WO2007063265A1

WO2007063265A1 - Improved apparatus and method for the production of confectionery

Info

Publication number: WO2007063265A1
Application number: PCT/GB2006/001205
Authority: WO
Inventors: Klaus Rofer
Original assignee: Kinnerton (Confectionery) Company Limited
Priority date: 2005-12-01
Filing date: 2006-04-03
Publication date: 2007-06-07
Also published as: GB0524490D0

Abstract

A method of producing a confectionery product is described. The confectionery product has an edible portion comprising a central element formed of a first flowable confectionery material (82), such as mallow, the central element being enrobed with a shell of a solid chocolate material (81). The product includes a stick (32) which enables the user to hold the product. The stick (32) lies partially within the first confectionery material (82) and is retained in position by the solid chocolate material (81). The position of the stick (32) is further strengthened through the solid chocolate shell extending within the first confectionery material (82) and coating a portion of the stick (32). The portion of the stick (32) within the confectionery product includes one or more holes (91) through and into which the chocolate shell flows, thereby gripping the stick more firmly. A method of producing a confectionery product is also described

Description

IMPROVED APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF

CONFECTIONERY

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the production of confectionery. In particular, the apparatus and method are used in the manufacture of chocolate-coated confectionery.

Background to the Invention

The confectionery industry is one of the biggest world wide. Within the industry, the need to innovate to produce new products is important allowing the development of new markets and the more ready establishment of new brands.

One particular segment of the industry with which the present invention is concerned is that of chocolate coated products. In this sense, the products under consideration have a relatively thin chocolate shell enrobing a soft centre of mallow or material of a similar consistency and fluidity. Such products are well known, being the basis of many individual items supplied in boxes of chocolates. Products such as those going under the trade name of Walnut Whip or Creme Egg are also of this type. The products under consideration in this description are to be distinguished from products, such as ice-cream which require storage in a freezer in order to maintain their integrity.

A particular method of manufacturing such items is to pour an amount of chocolate into a mould of an appropriate shape. The mould is then spun to coat the inside surface of the mould and produce a shell of approximately even thickness. The chocolate and the mould are cooled to solidify the chocolate shell. The soft filling is introduced into the inside of the shell through an opening left therein, and the hole closed off with further chocolate to produce the final product.

One drawback with such chocolate products is that the consumer has to hold the item whilst he is eating it with the result that some of the chocolate remains on his fingers. A solution to this problem which can be carried out with frozen products is to have the confectionery retained on a stick which the consumer can hold to keep their hands clean. The sticks can also be used for chocolate products which are solid throughout. In these cases, respectively, the frozen centre or the solid chocolate holds the stick firmly in position within the confectionery. Such a solution is not however readily available to non-frozen products having a soft centre as the soft centre does not provide a sufficiently strong support for the stick which, as a result, is free to move.

It is therefore of advantage to produce a confectionery product which addresses the above problem. It is of further advantage to provide a method of production of such a product.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a confectionery product having an edible portion comprising a central element formed of a first flowable confectionery material, the central element being enrobed with a shell of a solid confectionery material,

the product including a stick enabling a consumer to hold the product, the stick lying partially within the first confectionery material and retained in position by the solid confectionery material. The product can therefore be used by the consumer without their fingers coming into contact with the confectionery materials.

Preferably, the portion of the stick within the first confectionery material is at least partially coated with further solid confectionery material, the further solid confectionery material extending from and continuos with the shell. A further material provides additional mechanical support for the stick.

The stick optionally includes one or more holes. The holes enable further solid material to pass through the stick and provide increased support.

The stick preferably passes towards the centre of the product. As the stick is not lying adjacent to the side wall of the product it does not exert a force, thereby weakening, the said side wall.

