Process for Making a Baked Filled Snack Product

The present application relates to peanut butter-filled snack products and the like having softer, more lubricious fillings.

Filled snack products are known in the art. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,510 to Zimmerman, issued Oct. 6, 1970. Of particular interest are peanut butter-filled crackers. These products desirably have a crisp baked outer dough shell, and a soft, lubricious filling. The dual texture of this product provides a pleasant eating experience to the consumer.

Current methods of preparing such filled-snack products require a two-step process. In the first step, the outer shell is prepared by baking a configured dough comprising primarily flour, shortening and water. in the second step, the filling is inserted into the baked dough shell. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,647 to Chambers et al., issued June 30, 1981, which discloses a tubular center-filled food product having a rigid, friable baked outer shell and a core of edible filling material formed by this two-step process.

Rather than using this two-step process, the filling and outer dough shell could be cobaked to form the filled snack product. However, high fat content fillings such as peanut butter will melt during baking and release oil to the dough. The result is a loss in softness and lubricity of the filling. Accordingly, there is a need to provide filled snack products wherein a high fat content filling and dough can be co-baked without the filling losing its desirable softness and lubricity.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,510 to Zimmerman, issued Oct. 6, 1970, discloses a refrigerated product comprising a dough which surrounds and encloses a stable filling material. Typical fillings disclosed are peanut butter, cheese, meat, fruit and similar materials.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,534 to Brabbs, et al., issued Nov. 23, 1982, discloses cookie doughs containing flavored fat chips. The dough comprises a high level of emulsifier and fluid shortening to provide a shortening-continuous dough system in which the chips are wetted by the shortening. As a result, the fluid shortening migrates and commingles with the fat in the chips to produce a semi-fluid texture. Example 14 discloses a cookie dough formulation containing peanut butter flavored chips.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,536 to Dogliotti, issued June 24, 1980, discloses a spherical filled foot product comprising an outer pastry shell enclosing a soft filling such as cheese. The outer pastry shell comprises fat (lard, butter or margarine) and flour, preferably in a ratio of about 1:1.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,647 to Chambers et al., issued June 30, 1981, discloses a tubular center-filled food product having a rigid, friable baked outer shell and a core of edible filling material. The outer shell is formed from a batter containing mono and/or disaccharides, flour (10-20%), an edible fat or oil (5-15%), egg white and water. Edible fillings disclosed include confectionary cream, fruit paste, meat paste, cheese paste and the like which are sufficiently fluid to be pumpable when warm, but sufficiently stiff and firm upon cooling to be retained within the baked tubular shell.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,914 to Cooper et al., issued June 29, 1971, discloses a farinaceous dough expressed into a ribbon-like form which is then flaked and dehydrated by baking or frying. The chips produced are impregnated with fat for taste quality and to avoid later takeup of fat in case the chips are mixed into a food such as peanut butter.

The present invention relates to peanut butter-filled snack products and the like. This product comprises an edible, heat stable, lubricious filling having a fat content of from about 40% to about 70% by weight. The filling is surrounded by a layer of dough comprising flour, fluid shortening and water. The fluid shortening is present at a level of at least about 21% by weight of said flour.

By using the present invention, the dough and high fat filling can be co-baked to form the filled snack product. The high level of fluid shortening reduces migration of oil from the filling to the dough during baking and storage. Additionally, it is believed that a portion of the fluid shortening transfers to the filling during storage. The result is a baked snack product having a filling which is soft and lubricious.

Any heat stable, lubricious filling which is edible and which has a fat content of from about 40 to about 70% by weight can be used in filled snack products of the present invention. As used herein, the term "heat stable" refers to the physical stability of the filling during baking of the snack product. Fillings which are heat stable do not become fluid and flow like a liquid oil during baking. As used herein, the term "lubricious" refers to the textural properties of the filling and is derived from the fat present in the filling. Lubricious fillings are those which are plastic and spread easily in the mouth during mastication. Suitable fillings can be formulated by the appropriate blending of sufficient fat with other ingredients (typically sugar and flavored solids) to provide, for example, cheese fillings, confectionery creme fillings, meat flavored fillings and the like. Preferred fillings are those derived from oilseed butters.

