Confections produced from flavor powders obtained from powdered roasted syrup of dahlia tubers. These dahlia flavored powders can be used to replace cocoa powder. When milled with a confectioner fat, the dahlia flavored powders produce a confection similar to chocolate. The powders can also be blended with protein, milk solids, fiber, carbohydrates such as starches, bland flours and sugars to produce flavor mixes which may be used as a direct replacement for cocoa powder and which can be ground with cocoa butter or a confection fat to produce chocolate-like confections. Foods incorporating these confections such as beverages, baked goods, desserts, icings, coatings, candies, syrups or ice cream are similar to analogous products made with natural cocoa or chocolate.
Compositions having a creamy structure and containing a fructane or fructanes mixed with a liquid such as water, milk, egg white, egg yolk or sugar syrup; and the use of said compositions in foodstuffs such as ice cream, salad dressings, chocolate preparations, meat products, breads and pastries, fillings, sandwich spreads, jam, dairy products, sauces, etc. The foods containing these compositions are also described.
A low or no fat confection is prepared containing 80% soluble solids wherein at least 70% of the solids are carbohydrates. The mixture containing carbohydrate, a cationic reactive and thermosensitive hydrocolloid and an edible cation containing material is cooked or its solids concentration adjusted to 80% solids while hot. The molten mixture is then cooled to form a solid confection having a water activity being 0.30 to 0.65 Aw and a pH from 3.0 to 8.5.
A method for controlling and/or modifying the morphology of inulin is provided. Using this method, inulin can be produced having, as desired, a predominately needle-like morphology or a predominately obloid-type morphology. The controlled morphology inulin of the present invention (i.e., needles, obloids, or combinations thereof) can be used in low-fat and/or fat-free viscous food products where the inulin acts as a fat mimetic. By controlling the morphology of inulin used in such food products, better control of organoleptic and physical properties of the food product can be obtained.
Methods for preparing low-fat and/or fat-free viscous dressings, especially low-fat and/or fat-free mayonnaise products, containing inulin as a fat mimetic are provided. These low-fat and/or fat free viscous dressings generally have excellent organoleptic properties and shelf-stability. The low-fat and/or fat-free viscous dressings are prepared from aqueous xanthan solutions, non-creamy and non-gelled inulin solutions or slurries, and aqueous cooked starch solutions. The aqueous xanthan solution (and sometimes the inulin solution) is exposed to high shear to form a non-gelled premix. The non-gelled premix is then mixed with either (1) the aqueous cooked starch solution (if the inulin is contained in the premix) or (2) the aqueous cooked starch solution and the aqueous non-gelled inulin solution or slurry (if the inulin is not contained in the premix). The mixing with the premix is generally under low shear conditions. The so-produced viscous dressing reaches the desired texture in 3 to 12 days.