According to the second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of forming a confectionery product, the method comprising;

taking a first mould element, said first mould element comprising a primary hollow of shape suitable for the shape of the product;

and also comprising a stick/retaining cavity to retain the stick so that at least a portion of the stick projects into the primary cavity,

inserting a stick in to stick retaining cavity;

placing a second mould element comprising a second hollow on to the first mould element, the first and second mould element co-operating to retain a mould cavity;

the method comprising the further steps of raising the temperature of the mould elements and the stick to a temperature above the flow temperature of a shell forming material, introducing flowable shell forming material into the mould cavity; providing agitation to cover the inside of the cavity and the stick with shell forming material;

inverting the mould elements to enable shell forming material to accumulate around the stick and again inverting the mould elements and the stick and cooling to solidify the shell forming material to form a shell, removing the second mould element;

introducing filler material into the hollow shell material in the first mould element;

applying a coat across the open surface of the filler material to seal the product;

cooling the product to solidify the shell forming material, and removing the product from the first mould element.

Optionally, the stick includes one or more holes to enable shell material to penetrate and so better retain the stick within the product.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example only, one embodiment of a mould. In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a lower mould element for use in producing a lollipop- type product.

Figure 2 is a section along A-J in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a section across B-B of Figure 1 showing the lid separate from the lower mould; Figure 4 is a section along C-C of Figure 1 showing the lid and lower mould in engaged position;

Figure 5 is a plan view of an upper mould element;

Figure 6 is a section along A-D through the mould of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a section along E-E through the mould of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a section through a produced lollipop; and

Figure 9A-9E are, respectively, a perspective, top, side, first end and second end view of a stick.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2, these show a lower portion of a mould for use in the production of confectionery in the shape of a conventional lollipop and including a stick for a user to hold whilst consuming the confectionery. In the description below, the apparatus and method of production are described with reference to a chocolate-coated confectionery product having a relatively soft centre. It will be understood however, that other coating materials can be used without departing from the general scope of the invention.

The lower mould tray 10 is formed of a material which can be formed into a mould of the shape to be imparted to the product. The material also normally has an element of flexibility to facilitate removal of the finished product from the mould. The mould can therefore be made from a polycarbonate material, well known in the industry. As can be seen, each mould tray 10 carries a plurality of hollows 11 having a lollipop-shaped profile. The profiles indicate that each hollow includes a deeper well portion 12, into which the chocolate and filling can be added. A shelf 13 extends away from one end of the well portion 12. The shelf 13 is of complementary shape to that of the lollipop stick 32 (Figure 3) which is to be present in the final product. During manufacture of the product therefore, the stick 32 is placed on the shelf 13 so that a part of the stick 32 extends into the hollow 11.

Once the stick has been located on the shelf 13, the upper tray 30 of the mould is secured in position on the lower tray 10. The upper tray 30 is of approximately the same shape as the lower tray 10 and has apertures 35 of a shape corresponding to the hollows 11 in the lower tray 10. When the two trays 10,30 engage each other therefore, the walls defined by the hollows 11 and the upper tray 30 are extended, increasing the size of the product. The upper surface 34 of the upper tray 30 eventually defines the level of the surface of the product.

In order to retain the two trays 10, 30 together, each tray includes magnets 31 which are attracted to a corresponding magnet in the other tray and provide a sufficient force to ensure that the trays do not move relative to one another. The force is required firstly to ensure that liquid chocolate does not leak out of the gap between the upper and lower tray moulds. Secondly the force is required to ensure that the stick 32 does not move during the production process. To assist this the upper tray 30 includes a number of ribs 33 which engage along the length of the stick 32. Thirdly, the force ensures there is a good seal between the trays

10, 30 and the stick 32.

The sticks used in the product, are shown in more detail in Figures 9A-9E and can be formed of wood or a suitable plastics material. Each stick 90 normally includes one or more holes 91 along its length. In use, the holes 91 allow chocolate to bridge through the stick 90 from one side to another whilst the chocolate is still liquid. When the chocolate subsequently solidifies, the chocolate remaining around a portion of the stick 90 within the body of the lollipop helps to retain the stick in position. The holes 91 also help retention of chocolate around the stick 90 whilst the chocolate is still fluid. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that chocolate is retained by surface tension between chocolate and the stick and that surface tension then causes an amount of chocolate to build up around the base of the stick linked to the base of the lollipop. Once the chocolate has solidified, this chocolate again assists in retaining the stick in position.

