Shelf-Stable Multi-Textured Cookies

This invention relates to cookies having a shelf-stable plurality of textures. It also relates to processes and dough compositions for making the multi-textured cookies.

Cookies with a moisture content above about 6% by weight are usually soft but cohesive. To produce cookies which retain enough moisture to be classified as soft cookies, numerous humectants have been used. Exemplary thereof are fructose, dextrose, invert sugar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, glycerine, raisins, raisin pastes, etcetera. Without the use of such humectants, cookie doughs which contain sufficient water to compensate for volatilization during baking: (1) do not exhibit sufficient cohesiveness for forming into pieces on conventional commercial scale cookie forming equipment, (2) exhibit raw flavor or color qualities, and (3) most importantly, lose their soft texture within a week or within a few days even when properly packaged in air-tight packaging.

Liquid humectants such as high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, glycerin, sorbitol, and molasses are readily dispersed through a dough to provide a homogeneously soft texture in the cookies baked from the humectant containing dough. However, these liquid humectants increase the adherent properties or "stickiness" of cookie doughs. Sticking or adherence of the dough to rotary cutters, reciprocating cutters, cutter aprons, oven belts, and wire cutters place an upper limit on their use in producing soft cookies on a commercial scale which have extended shelf stability.

The present invention provides a cookie dough composition for producing a shelf-stable cookie baked from a dough laminate of at least two doughs wherein each dough layer of the laminate has a different humectancy, as described in greater detail below. The type and amount of humectant in each dough layer of the composition is used to control dough machineability and cookie sweetness, moistness and texture. At least one dough layer is bakeable to a firm and tender textured crumb structure and is nonadherent. The remaining one or more dough layers is bakeable to a moist, soft textured crumb structure. The use of humectants having different water holding capacities in each dough enables widening of the difference in water content between the different doughs at a given shelf-stable water activity of the cookie.

Sucrose may be used in an amount less than 75% by weight, based upon the total sugar solids content of the dough bakeable to the firm and tender texture. Other sugars, such as lactose and/or dextrose may be used in a total amount greater than 25% by weight, typically from about 30% to about 40% by weight, up to about 60% by weight of the total weight of the sugars in the dough bakeable to a firm and tender texture.

The dough bakeable to a moist soft texture should have a greater water holding capacity, preferably based upon the use of fructose, or fructose and dextrose in an amount greater than 25% based on the total sugar content of that dough. Generally the amount of non-sucrose sugars in the filling dough is at least as great as that in the casing dough, with a non-sucrose sugar in the filling dough having a greater water binding capacity than that in the casing dough. Alternatively similar non-sucrose sugars can be used in both doughs but with substantially greater amounts in the filler dough.

The dough compositions of the present invention preferably comprise dough pieces having the dough bakeable to a moist, soft texture (filler dough) enrobed completely or partially within the dough bakeable to a firm and tender texture (casing dough). The enrobing dough typically has a firm baked-crumb texture than the filler dough.

While promotion of browning is generally desirable in the production of cookies, the levels of lactose and dextrose used in embodiments of the present invention to promote a firm and tender texture should not result in coloration of the cookie which is incompatible with the type of cookie. For example, a chocolate fudge cookie may undergo more browning than a sugar or butter cookie without adversely affecting its appearance.

To provide the clean-tasting sweetness of sucrose, to control the degree of browning upon baking, and to reduce the possibility of an allergic reaction to lactose, sucrose may be used in an amount less than 75% by weight, based upon the total sugar solids content of the casing dough. Other sugars may be employed with the sucrose to enhance or control sweetness in amounts which do not adversely affect the retention of a multiple texture over extended periods of time. Generally, the higher the relative sweetness and the higher the water holding capacity, the smaller is the amount which is used. Exemplary of sugars which may be used in the casing in addition to, or in place of sucrose, are fructose, maltose, galactose, mixtures thereof, and the like. Suitable sources of fructose include invert syrup, honey, molasses, brown sugar, maple syrup, and the like. Typically, the amount of fructose may range from about 0-15%, based upon the total sugar solids content of the casing dough. The lactose and/or dextrose or other low water holding capacity sugars may be used in a total amount greater than 25% by weight, typically from about 30% to about 40% by weight, up to about 60% by weight, based upon the total sugar solids content of the casing dough.

