CRACKER TASTING BREAD-LIKE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

BISCOTTE AU GOUT DE PAIN ET METHODE DE FABRICATION

English Abstract

A cracker having a bread-like taste is formed
from a dough for crackers which incorporates an aqueous
suspension of a mixture of flour and yeast and a fermented
mixture comprising flour and yeast.

French Abstract

Craquelin à saveur de pain formé à partir d'une pâte à craquelins contenant une suspension aqueuse d'un mélange de farine et de levure, ainsi qu'un mélange fermenté constitué de farine et de levure.

Claims

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WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A method of making crackers having a bread-like taste, characterized
in that it comprises the subsequent steps of:
incorporating to a dough for crackers a fermented mixture comprising
flour and yeast,
further incorporating an aqueous whey-like suspension of a mixture of
flour and yeast,
allowing the final dough to ferment for a short time period at ambient
temperature under an atmosphere at a high relative humidity,
conventionally making cracker preforms from said final dough,
subjecting said cracker preforms to a heat treatment of quick baking
to promote controlled swelling thereof, and
baking to completion in a microwave oven.
2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said fermentationstep is carried out under an atmosphere at a relative humidity of at least 80%.
3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said fermentation
step is continued for a three-hour time.
4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said fermented
mixture comprises 85% by dry weight flour and 10.7% by dry weight yeast.
5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that said fermented
mixture further comprises a proteolytic enzyme and 3.2% by weight malt extract.
6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that said aqueous
suspension comprises 76% by dry weight flour and 22% by dry weight yeast.
7. A cracker having a bread-like taste obtained by the method according
to claim 1.
8. A cracker according to claim 7, characterized in that it is provided with
crosswise-extending cuts effective to promote swelling of same during the bakingstep.
9. A cracker having a bread-like taste obtained by the method according
to claim 5 or 6.

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10. A method of making crackers having a bread-like taste comprising the
steps of:
preparing a cracker dough;
mixing a mixture comprised of 85% by dry weight flour and 10.7%
by dry weight yeast, forming a suspension, fermenting for about 30 minutes
at 23° - 26°C. under an atmosphere of 80 - 85% relative humidity, and
adding said mixture to said dough for crackers to provide an intermediate
dough;
mixing a whey-like suspension comprising flour, yeast, salt and water
with said intermediate dough to provide a final dough said whey-like
suspension is comprised of an aqueous suspension of a mixture comprising
flour in a by-weight proportion of 76%, yeast in a by-weight proportion of
22% and salt in a by-weight proportion of 2%;
allowing the final dough to ferment for a short time period at ambient
temperature under an atmosphere at high relative humidity;
making cracker preforms from said final dough;
subjecting said cracker preforms to a heat treatment of quick baking
to promote controlled swelling thereof; and
baking to completion in a microwave oven.
11. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said whey-like suspension
is prepared by maintaining said whey-like suspension under agitation for 24 hours at
15°C.
12. A method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising providing the
cracker preforms with three cross-wise extending cuts and carrying out the baking for
5 - 6 minutes to provide controlled swelling of the preforms.

Description

CA 020~2361 1998-01-07
A CRACKER TASTING BREAD-L~;
AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME
Description
S This invention relates to a cracker tasting bread-like.
The invention also relates to a method of making such a cracker type.
It is a well-known fact that crackers are typical bakery con~um~hles,
mainly made and packaged today by industrial methods.
Also known is that crackers are specifically valued on account of their
low moisture content, which makes them crisp and crumbly, as well as adapted forlong-term preservation.
While such features are much appreciated, conventional crackers are
not for all because found usually lacking in fragrance; actually, despite they providing
an alternative choice to bread, crackers are never so well accepted as real bread.
It is the object of this invention to provide a cracker type which has
such organoleptic characteristics as to be regarded a product with the typical taste and
flavor of bread, which also resembles bread visually while retaining the appearance
of a cracker.
This object is achieved by a cracker characterized in that it is formed
from a dough for cracker making, which includes an aqueous suspension of a mixture
of flour and yeast and a fermented mixture made up of flour and yeast.
In a preferred embodiment, this cracker is formed with crosswise cuts
effective to promote swelling thereof while being baked.
The invention also concerns a method of making crackers tasting bread-
like, characteri~d in that it comprises the steps of
incorporating to a dough for crackers making an aqueous suspension
of a mixture of flour and yeast and a fermented mixture comprising flour and yeast,
allowing said dough to ferment for a short time period at ambient
temperature (23 - 26~C) under an atmosphere at a high relative humidity,
conventionally obtaining cracker preforms from said dough,
subjecting said cracker preforms to a heat tre~tm~nt of quick baking
to promote controlled swelling thereof, and
baking to completion by means of microwaves.

