defrosting may cause syneresis and / or the loss of structure, which would adversely affect the product quality.

In our method the gel is formed in a mould. Such moulded gel structure, as opposed to an extruded structure, allows the use of compositions with relatively high moisture contents and without having to use structurants or moisture binders that would adversely affect the organoleptic properties. Heating of the edible composition and transferring it to the mould in step a of our method, can be done in any convenient manner. The steps may be done in either order or simultaneously. Some initial cooling may also happen before the composition is in the mould. However, a macroscopic gel structure should form in the composition in the mould and it should be cooled under quiescent conditions to allow that to happen. By quiescent conditions is meant the absence of any agitation. Agitation encompasses actions such as shearing, stirring, pouring, pumping and shaking. Agitation includes the disruption of cutting and turning deliberately applied in cheese making processes to cause draining of the whey. It does not include for example the movement of the moulds through a cooling tunnel or their transfer to a cold store.

The gel can have a high moisture content and we had anticipated that upon trying to enrobe it with an anhydrous coating, the coating composition that is circulated in the enrober, would pick up moisture. Inclusion of even small amounts of moisture in e.g. fluid chocolate compositions can cause a dramatic increase of the viscosity. If that would happen, the coating thickness would be uncontrollable, the equipment would begin to malfunction and the enrobing would need to be stopped. We were surprised to find that in our process, despite the high moisture content of the gel, moisture pick up during enrobing did not occur to a significant extent and did not cause difficulties .

In one embodiment of our invention the gel is a gel based on protein, starch or a combination thereof. The protein may be milk protein, egg protein, vegetable protein or a combination of two or more thereof. In this embodiment, it is preferred for the gel to comprise both milk protein and egg protein. The way of heating in step a can be chosen as appropriate for example by heating on a hot plate, e.g. au bain marie, but in this embodiment it is preferred to bake the composition. For example, the gel composition and the heating and cooling may be as is commonly applied for making baked cheesecake. Traditionally, baked cheesecake comprises egg and fresh cheese but no starch. Now there are also recipes wherein part or all of the egg has been replaced by starch or other gel forming materials, e.g. using soy protein and/or whey protein, or wherein such gel forming materials are included in addition to eggs. Such recipes can be used as well for the present method if the compositional requirements are fulfilled.

In a preferred embodiment, the composition is not baked in step a of the method. In such embodiment, the gel composition preferably does not include an appreciable amount of egg yolk. The amount of egg yolk in the gel composition, if present at all, is preferably less than 2 wt%, especially less than 1 wt%. In such a case suitably a polysaccharide gelling agent can be used. It is particularly beneficial to form the gel structure with agar. The use of agar gelling agent allows a firm structure to be obtained quickly that is easy to demould and that has good taste and mouthfeel . The structure can be firm enough to be compatible with fat -based anhydrous coating even though high moisture contents can be used in the gel.

If agar is used, it is preferably applied at 0.05-5 wt% of the gel, more preferably 0.08-3 wt%, especially 0.1-1 wt%. The expression agar includes refined agar materials such as those known as agarose and Danish agar.

When using a gelling agent to form the gel, suitably the composition is heated e.g. to 65-100⁰C to allow the gelling agent to de-fold. Thereafter the composition is cooled to set the gel. When using agar, preferably the heating is applied to a temperature between about 80⁰C and 95⁰C.

Whether or not baking is applied in step a, preferably the heating is such that the temperature of the gel composition in the mould, 1 cm under the surface, does not exceed 98⁰C. More preferably the heating in step a is such that the highest temperature reached for the gel composition in the mould, measured 1 cm under the surface, is 70-95⁰C, especially, 80- 93⁰C. Higher temperatures are usually unnecessary, may cause boiling of the composition and/or may cause sub optimal organoleptic properties in the end product .

Heating may be done by baking or in a pan or a microwave oven or in another manner. For example, if baking is not to be applied, the edible composition to constitute the gel may be heated in a microwave oven or in a pan on a hot plate and then be poured in a mould and be allowed to cool down. Heating may also be done by passing the composition through a heat exchanger .