The lactose and dextrose may be supplied in pure form or as a commercially available source of the sugar which is compatible with the desired texture, coloration, taste, and odor of the cookie. Pure forms of the sugar are preferred. Crystalline forms or aqueous solutions of the sugar may be used.

Suitable sources of lactose include milk products, such as non-fat dry milk which contains approximately 52% lactose, and whey which contains over 70% lactose. Lactose may be used in its alpha or beta form. The alpha isomer is commercially available as the monohydrate. The beta form is anhydrous. The alpha form is produced by crystallization from solution below 93.5.degree. C. Beta lactose is crystallized from solution above 93.5.degree. C. When either form is dissolved in water, mutarotation occurs until equilibrium is established between the two isomers.

Suitable commercially available sources of dextrose include the anhydrous crystalline form, the monohydrate crystalline form, and aqueous solutions of dextrose or glucose solids. Crystalline forms are preferred.

The humectant used in the inner portion of the cookies should absorb and bind or hold water so as to impart a shelf-stable softness to the inner portion of the cookies of the present invention. The binding should be such that the equilibrium rate of moisture loss from the baked product to the environment due to the presence of the humectant is slowed to such a degree that a baked product containing the humectant, and having an initial moisture content of at least about 6% by weight, exclusive of inclusions: (1) retains a soft and pliable texture in the portion baked from the filler dough, (2) retains a firm and tender texture in the portion baked from the casing dough, and (3) the retention of the multiple texture is for at least about two months, and preferably for at least about 6-12 months when the cookie is stored in a closed container.

Humectant sugars may be employed alone or in combination with other sugars in the filler cookie dough to impart a soft texture to the center of the multi-textured cookie. Suitable humectant sugars include fructose, corn syrups, invert syrups, high fructose corn syrups, honey, molasses, as well as mixtures of one or more of the foregoing humectants. For example, a suitable humectant sugar composition for use in the filler cookie dough may comprise about 0 to 85 percent sucrose, with the balance of the sugar being comprised of fructose employed in the form of crystallized sugar. Alternatively, the balance of the sugar may be provided by the sugar solids content of a corn syrup, honey or a high fructose corn syrup, or another humectant sugar.

Commercially available high fructose corn syrups are the preferred humectants. They are low in cost, are highly humectant, provide a pleasant sweet taste, and are readily commercially available. They are prepared by the enzymatic isomerization of dextrose containing corn syrups, and typically possess a sugar solids component of about 40 percent to about 100 percent by weight fructose, with the balance of the non-fructose sugar solids being primarily dextrose plus minor amounts of other monosaccharides. The sugar solids content of commercially available high fructose corn syrups typically ranges from about 70 percent to about 73 percent, up to about 82 percent by weight. High fructose corn syrups having at least about 80% by weight of their solids as fructose are most preferred because of the high water-holding capacity of fructose compared to the capacities of other sugars at microbially shelf-stable water activities (i.e. less than about 0.7). Examples of other humectant sugars include maltose, sorbose, mannose, and galactose. When sucrose is employed in the filler cookie dough, the humectant sugar should comprise at least about 15 percent, and preferably at least about 20 percent, by weight of the total sugar solids content of the filler cookie dough.

In addition to the humectant sugars, humectants, or aqueous solutions of humectants which are not sugars or possess a low degree of sweetness relative to sucrose may also be employed in the filler cookie dough. For example, the use of glycerol, sugar alcohols such as mannitol, maltitol, xylitol and sorbitol, and other polyols, as humectants is well known in the art. Additional examples of humectant polyols (i.e. polyhydric alcohols) include humectant glycols, for example propylene glycol and hydrogenated glucose syrups. Other humectants include sugar esters, dextrins, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, and other starch hydrolysis products. However, the humectant sugars are preferred because of their sweetness.

Edible humectant gels such as a humectant sucrose gel and/or a high fructose corn syrup gel can be used in the filler cookie dough for achieving a soft texture. However, such humectant gels are preferably employed in combination with one of the other humectant materials mentioned above. Preparation of the gels and of doughs containing them for producing soft edible baked products is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,799 and commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,856. U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,799 is herein incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The total sugar solids content of the casing dough bakeable to the firm and tender outer portion of the cookie of the present invention may range from about 0.25 to about 1.5 parts by weight per 1.0 part by weight of the flour component of the dough, depending upon the degree of sweetness desired in the outer portion of the cookie, and the type of cookie.

