Method of reducing voids in dough

Abstract

Methods of making dough pieces that can be baked to form baked bread articles having a reduced number of voids in the crumb are provided.

1 . A method of making a dough piece that can be baked to provide a baked bread article having a reduced total number of voids, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a sheet of a developed dough composition having a first surface and a second surface, the developed dough composition comprising: 
 (i) a flour component comprising white or refined flour,  
 (ii) a liquid component,  
 (iii) a leavening agent, and  
 (iv) a void-reducing amount of a light-colored fiber or bran;  
   (b) providing a dough cutting apparatus having a movable cutter with a dough-engaging portion that extends sufficiently to sever the dough sheet,    (c) severing the dough sheet with the dough-engaging portion to form a dough piece; and    (d) causing the moveable cutter to release the dough piece.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dough-engaging portion of the movable cutter has a dough shaping surface to shape and sever the dough sheet; and wherein the method further includes the step of causing the dough shaping surface of the dough-engaging portion to contact the first surface of the dough sheet and thereby drawing the first surface toward the second surface and substantially pinching the first and second surfaces together.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of baking the dough piece to form a baked bread article.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the dough-engaging portion of the movable cutter is blunt.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flour component consists essentially of white or refined flour.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber or bran is selected from the group consisting of oat fiber, oat bran, durum bran, cellulose-based fibers, grain-based fibers, whole grain durum flour, vegetable fiber, fruit fiber, sugar beet fiber, bamboo fiber, polydextrose, or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber or bran is present in the dough composition in an amount ranging from about 0.5% to about 25% by weight.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber or bran is oat fiber.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oat fiber is present in the dough composition in an amount ranging from about 1% to about 5% by weight.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber or bran is durum bran.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the durum bran is present in the dough composition in an amount ranging from about 0.5% to about 6% by weight.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the durum bran is provided in the form of whole grain durum flour.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the whole grain durum flour is present in the dough composition in an amount ranging from about 1% to about 15% by weight.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dough composition comprises: 
 about 35% to about 75% weight white or refined flour;    about 15% to about 50% weight water;    about 0.25% to about 10% weight yeast; and    about 1% to about 5% weight of oat fiber.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dough composition comprises: 
 about 35% to about 75% weight white or refined flour;    about 15% to about 50% weight water;    about 0.25% to about 10% weight yeast; and    about 0.5% to about 6% weight durum bran.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dough composition comprises: 
 about 35% to about 75% weight white or refined flour;    about 15% to about 50% weight water;    about 0.25% to about 10% weight yeast; and    about 1% to about 15% weight whole grain durum flour.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the total number of voids in the baked bread article is reduced by about 20% or greater as compared to a total number of voids in a baked bread article prepared from a dough composition formulated without the void-reducing amount of light colored fiber or bran.  
   
   
       18 . A dough piece made by the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       19 . A baked bread article made by the method of  claim 3 .  
   
   
       20 . A method of making a baked bread article comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a sheet of a developed dough composition having a first surface and a second surface, the developed dough composition comprising: 
 (i) a flour component comprising white or refined flour,  
 (ii) a liquid component,  
 (iii) a leavening agent, and  
 (iv) a void-reducing amount of a light-colored fiber or bran;  
   (b) providing a dough cutting apparatus having a movable cutter with a dough-engaging portion that extends sufficiently to sever the dough sheet,    (c) severing the dough sheet with the dough-engaging portion to form a dough piece;    (d) causing the moveable cutter to release the dough piece; and    (e) baking the dough piece to form a baked bread article;    wherein the baked bread article has a total number of voids that is reduced by about 20%. or greater as compared to a total number of voids in a baked bread article prepared from a dough composition formulated without the void-reducing amount of light colored fiber or bran.