Baked cookies having dual texture

Abstract

A merchandiser and method for displaying and warming previously baked dough products, such as cookies, under controlled drying conditions, including an enclosure having one or more wall members that define an interior space, with at least a portion of one of the wall members being transparent, an aperture for access into the interior space, at least one support surface for supporting one or more previously baked dough products that contain a predetermined average moisture level therein, and at least one mounting structure associated with the enclosure for mounting and positioning each support surface at a user accessible location in the interior space of the enclosure, and a heat source for providing heated air in the enclosure wherein the support surface contacts at least a portion of the previously baked products so that those portions are shielded from direct contact with the heated air such that the drying of moisture in the baked products is controlled to maintain the organoleptic and/or texture properties of the products at essentially the same level as those of freshly baked products for a period of at least about 2 hours.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A baked cookie having a dual texture and an average moisture level of about 6.5 to 10 weight percent water moisture after baking, which cookie maintains its dual texture and average moisture level for at least about 2 to 8 hours after baking and during warming for display to a plurality of consumers.  
     
     
         2 . The cookie of  claim 1 , wherein the dual texture comprises a central portion and an outer portion arranged about the central portion.  
     
     
         3 . The cookie of  claim 2 , wherein the outer portion has a lower moisture content than the central portion.  
     
     
         4 . The cookie of  claim 3 , wherein the central portion has a moisture gradient of at least about 8 percent water content and the outer portion ahs a moisture gradient of below about 7 percent water content.  
     
     
         5 . The cookie of  claim 3 , wherein the moisture gradient is at least about 7.5 percent water content in the central portion and below about 4 percent water content in the outer portion at least about 6 hours after baking.  
     
     
         6 . The cookie of  claim 2 , wherein the central portion represents the innermost 33 to 66% of the area or volume of the baked cookie while the outer portion represents the outermost 17 to 33% of the area or volume of the baked cookie.  
     
     
         7 . The cookie of  claim 2 , wherein the central portion has a width of at least about ¾ inch at the center of the cookie and the outer portion is a band having a width of at least about ¼ inch adjacent the edge of the cookie and disposed about the central portion.  
     
     
         8 . The cookie of  claim 2 , wherein the central portion is a width of about ¾ inch to 1¼ inch and the outer portion is a band having a diameter of about ¼ to ¾ inch.  
     
     
         9 . The cookie of  claim 1 , in the form of a substantially round cookie of about 3 to 5 inches in diameter.