The cooling in step a may be passive cooling, e.g. leaving the composition in the mould to cool down at ambient temperature, but alternatively active cooling may be applied. For example, the composition in the mould may be placed in a refrigerator or be passed through a cooling tunnel. Preferably the temperature of the gel in the mould before it is demoulded in step b, measured 1 cm under the surface, is less than 30⁰C. Preferably, the temperature of the gel before the demoulding in step b is between 0 and 25⁰C, especially between 3 and 20⁰C. The gel structure will usually have become firmer if cooling has been allowed to proceed to a lower temperature before demoulding and the gel part will be less vulnerable during subsequent processing.

The gel should not be based on gelatin. A small amount of gelatin in the composition can be tolerated, but the gel structure should not be dependent on gelatin. We found that gelatin gels do not perform well in the enrobing of step c. The structure to which the coating is applied collapses easily and moisture may seep from the structure. The gel formed from the edible composition in step a should comprise 40-95 wt% water. Especially if baking is applied, some moisture loss may occur and this should be taken into account when determining the recipe . Preferably the moisture content of the gel is 45-90 wt%.

The protein present in the gel preferably comprises milk protein, egg protein, vegetable protein or a combination of two or more thereof. The amount of protein in the gel part is preferably 2-9 wt%, especially 2.5-7 wt%. The edible composition used to form the gel may, for example, include fresh cheese as a source of protein, e.g. cream cheese, cottage cheese or the like. Other sources of milk protein that can beneficially be included are milk, cream, sour cream, yogurt, etc. Also powders such as buttermilk powder, skimmed milk powder, whey powder and the like may be included to obtain the desired protein content .

The fat in the gel is preferably milk fat, vegetable fat or a combination thereof. Some fat may also originate e.g. from egg yolk. The amount of fat in the gel is preferably 5-30 wt%. The combined amount of fat and water in the gel is preferably 50-95 wt%, more preferably 60-90 wt%. Part or all of the fat and/or the water may derive from dairy components, notably fresh cheese, milk, cream, sour cream and the like.

In step b of our method the gel is demoulded. This can e.g. be done by turning over the mould, possibly in combination with vibration and letting in some air to release the vacuum. Another method is for example to use a mould with a movable bottom. After the gel has set, the bottom is moved up e.g. with a plunger to push the set gel upwards and out of the mould. Yet another method is for example to use two half rings on a plate as a mould. To demould the half rings can be pulled away from the set gel . Other methods for demoulding may be used as well . The temperature of the gel part obtained is controlled at 0- 25°C. The temperature of the gel part at this stage, before the coating is applied, preferably is 1-17°C, especially 2-13°C. Then the coating can be applied by enrobing. It is preferably ensured that the temperature of the gel part immediately before the coating is applied, is 0-25⁰C, preferably 1-17°C, especially 2-13⁰C. The temperature of the gel part can suitably be measured about 1 cm under the surface of the gel part. The coating composition has a temperature of 20-40⁰C, preferably 25-35°C. It is further preferred that the temperature of the gel part being enrobed is lower than the temperature of the coating composition during enrobing. Enrobing is a commonly used coating technique in the confectionery industry. Depending on the composition, the coating composition may be tempered before it is applied. Choosing the temperature of the coating composition, and/or tempering it if that is desirable in view of the composition used, are well known practices in the confectionery industry. The product is stored at 1-10⁰C.

It is not essential that the coating is applied to the gel part obtained upon demoulding as such. After demoulding, the gel part of step b may be partitioned into smaller gel parts, before step c. For example, the edible composition to constitute the gel part may be poured into a large, flat container that is a few cm deep, to allow the gel structure to form. After setting of the gel, the container can be turned over to demould the gel. The resulting gel part may be cut, e.g. with a knife or a water jet or a cut wire, e.g. into square or rectangular pieces to obtain a number of gel parts, each of which can then be enrobed. In step c the product is enrobed such that at least 50% of the surface of the gel part is coated. For example the entire surface of the product except for its bottom can be coated. Alternatively, bottom enrobing may be applied as well. In a preferred embodiment at least 60%, and especially at least 65% of the surface of the gel part is coated. It is particularly preferred that there is no surface of gel part of the dessert product directly exposed to the air. That contributes to securing a good shelf life for the product. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, the gel part is caused to be wholly enclosed inside the product.

