GB2321213A - Decorated confectionary bar - Google Patents

Abstract

Confectionery including a form of decorated chocolate bar is described having a raised pattern preferably containing a word such as a name, greeting or logo, the pattern being composed of a non-chocolate material of different colour from the base chocolate and having a (normally vegetable) fat content from 36 to 42 wt.%. There is also described a process for making the chocolate bar involving syringing molten non-chocolate material into grooves 12 in a mould surface so as not to fill the grooves completely and, after solidification, flood filling with molten chocolate. The mould may be made by cutting into an acrylic sheet using a computer programme to form a positive and then vacuum forming negative moulds from the positive.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN CONFECTIONERY The present invention relates to confectionery, more particularly to bars and similar items such as moulded sweets composed mainly of chocolate, and especially to mouldings of such material containing a raised pattern.

It is known to produce confectionery items such as cakes and chocolate sweets with raised patterns which may be decorative and may be of a different colour from the chocolate base surface. The decorative pattern may be produced on a large scale by a moulding process or on an individual scale by syringe application of a paste. Various proposals have also been made for the mass production of chocolate bars having a raised pattern e.g. of letters in the form of a name. The following references describe such processes where the raised pattern is produced in white chocolate: GB-A-2137551, and 2140737, EP-A-48184, 273609, and 299943, and US patents 4382968, and 4421773.

The mass production of moulded chocolate items is in general only suited for very large consumer groups which restricts the type of pattern decoration to those of a general nature, e.g. describing the product, or possibly the logo of the manufacturer or a large purchasing company. The present invention is on the other hand directed to a process which may be used economically on a small scale to provide individualised patterns, e.g. given names, personal names and smaller company names and logos.

As evidenced by the above prior art, the production of a raised pattern of white chocolate on a dark base has a number of difficulties notably of adhesion of the layers, cracking of the decorative layer, mingling of the layers, and especially removal of excess decorative material, which have been addressed in different ways. For success all decorative material has to be cleaned from the mould surface to which the dark material is to be applied. A number of different proposals have been made to this end, illustrating its difficulty. Also the melting points and contents of the two chocolate compositions have to be carefully matched and the time of application of the second layer, in terms of the crystal structure of the first layer, needs very careful control involving carefully applied external cooling, in turn requiring capital expense and time consumption and giving rise to associated problems in the production line. Furthermore, as is well' known in the art, both types of chocolate require tempering, i.e. passing the molten chocolate through a cycle of temperature change to modify the crystal structure. Tempering requires expensive machinery and is another source of time consumption.

I have discovered that by using a decorative coating material, e.g. white in colour although an edible dye can be included, of non-chocolate material, a number of the above difficulties associated with the use of two different chocolate materials, can be avoided. There is no need for tempering. Also a material with a relatively short cooling period can be selected. Since the taste of the confection results almost entirely from the chocolate, there is no loss of acceptability. However the employment of this material in a moulding process -which is necessary for reproducibility- gives rise to certain problems of adhesion and finish quality.

have found that these problems may be effectively avoided by ensuring that the decorative material contains a controlled fat content, namely from 36 to 42 wt.% and most preferably 39.1 wt.% or at least within 5% of this preferred value. At values below 36 wt.% the material is too viscous or will not melt cleanly at a suitable temperature. If there is too high a fat content setting takes too long.

Also at levels outside the critical range adhesion is generally unsatisfactory and poor products result.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a moulded item of confectionery comprising a base layer of chocolate having a generally level upper surface and a raised layer at least the upper surface of which is of a different colour from the base layer, the raised layer being in the form of a pattern moulded and adherent to the upper surface of the base layer, and composed of a nonchocolate, sugar and fat-containing confectionery material having a fat content of not less than 36 wt.% and not greater than 42 wt.%.

The non-chocolate material preferably has a melting point from 40 to 450C. It may be composed essentially of sugar, vegetable fat, milk solids, emulsifier, lecithin and optionally one or more edible dyes and flavouring materials.

According to a preferred feature of this invention the junction between the chocolate base material and the non-chocolate material is raised above the level of the base upper surface at least in an interior region of the pattern layer. This characteristic results from the moulding process which is preferably employed and which forms a second aspect of the invention. In its own right it ensures that the two layers are joined over an extended area thus improving adhesion.

Preferably the raised pattern layer has a thickness from 1 to 3 mm, e.g. 2 mm.