Several types of oilseed butter materials can be used for the filling. By "oilseed butters" is meant those butters derived from oil- and protein-containing seeds such as peanuts, cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, soybeans and the like, including mixtures of such butters. The most preferred oilseed butter is that derived from peanuts. These oilseed butters typically have sufficient inherent fat to provide a fat content of from about 40 to about 70% by weight. However, additional fat can be included in the oilseed butter if needed. Preferably, the oilseed butter has a fat content of from about 50 to about 60% by weight. While the following description on the formation of such oilseed butters is with regard to peanut butter, it is to be understood that other oilseed butters can be formulated by suitable variation of the described method.

Peanut butter ordinarily comprises peanut paste, stabilizer, and optionally other ingredients such as emulsifier, sweetener, and salt. Peanut paste typically comprises from 80-99% by weight of the peanut butter and is usually obtained by conventional methods of roasting and blanching raw peanuts and then grinding them. The stabilizer is normally a hydrogenated fatty material utilized so that oil separation in the peanut paste does not occur and ordinarily comprises from 1-5% by weight of the peanut butter. Partially or completely hydrogenated natural fats such as peanut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, linseed oil, palm oil, whale oil, and other marine oils, alone or in combination, are suitable as stabilizers. A preferred stabilizer is rapeseed oil having an iodine value not greater than about 10 and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,129,102 to Sanders, issued Apr. 14, 1964. Other preferred stabilizers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,507 to Japikse, issued Aug. 9, 1966.

Peanut butter can optionally comprise from about 0.5% to 1.5% by weight emulsifiers which function to negate stickiness so that the butter does not stick to the roof of the mouth. Suitable emulsifiers include lecithin and fatty monoglycerides such as soybean monoglycerides. Many peanut butters also comprise from 1-10% by weight added sweetener such as sucrose, dextrose, fructose, honey, molasses, saccharin, and other common sweetening agents. Peanut butter can also optionally comprise from 1-1.5% by weight salt as a flavoring agent.

Some unhydrogenated or slightly hydrogenated glyceride oils can also be added to peanut butter to fine tune the consistency of it. This added oil is distinct from the peanut oil which is present in the peanut paste ingredient. If such added oil is utilized, the butter ordinarily comprises from 0.2-7% by weight of such added oil. Vegetable oil, such as peanut oil, or slightly hydrogenated soybean oil, is commonly used for this purpose.

In conventional peanut butter processing, roasted and blanched peanuts are ground to a suitable particle size to provide a peanut paste. The other peanut butter ingredients can be added before, during, or immediately after grinding to provide a homogeneous mixture. It is preferred that the processing stream be maintained in an inert atmosphere, e.g. a nitrogen atmosphere, starting just before the grinding step and continuing throughout the remainder of the process. The homogeneous mixture with its stabilizer components in a molten state is subjected to processing to properly crystallize the stabilizer. Ordinarily, the stabilizer is in a molten state when the homogeneous mixture is at a temperature greater than 100.degree. F. (38.degree. C.). Crystallization is carried out by cooling the homogeneous mixture from this temperature, for example, in a scrapped wall heat exchanger and then subjecting the mixture to agitation, for example, in a picker box. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,207 to Dzurik et al., issued Aug. 14, 1969, (herein incorporated by reference) for a preferred method of preparing peanut butter.

The outer portion of the filled snack product of the present invention is represented by the dough layer. This dough layer at least comprises flour, shortening and water. Other optional ingredients such as emulsifiers (dough conditioners), leavening agents, corn syrup solids, sweetener, salt, cheese solids and the like can also be included. Generally, both cracker and cookie type doughs can be used in the filled snack products of the present invention. For example, the shortening-continuous cookie doughs disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,534 to Brabbs, issued Nov. 23, 1982 (herein incorporated by reference) are suitable. However, preferred doughs are those which form cracker-like textures upon baking.

Any type of flour which is suitable in cracker and cookie type doughs can be used in the present invention. For example, suitable flours include wheat flour, rye flour, corn flour, cottonseed meal, and sorghum flour. Preferably, wheat flour is used in preparing the dough of the present invention. This flour can be bleached or unbleached. Because the flour constitutes a major ingredient of the dough layer, the percentages of the remaining ingredients are referred to on a flour weight basis (FWB).

In addition to flour, the dough layer most importantly comprises a fluid shortening.