The enrobing can suitably be done in an enrober. Such equipment is well known in the confectionery industry. The center to be enrobed is typically passed through a flowing curtain of melted coating material and is thereafter passed through a cooling tunnel to allow the coating composition to set. The application of a cooling tunnel is however not essential. The expression enrobing encompasses pouring or spooning fluid coating material over the gel part and causing it to solidify, e.g. by cooling. Enrobing does not include shell moulding or otherwise shaping in a mould or the application of a coating by means of dipping the center into a bath of fluid coating material .

The coating is fat-based and anhydrous, i.e. the main component in the coating beside solid matter such as e.g. sugar and/or not-fat cocoa solids, is fat, not water. The coating preferably has a continuous fat phase. Preferably, the water content of the coating composition used for enrobing in step c is less than 2 wt%, more preferably less than 1 wt%, especially less than 0.5 wt%. The coating with which the gel part is enrobed preferably comprises chocolate or chocolate replacer composition. More preferably the coating consists of chocolate. The chocolate may be dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate. The chocolate may also be flavoured chocolate, e.g. chocolate containing some strawberry or hazelnut flavour. Chocolate and materials similar to chocolate have a continuous fat phase. The coating may also be a chocolate replacer composition, e.g. a couverture or a supercoating or another coating. Such compositions may include as a partial or complete replacer of cocoa butter, cocoa butter equivalent or lauric or non-lauric cocoa butter replacer. The coating may for example include pieces of nuts, raisins, biscuits and/or dried fruit or the like. However, any materials included in the coating should have a low moisture content because the anhydrous character of the coating should not be affected.

Coatings as described above are well known in the confectionery industry and they can be applied for the present invention. Other fat -based anhydrous coatings may also be applied for the present invention. Preferably the coating has a fat content of 20-50 wt%. The fat contained in the coating preferably has a relatively high solid fat content at 15 °C. The solid fat content can suitably be measured by NMR as is commonly applied in the confectionery industry. The solid fat content at 15°C preferably is at least 50%, more preferably it is at least 60%.

Preferably, the coating comprises 25-40 wt% fat, 35-60 wt% sugar, optionally up to 25 wt% not-fat cocoa solids, optionally up to 25 wt% not-fat milk solids and optionally up to 5 wt% other ingredients e.g. lecithin, vanilla and/or hazelnut oil. Cocoa solids may be included in the coating in the form of e.g. cocoa powder or cocoa mass. Cocoa mass, or cocoa liquor, comprises cocoa butter and not-fat cocoa solids in a weight ratio of about 1:1. An example of a composition that can be used as coating is plain chocolate consisting of about 40 wt% cocoa mass, 12 wt% cocoa butter, 48 wt% sugar and 0.4 wt% lecithin.

In step d, the product is stored at 1-10⁰C, i.e. the product is a chilled product. A higher temperature would cause a too short shelf life. A lower temperature during extended storage, because of inevitable temperature fluctuations in storage conditions, could cause freezing of the product, which could lead to damage during subsequent defrosting. We have found that freezing and subsequent defrosting may cause syneresis and loss of structure, which would adversely affect the product quality. Preferably the product temperature is 3-7°C during storage. To have an optimal taste and texture it may be beneficial to cause the product to have a somewhat higher temperature at consumption. Depending on the product design, the product may be at its best for consumption at a temperature of, for example, 12-17°C.

In a preferred embodiment, before step c, an edible base is caused to be present. Preferably the gel part is caused to sit on the base. For example, the base may be a biscuit base or a cake layer. For example, the edible composition that is to constitute the gel can be first filled into a mould. The temperature may be for example 85 or 90⁰C. The composition may then be cooled down. Before, during or after the cooling, the base material may be placed on top of the gel composition. After the gel has set, the mould is turned over and e.g. tapped to release the intermediate product. This intermediate product then comprises the base material at the bottom with the gel part sitting on top thereof. It can then be brought to the required temperature in step b of our method.

Alternatively, the base may be placed in the mould first and the edible composition to constitute the gel be provided on top of the base. This may e.g. be convenient in case the composition is to be baked.