The base layer at least in interior regions may have a thickness from 2 to 4 mm.

Although thicker bars can be produced a thin generally planar chocolate bar has a shorter cooling period and is suited to short runs of individualised products.

While almost any pattern can be produced, the invention is more particularly useful where the pattern includes alpha-numerics, especially a name, logo or greeting.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a process for making an item of confectionery as defined above comprising the steps of: i. applying a non-chocolate, molten, sugar and fat-containing confectionery material having a fat content of not less than 36 wt.% and not greater than 42 wt.% into a groove or grooves on an otherwise generally level mould surface, the groove or grooves defining a negative of a desired pattern, the material being dispensed from a nozzle so that it does not completely fill the groove or grooves to the level surface, ii. allowing the non-chocolate material to cool sufficiently to solidify, iii. applying molten, tempered chocolate over the non-chocolate material to substantially fill the mould iv. optionally vibrating the mould, v. reducing the temperature of the moulded product to contract it sufficiently to permit removal from the mould.

Preferably the cooling at step ii is carried out without the imposition of external cooling such as a refrigerated cool room. The final cooling is preferably carried out in a cool room to a temperature below ambient. A vibrating table is normally used as in conventional processing, to remove occluded air, but is not essential to the process.

The cooling at step ii is preferably carried out for from 1 to 2 minutes, normally as the product travels on the production line. The preferred decorative material normally cools sufficiently in one minute, but 1.5 minutes is normally allowed.

The final cooling at step iv is preferably carried out for from 1 to 2 minutes. This will normally take place in a cool room at e.g. 10 to 15"C. Twenty minutes is normally sufficient.

The process following introduction of the decorative material to the mould, i.e.

steps ii to v preferably takes no longer than 5 minutes and can normally be carried out within three minutes, so that the whole process need take no longer than 5 minutes..

According to an important preferred feature, a plurality of moulds of plastics material having the same pattern are moulded or formed utilising a single positive mould former, the former having been cut from sheet material under the control of a computer programme.

The former is preferably of a relatively easily cut or ground sheet material, which may be e.g. a soft metal or composite but is preferably a synthetic resin material, e.g. an acrylic resin. Where the run is so small that only a single mould (or very few) are needed, a negative image of the final raised pattern may be cut in the form of a groove or grooves into a surface of the sheet under the control of the computer programme. However even for runs of 1,000 units a considerable number of moulds are normally required, and it is economic to use 200 to 500 moulds in a single run. Therefore it is preferred to utilise the computer programme to cut a single positive mould former from e.g. a sheet of acrylic resin and use the former to mould the final negative moulds from plastics material. The negative moulds may be produced by injection moulding but it is cheaper and simpler to use a vacuum forming technique.

The cutting process may be carried out using a suitably adapted machine of known kind used e.g. for the cutting of letters and numerals into car number plates and will therefore not be described in detail. However the use of this technique is very important to the success of the inventive process. It permits sharp moulds to be constructed cheaply in a minimum time, so permitting short yet economic production runs and a quick change-over to a fresh run with a completely different raised decorative pattern.

Thus according to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a process for making an item of confectionery comprising a base layer of chocolate having a generally level upper surface and a raised layer at least the upper surface of which is of a different colour from the base layer, comprising the steps of: (a) cutting a positive mould former comprising a pattern of ridges including a name, greeting or logo into a sheet material under the control of a computer programme, (b) forming a plurality of plastics mould negatives from the positive mould former, the ridges of the former defining grooves in the mould negatives with the pattern in mirror image, (c) dispensing a molten, non-chocolate, sugar and fat-containing confectionery material having a fat content of not less than 36 wt.% and not greater than 42 wt.% into the said grooves, so that the molten material does not completely fill the grooves, (d) allowing the non-chocolate material to cool sufficiently to solidify, (e) applying molten, tempered chocolate over the non-chocolate material to substantially fill the mould, the said chocolate being of different colour from the non-chocolate material, (f) optionally vibrating the mould, (g) reducing the temperature of the moulded product to contract it sufficiently to permit its removal from the mould.

A preferred form of product and process is hereafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows (not to scale) a decorated chocolate bar in accordance with the invention in cross-section viewed along the line I - I shown in Figure 2 below, Figure 2 is a plan view of the bar of Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows a mould in partial cross-section illustrating the application of molten decorative material.