In the filler dough bakeable to a cake-like moist and soft texture, on the basis of 1.0 part by weight of the flour component of the filler dough, the humectant plus any sucrose or other sweetener employed (e.g. artificial sweeteners) in the formulation may be present in amounts ranging from about 0.25 to about 1.5 parts by weight depending on the degree of sweetness and humectant properties desired in the baked product.

The total sugar solids content (exclusive of inclusions) of each of the filler and casing doughs may be from about 0.5 to about 1.1 parts by weight of sugar per 1.0 part by weight of the flour component of the filler and casing doughs, respectively. The total sugar solids content of the filler dough may be at least 20% more than the total sugar solids content of the casing dough, based upon 1.0 part by weight of the flour component of the filler and casing dough, respectively.

The flour and shortening employed in the filler and casing cookie doughs used in the process and dough composition of the present invention are selected from conventional ingredient lines. The flour component may be any comminuted cereal grain or edible seed meal such as wheat flour, corn flour, corn starch, modified starch, rice flour, potato flour, barley flour, or the like. Wheat flour is preferred, and may be bleached or unbleached. Bleached flour tends to produce less oven spread during baking. To contribute to widening of the differential in water content of the inner and outer portions of the cookie, at the same shelf stable water activity, it is desireable to use a flour or starches having a higher water holding capacity in the filler dough.

The shortening may be any edible fat or oil or mixtures thereof suitable for baking applications, and may further include conventional food-grade emulsifiers. The shortening may be present in each dough in amounts ranging from about 20 percent to about 80% by weight based upon the weight of flour in the dough.

Each of the doughs may contain up to about 5 percent by weight of a leavening system, based upon the weight of the flour in each dough. The leavening system employed in each dough may be the same or different.

To promote a tender, non-cohesive cake-like soft textured crumb structure, it is desirable to include one or more emulsifiers and/or pregelatinized starch in the filler cookie dough. These ingredients serve to bind water and to increase the difference in water content between the inner and outer portions at the same shelf-stable water activity of the cookie. Suitable amounts are up to about 3% by weight of one or more emulsifiers and up to about 12% by weight of one or more pregelatinized starches, each percent being based upon the weight of the flour. Exemplary of pregelatinized starches are pregelatinized corn, wheat, and waxy maize starch. Typical emulsifiers which can be used include sorbitan monostearate, mono- and/or di-glycerides, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, such as polysorbates (e.g., polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate), and sodium stearoyl-2-lactate. The initial moisture content of the casing dough and of the filler dough are each adjusted to provide the desired consistency to the dough to enable proper mixing, working and shaping of each dough and of the coextrudate. The total moisture content of the filler and casing doughs will include any water included as a separately added ingredient, as well as the moisture provided by flour (which usually contains about 12% to about 14% by weight moisture), the moisture provided by the optional humectant gel, and the moisture content of other dough additives included in the formulation, such as high fructose corn syrup, invert syrups, or other liquid humectants. Taking into account all sources of moisture in the dough, including separately added water, the total initial moisture content of the casing dough is generally less than about 15% by weight of the dough formulation, exclusive of particulate inclusions such as nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, and the like. At moisture contents above about 15% by weight, the dough compositions may tend to stick excessively to processing equipment such as conveyors, dough cutters, and the like.

The initial moisture content of the filler cookie dough is generally at least about 15% by weight more than the initial moisture content of the casing cookie dough. The higher moisture content of the filler dough facilitates attainment of a higher water content in the inner portion of the cookie than in the outer portion, at the same shelf-stable water activity.

In addition to the foregoing, the filler and casing cookie doughs used in the process and dough composition of the invention may include other additives conventionally employed in cookies. Such additives may include, for example, milk by-products, egg or egg by-products, cocoa, vanilla, cereal (oatmeal) as well as inclusions such as nuts, raisins, coconut, flavored chips such as chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and caramel chips, and the like.