In yet another embodiment, the gel part may be formed first and be positioned on the base after demoulding in step b.

The gel part does not have to be homogeneous in composition throughout . In a preferred embodiment the gel part is caused to comprise at least two portions having different compositions. For example, the gel part may be caused to include two gelled layers, e.g. a gel layer with vanilla taste on top of a layer with chocolate taste. In such case each of the edible compositions used to make the gel part should preferably comprise 40-95 wt% water, 1-11 wt% protein and 3.5-35 wt% fat. For example, in step a, a first, already heated edible composition can be poured in the mould and be allowed to partially cool down and then the second heated gel -forming edible composition can be carefully dosed on top of the first composition. The composition can then be allowed to cool further and the gel to set.

In another preferred embodiment, the gel part is caused to include one or more discrete not-gelled food particles. For example, pieces of nuts, chocolate, or fruit or lumps of fruit puree, compote jam, sauce or caramel or a combination of such pieces and / or lumps may be included in the composition that is to constitute the gel part. Such materials can suitably be dosed into the still fluid gel composition that has already been filled into the mould. Alternatively, they may be put into the mould before the gel composition is dosed into it. The edible gel composition and other edible material may also be dosed into the mould simultaneously. In case fluid materials are used, they will be embedded in the gel part formed and thus constitute one or more discrete food particles. In case discrete not-gelled particles are to be included, their composition should be left out of consideration with respect to the prescribed amounts of water, protein and fat in the edible composition that is to form the gel in step a of our method. In a further preferred embodiment, at least a part of the gel part is caused to be aerated.

Usually, the gel part formed in step b, optionally after further partitioning, will be directly enrobed in step c and at least a part of the coating will be in direct contact with the surface of the gel part. However, if so desired a thin layer of other material may be applied between the gel part and the coating. For example, before enrobing with the coating in step c, a moisture barrier may be applied to the gel part.

Alternatively, for example, some pieces of fruit or nut or a layer of jam or fruit coulis or jelly may be dosed on top of the moulded gel part before the coating is applied. Indeed, in a preferred embodiment, a discrete edible portion is positioned in between the gel part and the coating. Such edible portion may be applied onto the gel part after the demoulding in step b. Alternatively, e.g. if demoulding involves turning over of the mould, the portion may be placed e.g. as a lining in the mould before the edible gel forming composition is dosed in the mould in step a.

However, it is a particular advantage of the present invention that the enrobing can be applied directly onto the surface of the gel part without causing collapse of the gel structure even though the gel may have a high moisture content. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, at least 30%, more preferably at least 40% of the surface of the gel part is in direct contact with the enrobed coating applied in step c.

In the present method at least 50% of the surface of the gel part is coated with the coating. In determining the part of the surface of the gel part that is coated with the coating, the presence of a possible layer of e.g. fruit or moisture barrier in between the gel part and the coating is ignored. If the gel part includes one or more discrete not -gelled particles, the interface between these particles and the gel part is not considered part of the surface of the gel part of which at least 50% should be coated with the coating. Only the outer surface of the gel part is relevant. Thus for example, if the product has a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 6 cm, comprises a base of 1 cm thickness, has a gel part of 2 cm high and has been coated completely in an enrober except that no bottom enrobing has been applied, then 70% of the surface of the gel part has been coated with the coating. This remains the same, if on top of the gel part a layer of e.g. 0.3 cm fruit pulp is added before passage through the enrober. It also stays the same if the gel part includes a cherry but the height of the gel part is still 2 cm. If however, the gel part includes cherries resulting in a height of the gel part of 3 cm, in such case 75% of the surface of the gel part is coated with the coating. If the same product is prepared except that a base of 3 mm thick is applied in stead of 1 cm or no base at all is used, this has no influence on the portion of the surface area of the gel part that is coated with the coating. If bottom enrobing is also applied, then in each of these cases, 100% of the surface of the gel part had been coated with the coating.