Figures 1 and 2 show a chocolate bar 1 having a base layer 2 of dark coloured milk chocolate having a generally level upper surface 3. The level surface 3 is surrounded by a raised rim portion 4. The name "IAN" is exhibited in a white colour as a raised or embossed pattern layer formed by ridges 5 of non-chocolate material.

As shown in Figure 1, the junction 6 between the chocolate base material and the non-chocolate material is raised above the level of the base upper surface 3 at least in interior regions of the ridges 5 constituting the pattern layer. Where the sides of the ridges 5 meet the level chocolate surface 3 the two materials converge to meet at or near the level chocolate surface 3, but the white material never extends over the surface 3. Thus the ridges 5 appear white over substantially their whole thickness, which may be e.g. 2 mm and the name "IAN" appears clearly and sharply defined.

The bar 1 is moulded as illustrated in Figure 3.

A positive mould former (not shown) is first prepared from a sheet of acrylic resin of the type e.g. as conventionally used in making motor car number plates and readily obtainable for this purpose. Also readily obtainable are machines for cutting into the acrylic sheet to form grooves or ridges according to a predetermined programme set by a form of computer. The computer programme can be adapted to produce any desired pattern. Where the desired bar is relatively thin, e.g. having an overall thickness of about 5 to 8 mm it is preferred to cut the whole former including the areas designated for the mould side walls from a single sheet e.g. of 10 mm acrylic. Alternatively, and more especially for thicker products, a planar portion for forming the bottom section or floor 11 of the final mould can be formed in this way and connected e.g. by clamping to a wall forming section. A number of moulds, e.g. 250, are then vacuum formed from the former from e.g. 250 ,um PVC. Material of this thickness forms sharp contours.

Although the moulds are somewhat flexible they perform well when supported in position. The mould thickness may vary e.g. from 200 to 500 ym.

In the present example the final mould as shown at 10 in Figure 3 comprises a reentrant volume bounded by the side wall interior surfaces 11b of raised margins 11a for moulding the base of the chocolate bar. In the present example the depth of the re-entrant volume to the surface 13 is 2.5 mm. In the present example grooves 12 constituting a negative image of the name "IAN" are formed in downwardly pressed formations 11 to a further depth of 2.5 mm. At the same time a boundary groove 14 is formed to continue the wall surfaces 11b to provide the rim portion 4 of the bar. In the example shown this is the same depth as the grooves 12, but this is not essential.

White non-chocolate material is sold commercially to the chocolate industry under the trade name "White Coating" and is composed mainly of sugar, vegetable fat, and milk solids with some emulsifier, lecithin and flavouring material. Material of different colour can be made by adding a suitable edible dye. The material normally sold has insufficient vegetable fat for the present process and further vegetable fat is added to a nominal content of 39.1 wt.%.

A syringe 15 is used to draw a quantity of white material from a reservoir (not shown) of the molten material maintained at about 430C, or more generally from 40 to 45"C. The syringe is used to fill the grooves 12 by hand to a level shown at 16, below the level of the upper floor surface 13. Although requiring a certain skill, this operation can be performed within a matter of seconds, well within the time available as set by the succeeding operations. An insulated or hot jacket syringe may be used, but this is not normally necessary.

The moulds are then passed along a conveyor under ambient temperature and over a cooling period of e.g. 1.5 minutes to one or more (e.g. four) filling stations so that it by the time a mould reaches its designated filling station the white material has solidified. At the filling station the mould is flood filled to the level of the top of the mould with molten tempered chocolate at a temperature of e.g. 46" C or more generally from 45" to 50"C. The chocolate is a proprietary dark milk chocolate mix as supplied to the chocolate industry. The melting and tempering is carried out on a proprietary machine or "kettle" and is a well known operation in the industry. The tempering process takes about 25 minutes.

The mould is then passed along the conveyor to a cool room where the bar is cooled at from 100 to 150C for about 20 to 25 minutes. At this point the bar has solidified and contracted sufficiently to allow it to be knocked out of the mould.

It will be apparent that various modifications are possible. The pattern may be of any desired colour through the use of edible dyes, and the base chocolate may also be of colour other than brown. For example a red non-chocolate message or pattern may be produced on a white chocolate base if desired.