The filler and casing cookie doughs can each be prepared in a conventional manner using a creaming stage and a dough-forming stage. The humectant is conveniently mixed in during the creaming stage of the casing dough preparation. The humectant and at least part of any sucrose which is used are conveniently mixed with the fat or shortening in the creaming stage before the flour and any remaining sucrose are added. The humectants which are in liquid form, such as molasses or high fructose corn syrup, are suitably added with water prior to addition of the flour.

If flavor chips are to be added to either or both cookie doughs, they are preferably added as the last ingredient to the dough with minimal mixing so as to avoid smearing of the flavor chips into the dough. Before being combined with the casing dough, the filler dough is preferably cooled to about 60.degree. to about 65.degree. F. (about 15.6.degree. to about 18.3.degree. C.) using carbon dioxide snow to facilitate its transfer through a coextruder or other dough forming device.

The two cookie doughs may be combined by coextrusion through concentric dies to obtain a coextrudate rope with the filler cookie dough inside and the casing cookie dough outside. The coextrudate rope is cut into pieces using a reciprocating cutter or other cutter which severs the rope and stretches the casing dough to close the end portions of the rope so as to obtain an enrobed dough piece which is bakeable to the cookie of the present invention. Apparatus for forming a composite dough piece in which a center formed of the filler cookie dough is surrounded by or is enrobed by an outer layer formed of the casing cookie dough is described in detail in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 540,982 entitled "High Production Method and Apparatus for Forming Filled Edible Products", and in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 540,983 entitled "Apparatus Having Shims Underlying Portions of a Die, both filed in the name of William Simelunas on Oct. 11, 1983 now U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,528,900 and 4,534,726, respectively. These, patents are herein incorporated by reference.

The composite dough pieces suitably have a weight ratio of the filler dough to the casing dough within the range from about 0.80 to 1.2, approximately equal amounts of each dough being preferred.

The time and temperature of baking are adjusted in accordance with conventional techniques to provide a moisture content in the baked cookie of 6 percent or more, based upon the weight of the cookie, inclusive of inclusions such as flavor chips. A typical multitextured chocolate chip cookie produced in accordance with the present invention has a moisture content (Brabender 145.degree. C., 12 minutes) of from about 7% to about 8.5% by weight, based upon the total weight of the cookie, which includes chocolate chips throughout the cookie. Moisture contents are determined by first grinding the cookies and then using conventional moisture analysis techniques on the ground sample. Exemplary of such techniques are Brabender (set at 145.degree. C., for 12 minutes) analysis or vacuum oven (set at 70.degree. C. for 24 hours) analysis, with appropriate correlation.

The water activity of the baked cookie should be less than about 0.7, preferably less than or equal to about 0.65, to assure microbial shelf stability. While baking times and temperatures will vary for different dough formulations, oven types, etc., in general commercial cookie baking times may range from about 5 minutes to about 15 minutes and baking temperatures for cookies may range from about 250.degree. F. (121.degree. C.) to about 500.degree. F. (260.degree. C.).

The cookie dough compositions of the present invention may be used for the production of drop-type cookies, such as chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, chocolate fudge cookies, peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies, butter cookies, and the like.

The present invention is further illustrated in the following examples where all parts, ratios, and percentages are by weight and all temperatures are in .degree.F., unless otherwise stated.

A dual-textured chocolate chip cookie is prepared by coextruding an inner or filler cookie dough bakeable to a moist, cake-like soft texture with an outer or casing cookie dough bakeable to a firm and tender texture through a concentric die into a coextrudate rope. The rope is severed with a reciprocating cutter having hemispherically shaped dough forming sections into enrobed dough pieces. The weight of the inner ball of dough is about equal to the weight of the outer dough.

The ingredients and their relative amounts used to prepare the casing dough bakeable to a firm texture and having a calculated sugar solids content of about 15% lactose, 15% dextrose, 0.4% fructose, and the balance essentially sucrose, based upon the total sugar solids content of the casing dough were:

The sugars were all used in their commercially-available forms. The sucrose was fine granulated #1 sugar consisting of essentially 100% sucrose. The dextrose contained 92% solids, essentially 100% of was dextrose. The lactose contained 98% solids, essentially 100% of which was lactose. The spray dried egg used contained 97% solids, of which 29% was sugar, essentially all sucrose. The molasses contained about 80% solids, of which about 30% was sucrose and about 32% was invert sugar (about 50% dextrose and 50% fructose).