It is an advantage of the present invention that freezing can be avoided even though the moisture content of the gel part can be high. This allows the absence of moisture binders that would otherwise be required to avoid syneresis upon defrosting of the product before consumption. Nevertheless, small amounts of such moisture binders need not have strong adverse effects and can be tolerated. Accordingly, the gel part may include small amounts of modified starch, corn flour, maize starch and/or rice starch. However, if such material is present at all, the amount thereof in the gel part is preferably caused to be less than 1 wt%, more preferably less than 0.5 wt%. Similarly, gums are often included as moisture binder in dessert gels to address the syneresis that would occur after defrosting a frozen gel portion. For the present invention, xanthan gum, cellulose gum e.g. CMC, guar gum and/or locust bean gum, if present at all, are present in a combined amount of preferably less than 0.5 wt%, more preferably less than 0.2 wt% of the edible gel forming composition.

In a preferred embodiment agar is used as gelling agent. However, this does not mean that other gelling agents necessarily have adverse effects. While the gel structure should not be dependent on gelatin, some gelatin may be present in the composition used to constitute the gel . Accordingly, small amounts of other gelling agents than agar may be used. For example, small amounts of kappa and/or iota carrageenan, gellan and/or gelatin may be included in the edible composition that is to constitute the gel. However, the amount of gelling agent other than agar in the gel part is preferably not more than 0.2 wt%, more preferably not more than 0.1 wt%. The edible composition used in step a to form the gel can suitably be the kind of composition typically used to prepare e.g. the gel part of cheesecake provided the indicated composition requirements are met. In a preferred embodiment, the edible composition to constitute the gel in step a is prepared using a sheared gel that comprises at least a portion of the protein to be included in the gel. More preferably, the sheared gel used is an agar sheared gel . We have found that the use of such sheared gel to prepare the gel in step a results in a chilled dessert product with a better taste and mouthfeel . A sheared gel is a gel that has been sheared during setting of the gel to provide a gel in a mobile condition. Examples of sheared gels that can be used in the present invention are given in WO 2004/105499, WO 2004/105509, WO 2004/105510, WO 2004/105511 and WO 2004/105512.

Throughout this specification, except in relation to surface area, all parts, percentages and ratios are by weight unless otherwise indicated. The words "water" and "moisture" are used interchangeably. Except in the operating and comparative examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description indicating amounts of material ought to be understood as modified by the word "about" .

The term "comprising" is meant not to be limiting to any subsequently stated elements but rather to encompass non- specified elements of major or minor functional importance. In other words, the listed steps, elements or options need not be exhaustive. Whenever the words "including" or "having" are used, these terms are meant to be equivalent to "comprising" as defined above.

Example 1 An edible composition according to Table 1 was used to prepare a gel in a mould as follows.

Table 1

The liquid ingredients were placed in a Hobart mixer. The agar and sugar were mixed and cold dispersed in the liquid mixture. Mixing was continued for 5 minutes. The mixture and the remaining solid ingredients were transferred to a pan and the composition was heated to 90 "C. It was kept at this temperature for 2 minutes whilst it was stirred continuously. For demoulding assessment, the composition was poured into test containers with a volume of about 150 ml. The containers had a slit cut in the bottom to aid demoulding. Some further containers were filled to provide samples for hardness measurements and assessment by a taste panel. In addition, for enrobing trials, cylindrical moulds having a diameter of 6.5 cm and a height of 4 cm, that contained a biscuit base of about 15 g, were filled with about 85 g of gel composition. The samples were covered with cling film and stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours at about 5'C. For the demoulding assessment, the container was turned upside down on a plate. The slit was opened to release the vacuum. The container was tapped sharply (repeatedly if necessary) to cause the gel part to be demoulded. The weight of product remaining in the container was measured as an indication of completeness of demoulding. The samples were tasted to assess organoleptic properties. The hardness of the samples was measured with a Stevens Texture analyser at 5° C using a 40° cone as measuring device. The measurement depth was 10 mm and the cone speed was 1 mm/s. The required load was recorded in g/cm. Two measurements were made and the average calculated.

For enrobing, the intermediate products were taken from the refrigerator and they were pushed out of the cylindrical moulds from the bottom side. They comprised a moulded gel part sitting on a biscuit base. The temperature measured about one cm under the surface of the gel part was still about 5° C. The samples were then placed on the metal wire conveyer belt of an enrober and passed through a chocolate curtain and into the cooling tunnel. The samples exiting from the cooling tunnel were packed and stored at 5⁰C. About 70% of the surface of the gel part was coated with chocolate. The gel part was wholly enclosed inside the product .