Claims (25)

1. A moulded item of confectionery comprising a base layer of chocolate having a generally level upper surface and a raised layer at least the upper surface of which is of a different colour from the base layer, the raised layer being in the form of a pattern moulded and adherent to the upper surface of the base layer, and composed of a non-chocolate, sugar and fat-containing confectionery material having a fat content of not less than 36 wt.% and not greater than 42 wt.%.

2. A confectionery item according to claim 1 wherein the non-chocolate material has a melting point from 400 to 450C.

3. A confectionery item according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the nonchocolate material is composed essentially of sugar, vegetable fat, milk solids, emulsifier, lecithin and (optionally) flavouring and/or edible dye.

4. A confectionery item according to any preceding claim wherein the nonchocolate material has a fat content of 39.1 wt.% + 5%.

5. A confectionery item according to any preceding claim wherein the chocolate is milk chocolate.

6. A confectionery item according to any preceding claim wherein the junction between the chocolate base material and the non-chocolate material is raised above the level of the base upper surface at least in an interior region of the pattern layer.

7. A confectionery item according to any preceding claim wherein the raised pattern layer has a thickness from 1 to 3 mm.

8. A confectionery item according to any preceding claim wherein the base layer at least in interior regions has a thickness from 2 to 4 mm.

9. A confectionery item according to any preceding claim in the form of a generally planar chocolate bar.

10. A confectionery item according to any preceding claim wherein the pattern includes alpha-numerics.

11. A confectionery item according to any preceding claim wherein the pattern includes a name, logo or greeting.

12. A process for making an item of confectionery as claimed in claim 1 comprising the steps of: i. applying a non-chocolate, molten, sugar and fat-containing confectionery material having a fat content of not less than 36 wt.% and not greater than 42 wt.% into a groove or grooves on an otherwise generally level mould surface, the groove or grooves defining a negative of a desired pattern, the material being dispensed from a nozzle so that it does not completely fill the groove or grooves to the level surface, ii allowing the non-chocolate material to cool sufficiently to solidify, iii. applying molten, tempered chocolate over the non-chocolate material to substantially fill the mould, iv. optionally vibrating the mould, v. reducing the temperature of the moulded product to contract it sufficiently to permit removal from the mould.

13. A process according to claim 12 wherein the said pattern comprises a name, greeting or logo.

14. A process according to claim 12 wherein the cooling at step ii is continued for from 1 to 2 minutes without the imposition of refrigeration or other external cooling.

15. A process according to claim 12 wherein steps ii to v take no longer than 5 minutes.

16. A process according to claim 12 wherein a plurality of moulds of plastics material having the same pattern are moulded or formed utilising a single positive mould former, the former having been cut from sheet material under the control of a computer programme.

17. A process according to claim 16 wherein the sheet material is of synthetic resin.

18. A process according to claim 16 or 17 wherein the moulds are vacuum formed of mouldable plastics to a thickness from 200 to 500 lim.

19. A process according to claim 17 wherein the thickness of the moulds is 250 pm + 5%.

20. A process for making an item of confectionery comprising a base layer of chocolate having a generally level upper surface and a raised layer at least the upper surface of which is of a different colour from the base layer, comprising the steps of: (a) cutting a positive mould former comprising a pattern of ridges including a name, greeting or logo into a sheet material under the control of a computer programme, (b) forming a plurality of plastics mould negatives from the positive mould former, the ridges of the former defining grooves in the mould negatives with the pattern in mirror image, (c) dispensing a molten, non-chocolate, sugar and fat-containing confectionery material having a fat content of not less than 36 wt.% and not greater than 42 wt.% into the said grooves, so that the molten material does not completely fill the grooves, (d) allowing the non-chocolate material to cool sufficiently to solidify, (e) applying molten, tempered chocolate over the non-chocolate material to substantially fill the mould, the said chocolate being of different colour from the non-chocolate material, (f) optionally vibrating the mould, (g) reducing the temperature of the moulded product to contract it sufficiently to permit its removal from the mould.

21. A process according to claim 20 wherein the cut sheet material is a synthetic resin material.

22. A process according to claim 21 wherein the plastics material of the cut sheet comprises an acrylic resin.

23. A process according to any of claims 20 to 22 wherein the mould are vacuum formed of mouldable plastics material to a thickness from 200 to 500 lim.

24. A process according to any of claim 20 to 23 wherein the said mouldable plastics material comprises PVC.

25. A process according to any of claims 20 to 24 wherein the thickness of the moulds is 250 Fm + 5%.