As used herein, "fluid shortening" refers to those shortenings which are fluid or liquid above about 15.degree. C. Although not a requirement, fluid shortenings useful in the present invention can include those which are fluid or liquid below 15.degree. C. These shortenings are typically liquid glyceride oils which consist primarily of triglycerides. To remain fluid at temperatures below 15.degree. C., the shortening contains a minimum of glycerides having melting points higher than about 15.degree. C. so as to limit the solids increase when the shortening is cooled. It is desirable that the shortening be chemically stable and resistant to oxidation.

Suitable shortenings can be derived from naturally occurring liquid glyceride oils such as cottonseed oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, corn oil, olive oil, coconut oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, sesame seed oil, sunflower seed oil, and mixtures thereof. Also suitable are liquid oil fractions from palm oil, lard, and tallow, obtained, for example, by graining or directed interesterification, followed by separation of the oil. Oils predominating in glycerides of unsaturated acids can need some hydrogenation to maintain flavor, but care should be taken not to greatly increase the amount of glycerides melting above 15.degree. C. When oils are selected which have a larger amount of solids melting between 15.degree. and 40.degree. C. than are desirable, it can be necessary to separate out the solids. Refined and slightly hydrogenated soybean oil has proved to be especially suitable. Refined cottonseed oil is also acceptable.

The fluid shortenings of this invention can include certain di- or triglycerides in which one or two of the OH groups of the glycerine have been replaced by acetyl, propionyl, butyryl, or caproyl radicals, and one or two of the remaining OH groups of the glycerine have been replaced by acyl radicals of higher molecular weight saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having from 12 to 22 carbon atoms. For the purposes of the present invention, these glycerides containing both high and low molecular weight acid radicals are referred to as low molecular synthetic fats. The low molecular synthetic fats selected should be fluid at 15.degree. C. In order to resist oxidation and to prevent rancidity, it is preferred to select low molecular synthetic fats in which there are a minimum of carbon-to-carbon double bonds in the higher molecular weight fatty acid radicals, and preferably not more than 2 double bonds in any single acid radical. Normally liquid fatty acids of the oleic acid series, having a single carbon-to-carbon double bond, are ideal for this purpose.

Other suitable liquid shortenings can be prepared by controlling the amount of fully hydrogenated solid fats and/or high melting mono- and diglycerides employed in, or formed in, the base oil. Examples of such opaque fluid shortenings are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,286 to Andre et al., issued Dec. 3, 1957, (herein incorporated by reference). Suitable fluid shortenings can also be formulated with non-absorbable, non-digestible fatty acid esters of polyols, in particular sucrose polyesters, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,196 to Jandacek et al., issued Jan. 55, 1977 (herein incorporated by reference).

In general, fluid shortenings can readily contain up to about 10% substantially fully saturated fatty glycerides, a substantial proportion of which are in the form of beta phase crystals. If more than about 10% solids are present, the shortening may be too viscous to be fluid at temperatures as low as 15.degree. C., and thus, such shortenings may be undesirable where storage of filled snack products at low temperatures is contemplated. If the high-melting components are alpha-phase or beta-prime phase tending, other levels of these latter materials can be used while maintaining fluidity.

To provide snack products having soft and lubricious fillings upon baking and storage, the amount of fluid shortening present in the dough needs to be at least about 21% by FWB. This minimum level of fluid shortening prevents oil from migrating from the filling to the dough during baking and storage of the snack product. Additionally, it is believed that a portion of this fluid shortening transfers to the filling during storage so as to increase the softness and lubricity of the filling. Other than this minimum level requirement, the amount of fluid shortening used in the dough layer can be varied depending upon the characteristics desired. Preferably, the amount of shortening used is such that the dough layer of the filled snack product, when baked, is not excessively tender. The amount of shortening present in the dough usually ranges from about 21 to about 30% by FWB. Preferably, the amount of shortening ranges from about 25 to about 30% by FWB.

In addition to flour and shortening, the dough layer also contains a suitable amount of water. Generally, the amount of water incorporated in the dough is such that the dough forms a cookie-like, or preferably cracker-like, texture when baked. For cracker-type doughs, the amount of water present is such that the average a.sub.w value of the entire baked snack product is typically from about 0.2 to about 0.5 and preferably from about 0.30 to about 0.36. As used herein, the term "a.sub.w value" refers to the "water activity" of the system, and is an indicator of the amount of free or unbound water present in the particular matrix being measured. For cookie-type doughs, this a.sub.w value can range from about 0.4 to about 0.75. Usually, the amount of water used in the dough ranges from about 20 to about 35% by FWB.