The chocolate composition used as coating was milk chocolate. The temperature of the chocolate tank was set at 30.0⁰C. The surface temperature of the gel part of the samples being enrobed was 5-7 "C. The blower and shaker of the enrober were switched on to avoid a too thick chocolate coating being formed. Bottom enrobing was not applied. The temperature setting in the cooling tunnel was 2 "C. The residence time in the tunnel was 6 minutes and 30 seconds. The amount of coating per sample was about 20 g. The enrobed samples were visually assessed after 1, 5 and 10 days.

The gel composition contained 5.4 wt% protein, 19 wt% fat and 60 wt% moisture. The demoulding evaluation was made on 2 samples. The demoulding was complete with the amount of product remaining attached to the mould being less than 0.2 wt%. Regarding taste, the samples were acceptable and they also performed well in the enrobing trials. Overall the product was acceptable.

Example 2

Example 1 was repeated except that the overall recipe of the edible composition for the gel was as given in table 2.

Table 2

The gel composition contained 3.7 wt% protein, 20 wt% fat and 59 wt% water. The demoulding performance was good, the amount of product remaining in the mould being less than 0.4 wt%. The taste panel noted that there was relatively little difference in organoleptic properties between this sample and the sample of example 1. The taste and texture were acceptable . The results of the enrobing trials were good. Overall, the experiment was found to give acceptable results.

Example 3

Example 1 was repeated except that first a sheared gel was prepared having a composition as shown in table 3.

Table 3

The sheared gel was prepared as follows: The liquid ingredients were combined in a 20 kg tank. The agar was cold dispersed in the liquid whilst mixing with a high shear Silverston mixer for 5 minutes. The cream cheese was added and the mixture heated to 90^* C. The composition was kept at this temperature for 2 minutes while shearing with the Silverston was continued. The mixture was then transferred in a Stefan mixer and cooled under shear to below 15 "C. The sheared gel obtained was transferred into a container and stored in a refrigerator until it was used further.

With the sheared gel a gel composition was prepared as shown in table 4. The ingredients were combined in a pan. The mixture was heated while stirring it until the temperature reached 85 "C. The composition was then poured in the containers/moulds and further the procedure of example 1 was followed. Table 4

The protein, fat and moisture contents of the gel were the same as in example 1.

The gel part of the product was notably softer than the gel part of example 1. The taste and mouthfeel were judged to be clearly better than for example 1. Overall, the samples were judged to be good.

Example 4

Example 2 was repeated except that the sheared gel described in example 3 was used to prepare the gel having the composition shown in table 5. For the preparation of the gel from the sheared gel, the same process as described in example 3 was used.

Table 5

The protein, fat and moisture contents were the same as in example 2. The samples were notably softer than the samples of example 2. The taste and mouthfeel were judged to be clearly better than for example 2. Overall, the product was found to be good.

Comparative example

Several commercial gelatin-based chilled dessert products in containers were purchased from the local shops . In preparing these products, heating and cooling will have been applied to allow the gelatin to develop and the structure to set. The products were kept in the refrigerator at about 5'C until they were used. They were then demoulded on a plate. Milk chocolate was heated to melt it. The temperature was adapted to 30° C and the chocolate was poured over the dessert products to provide them with a thin layer of chocolate coating. The products were then placed in the refrigerator at 5'C to allow the chocolate to set. However, upon application of the coating, the shape of the products changed and liquid leached out of the product. Good coating of the products was not achieved. On the inside of the chocolate layer moisture droplets had formed. The product looked unappetizing and was not suitable for serving. We hypothesized that the gel structure collapsed as a result of the contact with the warm chocolate composition.

Example 5

A coated vanilla cheesecake dessert product was made, composed of an edible base, a gel part and a coating using the materials shown in Table 6.

Table 6

The butter was melted and mixed with the biscuit base mix. A layer of the mixture was filled in mould rings with a diameter of about 6.5 cm and a height of about 3.5 cm that were placed on greaseproof paper.