CA 020~2361 1998-01-07
The features and advantages of a cracker according to the invention
will become apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment
thereof, given by way of illustration and not of limitation with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
s
In the Drawin~s
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cracker produced in accordance
with the invention; and
Figure 2 is a further perspective view of a cracker produced in
10 accordance with this invention.
With reference to the drawing figures, generally shown at 1 is a
cracker produced in accordance with this invention.
This cracker 1 is formed from a dough for cracker making which
incorporates an aqueous suspension of a mixture of flour and yeast.
Specifically, a mixture is prepared which comprises flour and yeast
with salt added.
The mixture's basic ingredient is composed of flour in the proportion
of 76% by weight, the yeast being present in the by-weight proportion of 22%.
These ingredients are admixed a salt proportion amounting to no more than 2% by
20 weight, using a mixer of conventional design.
Said mixture can be stored in sacks of a selected weight, e.g. 50 kg.
Approximately 24 hours before use, an aqueous suspension is prepared
of said mixture.
Into a two-speed mixer, not shown because conventional, there are put
25 a predetermined amount of water at a temperature of 15~C and a corresponding
amount of the aforesaid ~ ure comprising flour, yeast and salt. To this aim, themixer is equipped with a process vessel having a jacket through which cooling water
at 4~C is circulated.
The mixer is first operated at its high speed setting for about 30
30 minutes, and then at its low speed setting until the mixture is fully suspended.

CA 020~2361 1998-01-07
At this stage, a substantially whey-like suspension is yielded which is
used, in accordance with the invention, as ingredient in a dough for crackers making,
in a proportion to be specified.
In addition, according to the invention, the said dough for crackers
5 making is incorporated a fermented mixture comprising flour and yeast.
Specifically, the basic ingredient for this additional mixture is
composed of flour, in the proportion of 85% by dry weight, with the yeast being
present in the proportion of 10.7% by dry weight.
These ingredients are mixed at a high speed, for about 4 mimltes, in
10 a mixer of a type known in the trade as TONELLI~. The addition of a 3.2% by-
weight proportion of malt extract and an amount of a proteolithic enzyme, proteasis,
is also contemplated.
The reslllting suspension is allowed to ferment inside a fermentation
cell for about 30 minlltes, at 23 - 26~C, under an atmosphere at 80 - 85% relative
15 humidity.
At this stage, the yield is a ferrn~nte~ mixture which is used according
to the invention as ingredient of the said dough for crackers making, in a proportion
to be specified.
A first step of the inventive method consists of incorporating to a
20 dough for crackers making, known per se, the aforesaid mixture comprising flour and
yeast as its basic ingredients.
The dough ingredients are mixed in a mixer for about 6 minutes with
7% by weight of water, 1.2% of salt and 0.6% of malt extract.
Thereafter, this starting dough is additivated with the whey-like
25 suspension, as previously described, and the other ingredients, listed herein below
along with their percentages by weight:
Flour 61 .2%
Margarine 8 . 6 %
Lard 0. 6 %
Whey-like suspension 9.2%
* trade-mark

CA 020~2361 1998-01-07
plus minor amounts of sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar, and
maize starch.
The mixing step is carried out in a vertical mixer, and contimlPd for
just 4 - 6 minntes
SThe subsequent step of the method involves ferm~nt~tion of the dough
in a standby vat for about 3 hours.
The dough is allowed to ferment at ambient temperature (23 - 26~C)
under an atmosphere at fairly high relative humidity, in the order of 80 - 85%.
Portions of the dough, having a predetermined weight, are supplied in
10succession to a crackers processing line which is quite conventional in design except
for its inlet portion, which comprises a two-high vertical rolling stand.
Downstairs from said line, a sheet of dough is delivered from which
cracker preforms are prepared using a dual, molding and cutting die.
The cracker preforms are provided with three crosswise-ext~nl1ing cuts
152, effective to promote controlled swelling of same during the next baking step.
A further step of the method according to the invention consists of
subjecting the cracker preforms to a heat tre~tm.o.nt of quick baking to promote the
above-mentioned swelling.
The baking time is of only 5 - 6 minutes, enough to impart the cracker
20with the crowned shape shown in the drawing.
This baking step with heat tre~tm~nt, m~int~ined for a comparatively
short time, only provides the cracker with a pale color.
The method provides for baking to completion, in order to adjust the
moisture content in the product. Advantageously, in order to retain the aforesaid
25characteristic color, this additional baking step is carried out for a few seconds under
an RF (microwave) unit.
At the end of this, the last process step, the crackers are ready for
packaging.
The method of this invention yields a product which has the typical
30taste of bread. In addition, the crackers obtained thereby resemble bread visually as

CA 02052361 1998-01-07
well, since they show a cavity 3 in cross-section, as against the flattish shape that
typifies crackers made with conventional methods.

Representative Drawing