In use, a stick 32 is placed onto each shelf 13 of the mould tray 10. The upper tray 30 is then located over the lower tray 10. The two trays 10, 30 are brought together in sealing engagement through the action of the magnets 31. The upper tray 30 includes stick-retaining ribs 33A, 33B which fit within the recess defining the shelf 13. The surface of the shelf 13 and the ribs 33 co-operate effectively to clamp the stick 32 in position, with a portion of the stick 32 projecting into the hollow area 11 of the tray 10.

Mould trays 10, 30 then pass onto a first region of a lollipop-making apparatus in which the hollow 11 is filled with liquid chocolate to a level covering the stick. The precise amount of chocolate required for the subsequent steps will have been determined from experimentation already carried out. The mould trays are shaken to ensure that the walls of the hollow 11 are covered in a film of the chocolate.

The mould is inverted allowing excess chocolate to run out of the moulds. Due to the inversion of the mould and the holes within the stick, an amount of chocolate is retained at the bottom of the stick in a cone shaped configuration 80 as shown in Figure 8. The mould is then reinverted and cooling applied sufficient that the chocolate solidifies, typically into a chocolate shell of thickness 2-3mm.

The chocolate shell 81 formed thereby is filled with a particular filling material 82 up to the level of the top of the moulds. If necessary, further cooling is applied to assist solidification of the filling material 82. Further chocolate is then deposited on the open surface of the filling material 82. To assist settling and removal of unwanted air the mould is vibrated and excess chocolate scraped off, sealing the lollipop with a chocolate layer 83. Once a final cooling step has been applied to solidify the layer 83, the upper mould 30 is removed and the product taken from the lower mould tray. The product is forwarded for packaging, leaving the mould trays 10, 30 ready for reuse.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible with the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CIaims

1. A method of forming a confectionery product, the method comprising;

taking a first mould element (10), said first mould element (10) including a primary cavity (11) to receive confectionery materials (81,82),

and also comprising a stick-retaining cavity (13) to retain the stick (90) so that at least a portion of the stick (90) projects into the primary cavity (11);

inserting a stick (90) in to the stick-retaining cavity (13);

placing a second mould element (30) comprising an aperture of shape corresponding to that of the primary cavity (11) onto the first mould element, the first and second mould elements co-operating to define a mould cavity;

the method comprising the further steps of introducing flowable shell- forming material (81) into the mould cavity;

providing agitation to cover the inside of the cavity and the stick with shell-forming material (81);

orientating the mould elements to enable shell-forming material (81) to accumulate around the stick, and removing excess shell-forming materials;

reducing the temperature to solidify the shell forming material to form a shell,

introducing filler material (82) into the solidified hollow shell material in the mould elements;

applying a layer of shell-forming material across the open surface of the filler material to seal the product;

cooling the product to solidify the shell-forming material, and removing the product from the mould elements.

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein one or more holes (91) provided in the stick (90) to enable shell-forming material to penetrate and so better retain the stick within the product.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the temperature of the mould elements and the stick is adjusted to a temperature slightly below the flow temperature of the shell-forming material, prior to addition of said material.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the mould elements and the stick are inverted to enable shell-forming material to accumulate around the stick and excess shell-forming material to be removed.

5. A method according to Claim 4, wherein the mould elements and the stick are subsequently re-inverted.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second mould elements are held together by magnets (31).

7. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the filler is mallow or the like.

8. A confectionery product having an edible portion comprising a central element formed of a first flowable confectionery material (82), the central element being enrobed with a shell of a solid confectionery material (81),

the product including a stick (90) suitable for enabling a consumer to hold the product, the stick (90) lying partially within the first confectionery material and retained in position by the solid confectionery material.

9. A confectionery product according to Claim 8, wherein the first flowable confectionery material is mallow, or the like.

10. A confectionery product according to Claim 8 or Claim 9 wherein the portion of the stick within the first confectionery material is at least partially coated with further solid confectionery material, the further solid confectionery material extending from and continuous with the shell.

11. A confectionery product according to any of Claims 8 to 10, wherein the stick includes one or more holes (91).

12. A confectionery product according to Claim 11 wherein the solid confectionery material extends into the or each hole in the stick.

13. A confectionery product according to any of any of Claims to 12, wherein the stick is orientated towards the centre of the product.

14. A confectionery product substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.