The components to constitute the gel were combined, stirred, heated to 85⁰C and poured onto the base layer in the rings. The filled moulds were put in the refrigerator at about 5'C and left overnight. Then the samples were pushed out of the mould from the bottom side to provide an intermediate product.

The chocolate to be used as coating was melted and its temperature was adapted to about 30 "C. While the temperature of the gel part about 1 cm under the surface was still 5-7° C, the melted chocolate was poured over the intermediate product giving a layer of about 1-1.5 mm thick. After the coating had solidified, the products were placed in the refrigerator at 5 "C. The gel contained 4.3 wt% protein, 16 wt% fat and 62 wt% moisture. About 70% of the surface of the moulded gel part was coated with the chocolate coating. The gel part was wholly enclosed inside the product. The products were judged to be very attractive dessert products.

Example 6

A chocolate cheesecake dessert product was prepared similarly to example 5 except that the materials shown in table 7 were used.

Table 7

The product was prepared similarly as in example 5. The chocolate and the butter were melted and mixed with the biscuit base mix. The resulting mixture was filled in the mould. A lump of ganache was put on the center of the base. The hot gel composition was first poured into the mould around the ganache and then covered it. After the gel had set, the lump of ganache constituted a discrete not-gelled particle in the gel part. The gel, excluding the ganache, contained 3.1 wt% protein, 21 wt% fat and 47 wt% water. The hazelnut pieces were mixed with the melted chocolate and thus became part of the coating. This dessert product too was much appreciated.

Example 7

A double layered dessert product was prepared similar to those in examples 5 and 6, using the materials shown in table 8.

Table 8

The product was prepared corresponding to the method described in examples 5 and 6, mutatis mutandis. In this case, the two gel compositions were prepared separately. First, heated gel 1 composition was poured onto the biscuit base. After the composition had started to set, the heated gel 2 composition was carefully poured on top of it. Then the filled moulds were put in the refrigerator at 5'C and the procedure as described in examples 5 and 6 was followed. Thus a product with two gel parts with distinct compositions was obtained. Gel 1 contained 2.6 wt% protein, 23 wt% fat and 58 wt% moisture. Gel 2 contained 3.1 wt% protein, 21 wt% fat and 48 wt% moisture. This dessert product was also well received.

Example 8

A chocolate and raspberry product was made in a manner similar to that of example 6, using the materials shown in table 9. The raspberry coulis comprised crushed raspberries and sugar in a weight ratio of about 3:1.

Table 9

The gel excluding the coulis contained 3.3 wt% protein, 22 wt% fat and 50 wt% water. This was also a very good dessert product . Example 9

A hazelnut and caramel dessert product was made similarly to the product of example 8. In the base, no chocolate was used and 1 pbw more biscuit base mix was used. The gel composition contained no chocolate, and instead 3 pbw more of the sheared gel, 4 pbw more of the double cream and 4 pbw of hazelnut paste were used. Instead of the raspberry coulis, caramel was used. The coating was made of milk chocolate. The gel excluding the caramel contained 2.9 wt% protein, 18 wt% fat and 62 wt% moisture. Another good product was obtained.

Example 10

Another product, white chocolate and strawberry, was made similar to example 8. In this case the base consisted solely of base mix. The gel composition did not include chocolate and it contained 1 pbw less sugar. Instead it contained 7 pbw more double cream and 5 pbw of strawberry paste. Strawberry coulis was used in stead of raspberry coulis. The coating was made of white chocolate. The gel excluding the coulis contained 2.8 wt% protein, 21 wt% fat and 61 wt% water. This product too was much appreciated.

Example 11

Stainless steel rings with a diameter of 7 cm and a height of 3.5 cm were placed on greaseproof paper to provide moulds. A base was formed in each ring from a commercially available crumb mix which consisted of biscuit crumb and butter.

A series of cheesecake samples was prepared using the composition given in table 10. One set of samples, coded Ella, was baked and stored chilled at 5°C. Another set of samples was prepared using au bain marie heating and chilled storage; code ElIb. For comparison, samples ClIa and ClIb were baked and heated au bain marie, respectively, and then frozen.