The dough layer also desirably includes emulsifiers. These emulsifiers are frequently referred to as "dough conditioners" because they are used to control the consistency of the dough. Suitable emulsifiers include mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, sucrose partial fatty acid esters, sorbitan esters of fatty acids, polyoxyethylene sorbitan esters of fatty acids, propylene glycol esters, polyethylene glycol esters, ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides, fumarated esters of monoglycerides or their alkali metal salts, alkanoyl lactylates or their metal salts, lecithins, and the like. Preferred dough conditioners include sorbitan monostearate (Span 60), polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate (Tween 60), propylene glycol monostearate, glycerol lactopalmitate, sodium stearoyl fumarate, calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate, ethoxylated monoglycerides, and lecithin. The amount of emulsifier can be varied to obtain the dough properties desired. These emulsifiers are typically used at from about 0.25 to about 2% by FWB. However, levels of emulsifier below and above this range can be used if desired.

The dough also desirably includes a leavening agent. Non-yeast leavening agents include a source of carbon dioxide such as sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate, alone or in combination with a leavening acid such as monocalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum sulfate, sodium aluminum phosphate, potassium acid tartrate and the like. Preferably, an active dry yeast is used as part of the leavening agent. The amount of leavening agent used depends on the particular agent employed and the leavening characteristics desired.

Especially for cookie dough systems, a sweetener is typically included. Suitable sweeteners include sucrose, invert sugar syrups, brown sugar, corn syrup solids, fructose, dextrose (glucose), honey, molasses, maple syrup and the like. Particularly preferred sweeteners are sucrose and corn syrup solids. The amount of sweetener included typically depends upon the type of dough desired (cookie dough or cracker dough), as well as the sweetness desired.

Other optional ingredients which can be included in the dough are milk products such as whole milk, skim milk, buttermilk, whey, concentrated milk products (condensed or evaporated milk), dried milk products, non-fat milk powder, dry whole milk, modified whole milk and the like, egg products, including egg whites and egg yolks, spices, other flavors such as vanilla, salt, cheese solids, color additives, preservatives, anti-oxidants and the like.

The dough layer can be prepared by standard techniques in the art for making cookie or cracker-type doughs. See Matz et al., Cookie and Cracker Technology (2Ed. AVI Publishing Co., 1978), pp. 166-75, for standard techniques for preparing cracker doughs. Typically, the dry ingredients such as the flour, salt, corn syrup solids, etc. are mixed together. The shortening and emulsifiers are co-melted and then mixed with the dry ingredients. Any yeast, sweetener and water are then mixed in with the mixture of dry ingredients plus shortening-emulsifier to form the finished dough. The dough is usually permitted to rise before being sheeted to form a dough layer suitable in preparing the filled snack product of the present invention.

The filled snack product is formed by appropriate combination of the following materials: (1) heat stable filling; and (2) dough layer. Because the filling is typically plastic and maleable, it can be configured to an appropriate shape such as a cube, sphere, cylinder, cone, etc. Or, the filling can be configured later during formation of the filled snack product. Typically, the filling is configured into the appropriate shape after being surrounded by the dough layer.

The layer of dough partially surrounds, or preferably completely surrounds (encloses) the filling. The filling can be enclosed within the layer of dough by one of two methods. In the first method, a single layer of dough is used. In this method, the filling is placed on the single layer of dough. The edges of this single layer of dough are then sealed together so as to enclose the filling therein to form a raw snack product.

In the second method, two layers of dough are used. The filling is placed on the first layer of dough. A second layer of dough is then placed on top of the first layer of dough. This second layer of dough is then compressed around the filling and sealed against the first layer of dough to enclose the filling so as to form the raw snack product.

Besides the above methods, the raw snack product can also be formed by co-extrusion of the filling and the dough.