This casing dough was prepared using an upright mixer running at low speed. One-third of the sucrose, together with the shortening, spray, oil, dextrose, lactose, salt, dried eggs, and flavoring was placed in the mixing bowl and mixed for 3 minutes to obtain a smooth consistency. The molasses, coloring and water were then added and the mixing continued for 1 minute. The flour, sodium bicarbonate and sodium acid pyrophosphate were added and the mixing continued for a further 2 minutes. The remaining sucrose was then added and the mixing continued for a further 2 minutes. Finally, the chocolate chips were added at 60 .degree. F. (15.6.degree. C.) and the mixing was continued for a further 1 minute to prepare the finished casing dough.

The ingredients and their relative amounts used to prepare the filler dough bakeable to a soft texture were:

The filler dough was prepared using the same upright mixer and low mixing speed as used in preparing the casing dough. The sucrose, vegetable shortening, starch, dried milk, dried eggs, salt, flavoring and 15% by weight of the flour were placed in the mixing bowl and mixed for 3 minutes. The ammonium bicarbonate was then dissolved in part of the water and added to the mixing bowl, together with the coloring and the remaining water. The mixing was continued for 2 minutes. The high fructose corn syrup was then added, the mixture cooled with carbon dioxide snow, and then the mixing was continued for a further 1 minute. The remaining flour, the sodium bicarbonate, and sodium acid pyrophosphate, were added and the mixing continued for a further 3 minutes. The chocolate drops were added, and the mixing continued for a further 1 minute to produce the finished filler dough with a temperature of about 60.degree. F. to 62.degree. F.

The enrobed cookie preform, or composite dough, prepared from the casing dough and filler dough was baked to an end point moisture content of about 7.3% by weight, based upon the weight of the cookie, and cooled at room temperature. The moisture content was determined by grinding a sample of about 12 ounces of cookies into a homogeneous mixture and measuring the moisture content of the mixture on a Brabender moisture analyzer set at 145.degree. C. for 12 minutes. The cookies had a pH of about 7.5. The cookies were stored in a closed container at room temperature until the moisture in the cookies equilibrated between the firm and soft regions of the cookie. The outer dough portion had a firm and tender textured crumb structure and the inner dough portion possessed a cake-like soft and plastic crumb matrix having a distinctly leavened appearance.

A dual textured chocolate chip cookie can be prepared as in Example 1 except: (1) the dried eggs can be eliminated in the casing and (2) the relative amounts of the following casing ingredients can be altered to:

On a calculated basis the casing dough would have about 10% lactose, 17% dextrose, 0.4% fructose, and the balance essentially sucrose, based upon the total sugar solids content of the casing dough.

A dual textured chocolate chip cookie was prepared as in Example 1 except the relative amounts of the following casing ingredients were altered to:

On a calculated basis, the casing dough has about 20% lactose, 20% dextrose, 0.4% fructose, and the balance essentially sucrose, based upon the total sugar solids content of the casing dough.

The composite dough was baked to an end point moisture content of 7.5% (Brabender set at 145.degree. C. for 12 minutes) and the pH of the cookies was about 7.5.

A dual textured chocolate chip cookie was prepared as in Example 1 except: (1) the molasses and dextrose monohydrate were eliminated in the casing, (2) the relative amount of lactose in the casing was altered to 21.2 parts instead of 10.69 parts by weight, and (3) the dough pieces were baked to an end point moisture content of 7% (Brabender set at 145.degree. C. for 12 minutes).

On a calculated basis, the casing dough has about 30% lactose and about 70% sucrose, based upon the total sugar solids content of the casing dough.

Dual textured chocolate chip cookies can be produced as in Examples 1 through 4 except in the filler dough: (1) the high fructose corn syrup can be replaced by 88.5 parts by weight of a high fructose corn syrup having about 77% solids, of which about 90% is fructose, 7% is dextrose and 3% is other sugars, and the water can be increased to 15 parts by weight.

Dual textured chocolate chip cookies can be produced as in Example 1 except: (1) the 49 parts by weight of sucrose and the 10.69 parts by weight lactose can be replaced by 60 parts by weight lactose.

On a calculated basis, the casing dough would have about 16.1% dextrose, 82.2% lactose, 0.4% fructose and the balance essentially sucrose, based upon the total sugar solids content of the casing dough.