Table 10

For samples Ella and ClIa, the ingredients as indicated in Table 10, except the whole egg, were mixed in a bowl until the mixture was homogeneous. The whole egg was slowly added while continuing the mixing. The mixture was poured onto the base in the rings and the samples were cooked in a pre-heated oven at 130⁰C for 35 minutes. The baked samples were stored at 5°C or - 2O⁰C for Ella and ClIa, respectively, for 24 hours.

For samples ElIb and ClIb, the mixture was prepared in the same way as for Ella and ClIa but after the egg had been mixed in, the composition was transferred to a pan and heated au bain marie on a hot plate while stirring. Heating was continued until the composition reached 83°C. After 2 seconds at that temperature, the mixture was poured onto the base in the rings and stored at 5°C or at -20⁰C for samples ElIb and ClIb, respectively, for 24 hours. After the storage the products were demoulded to provide the gel parts . They were placed on a plate. A milk chocolate composition was melted and kept at 3O⁰C. A thin layer of melted chocolate was poured over the samples to provide the enrobed products. The temperature of the samples Ella and ElIb 1 cm under the surface of the gel part was about 5-7⁰C when they were enrobed. That of samples ClIa and ClIb was about -20⁰C to -17°C at enrobing. After the chocolate had set the products were packed in cartons and stored at 5⁰C. The samples were evaluated after 1 day, 5 days and 11 days of chilled storage.

The gel composition of the samples comprised 6.8 wt% protein, 22 wt% fat and 54 wt% water. The samples did not age as well as the samples from examples 1-4. In the freshly prepared products the coatings adhered well to the gel part. At day 11 however, in all products the center had shrunk and a gap had developed between the coating and the gel part. This is one reason why the use of egg based gels is not the preferred approach for our method.

Samples ClIb, which had been heated au bain marie and frozen, were the least good. The shrinking of the center during storage was serious and severe cracks developed in the coatings. From the beginning the appearance of the products was not good. Moisture developed on the inside of the coating and upon cutting, the coating easily flaked off. The center had become very soft. The product was clearly not a suitable dessert product.

Samples ClIa, which had been baked in the oven and frozen, were slightly better than the ClIb samples but still not acceptable. They also did not look good and had moisture build-up on the inside of the coating. The gel part had again become very soft.

For samples Ella and ElIb, the gel parts had not become soft. There was also less moisture build-up. These products were much better than the comparative samples. Samples Ella were better than samples ElIb. However, overall the samples were less good than those of examples 1-4. Notably the appearance of the products, also shortly after production, was less good than for the products prepared without egg yolk.

Claims

1) A method for preparing a chilled dessert product that comprises the steps of a) heating an edible composition and transferring it to a mould, and cooling the composition under quiescent conditions to form a gel in the mould, which gel comprises 40-95 wt% water, 1-11 wt% protein and 3.5-35 wt% fat, wherein the gel is not a gel dependent on gelatin, b) demoulding the gel to provide a gel part and causing the temperature of the gel part to be 0-25⁰C, c) enrobing at least 50% of the surface of the gel part with an anhydrous fat-based coating, the coating material having a temperature of 20-40⁰C, and d) storing the product at 1-10⁰C.

2) A method according to claim 1 wherein before step c, the gel part of step b is partitioned into smaller gel parts.

3) A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein in step a, the gel is a gel based on agar.

4) A method according to any one of claims 1-3 wherein the coating has a fat content of 20-50 wt%.

5) A method according to any one of claims 1-4 wherein the fat of the coating has a solid fat content at 15⁰C of at least 50%.

6) A method according to any one of claims 1-5 wherein the coating consists of chocolate. 7) A method according to any one of claims 1-6 wherein before step c, an edible base is caused to be present.

8) A method according to any one of claims 1-7 wherein the gel part is caused to include one or more discrete not -gelled food particles.

9) A method according to any one of claims 1-8 wherein at least a part of the gel part is caused to be aerated.

10) A method according to any one of claims 1-9 wherein the gel part is caused to comprise at least two portions having different compositions.

11) A method according to any one of claims 1-10 wherein a discrete edible portion is positioned in between the gel part and the coating.

12) A method according to any one of claims 1-11 wherein the gel part is caused to be wholly enclosed inside the product .