Heat resistant chocolate

Abstract

The present invention provides a heat resistant fat based confection. The heat resistance of the confection may be conferred either via inclusion of a polyol and at least one other thermal structuring component in the fat based confection, or via preparation of a premix comprising the polyol and at least one other component of the confection, or a combination of these. Methods of making the fat based confection, and packaged fat based confections, are also provided.

1 . A method of making a heat resistant chocolate that comprises fat components comprising cocoa butter, wherein the method comprises:
 (a) combining a polyol and dextrose monohydrate, wherein the polyol is not encapsulated or gelled;   (b) preparing a fat based component by mixing the fat components with remaining components of the chocolate other than the polyol and the dextrose monohydrate;   (c) conching the fat based component to provide a fat based chocolate composition; and   (d) mixing the polyol and dextrose monohydrate combination with the fat based chocolate composition to produce the heat resistant chocolate, wherein the chocolate comprises between 0.5 wt % and 1.25 wt % dextrose monohydrate and between 0.5 wt % and 1.25 wt % polyol.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polyol comprises glycerin. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polyol is added during tempering. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reducing the particle size of the polyol and dextrose monohydrate combination. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reducing the particle size of the heat resistant chocolate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising molding the heat resistant chocolate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising solidifying the molded heat resistant chocolate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the heat resistant chocolate to coat a core. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising coating the core with the heat resistant chocolate by spraying, panning, enrobing, or a combination of these. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the core comprises a grain, a nut, ground nut, nut meat, a cookie, a biscuit, caramel, nougat, a dry aerated mass, or combinations of these. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the core comprises a dry aerated mass. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising solidifying the heat resistant chocolate on the coated core. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dextrose monohydrate was ground to comprise a particle size of from about 10 microns to about 25 microns. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat resistant chocolate has increased heat resistance as compared to a corresponding fat based chocolate composition prepared with a polyol but without dextrose monohydrate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein addition of the polyol and/or the dextrose monohydrate does not alter the viscosity of the fat based chocolate composition, or does not alter the viscosity of the fat based chocolate composition to such a degree that it becomes unworkable. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising mixing the polyol and dextrose monohydrate combination with the fat based chocolate composition prior to tempering. 
     
     
         17 . A method of making a heat resistant chocolate comprising cocoa liquor and cocoa butter, wherein the method comprises
 (a) combining glycerin and dextrose monohydrate, wherein the glycerin is not encapsulated or gelled;   (b) preparing a fat based component comprising fat components and remaining components of the heat resistant chocolate other than the glycerin and dextrose monohydrate, wherein the fat components comprise the cocoa butter and the remaining components comprise the cocoa liquor;   (c) mixing and conching the fat based component to provide a conched fat based component; and   (d) mixing the glycerin and dextrose monohydrate with the conched fat based component to produce the heat-resistant chocolate, wherein the chocolate comprises between 0.5 wt % and 1.25 wt % dextrose monohydrate and between 0.5 wt % and 1.25 wt % glycerin.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein addition of the glycerin and/or the dextrose monohydrate does not alter the viscosity of the conched fat based component, or does not alter the viscosity of the conched fat based component to such a degree that it becomes unworkable. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising mixing the glycerin and dextrose monohydrate with the fat based chocolate composition prior to tempering.