Once the filling is enclosed within the dough, the raw snack product formed can then be baked to form the finished (baked) filled snack product. Temperature conditions suitable for forming other baked goods can be used in forming the baked filled snack product. Typically, the filled snack product is baked at a temperature of from about 350.degree. to about 500.degree. F. (177.degree. to 260.degree. C.) for from about 2 to about 12 minutes. Preferably, the filled snack product is baked at a temperature of from about 450.degree. to about 500.degree. F. (232.degree. to 260.degree. C.) for from about 3 to about 4 minutes. The particular baking conditions employed depend upon the size of the filled-snack product and the amount of doneness desired. Baking can be followed by a drying step at reduced temperature to achieve the desired a.sub.w value for the baked snack product.

The following illustrate methods for preparing peanut butter-filled snack products according to the present invention:

The ingredients used in the preparation of the dough were as follows:

All dry ingredients listed from the flour to the paprika were added to a McDuffy mixing bowl which was affixed to a model C-100 Hobart Mixer. The mixer was set at the No. 1 speed and the dry ingredients were then blended for ten minutes with occasional scraping. The CRISCO.RTM. Oil, calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate and ethoxylated monoglyceride were co-melted at approximately 140.degree. F. (60.degree. C.). The warm mixture of shortening and emulsifier was then added to the McDuffy bowl and mixed with the dry ingredients at a No. 1 speed setting. The contents of the bowl were scraped after three minutes mixing; total mixing time was six minutes. The yeast, sucrose and water were combined separately and then stirred until the yeast was dispersed and the sucrose dissolved. The yeast was permitted to hydrate for five minutes. This dispersion of yeast and sucrose was then added to the McDuffy bowl and the formulation mixed for five minutes at a No. 1 speed setting to form the finished dough. The contents of the bowl were scraped down once after the first 1.5 minutes of mixing.

The finished dough was then placed in a two-quart stainless steel bowl, covered with aluminum foil and permitted to rest for ten minutes at room temperature. Approximately 100 g of this dough was then passed through a hand-operated pasta-making mill (Imperia SP150). The dough was passed three times through the roller at the No. 1 setting (thickest), two times through the roller at the No. 3 setting, one time through the roller at the No. 4 setting, and finally one time through the roller at the No. 5 setting. This yielded a dough sheet with an average thickness of 0.029 inches (0.73 mm) which was used to form the filled snack product.

In this embodiment, the dough sheet from Step 1 was cut into 2 inch.times.2 inch (5 cm.times.5 cm) squares. A filling of creamy JIF.RTM. peanut butter was placed on one half of the dough square. A bead of egg white solution (1:1 mixture of fresh egg white:distilled water) was laid around the edge of the square using a pipette. The square was folded over the coated filling, and then the edges thereof were sealed together by pressing with the tines of a fork. The result was a 2 inch.times.1 inch (5 cm.times.2.5 cm) rectangular shaped raw snack product containing a peanut butter filling. The surface of each raw snack product was punctured three times with the tines of a fork. The raw snack products were placed on a wire screen. The raw snack products were permitted to rest for 15 minutes at 58.degree. C., were brushed with an egg white solution and then salted. The raw snack product was then ready for baking.

In this embodiment, two dough sheets are used. The outline of 1 inch (2.5 cm.) diameter circles are made on the first sheet using a cutter. A creamy JIF.RTM. peanut butter filling is then placed on the center of each circle. A bead of egg white solution (as in Embodiment 1) is placed around the outer edge of each circle. The second dough sheet is then placed on top of the first sheet. There is sufficient sag of the top sheet over the lumps of filling so that a cylindrical cutter/crimper can be used to seal the second sheet to the first sheet and free each raw snack product from the remainder of the sheets. Each raw snack product, which has a shape similar to that of an oyster cracker, is punctured twice with fork tines. The raw snack products are then placed on a wire screen. After resting as in Embodiment 1, the raw snack products are then brushed with an egg white solution. These raw snack products are then salted as in Embodiment 1. The raw snack products are then ready for baking.

The raw snack products from Step 2 were (are) baked in an electric oven at 500.degree. F. (260.degree. C.) for three minutes, then immediately transferred to a convection oven and dried at 250.degree.-260.degree. F. (121.degree.-127.degree. C.) for 25 minutes. The baked snacks were (are) sprayed with CRISCO.RTM. Oil, immediately on removal from the drying oven. The average a.sub.w value of the baked snack products was (is) 0.30 to 0.36.