Method of making a conically shaped tortilla shell

• US 4,915,964 A
• Filed: 01/05/1989
• Issued: 04/10/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leo P. Smietana
• Original Assignee: Leo P. Smietana
• Inventors: Smietana, Leo P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, Arthur L.
• Application Number:
  US07/293,889
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 426/439, 426/391, 426/94, 426/138, 426/502, 426/505, 426/514, 426/549, 426/560, 426/93, 426/282, 426/307, 425/319, 425/394, 425/412, 99/426, 99/428, 99/439
• US Class Current: 426/282
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 13/42 Tortillas
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 7/13 Snacks or the like obtained by oil frying of a formed cereal dough
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/20 Making of laminated, multi-layered, stuffed or hollow foodstuffs, e.g. by wrapping in preformed edible dough sheets or in edible food containers

Abstract

A method of making a tortilla cone with a closed apex, and including a kit to help facilitate the operation so that a large number of tortilla cones may be formed and cooked at one time. The kit and method of using it includes a set of cone forming molds each consisting of a pliable metallic conical body having an overlapping convex surface about which a tortilla patty having a tear shape may be positioned and wrapped in cone from so as to close the come form at its apex. The method of using the kit includes using a first mold as a female receptacle and using a second mold as both a female and male receptacle to wrap a tortilla patty to the mold and secure the same between the two molds.

Claims

1. A method of making a crisp conically shaped tortilla shell, which comprises:

using a pliable corn or wheat flour tortilla patty having a rounded tip end portion;

placing said pliable tortilla patty on a substantially flat surface;

using at least two conically shaped molds each having an apex portion;

positioning one of said molds on its side on the surface of said tortilla;

aligning the rounded tip end portion of said tortilla patty adjacent to the apex portion of said one of said molds;

moving relative to one another the mold and said aligned rounded tip end portion of said tortilla patty to wrap the tip end portion about the apex;

moving a peripheral surface near the tip end portion of said patty only into engagement flat against the apex portion of the mold;

holding the peripheral surface firmly against the apex portion;

rolling the patty and the mold along the substantially flat surface until the patty peripheral surface commences to be moved under the mold and against the top surface of the patty adjacent to its rounded tip end;

continuing to roll said mold and said patty to cause the patty tip end portion to tuck inwardly to form a closed apex tucked in portion thereby forming a conically shaped tortilla shell having a closed apex portion;

inserting said tortilla wrapped mold into the open interior of the other one of said molds until said molds are secured nestled securing the tortilla patty between the interior surface of one mold and the exterior surface of the other mold;

placing the nestled molds in a vessel of cooking oil;

cooking the tortilla patty until it become a crisp cone-shaped shell having a closed apex portion;

removing said molds and said cooked tortilla patty from said vessel; and

then

separating said cooked tortilla patty from said molds.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the conically shaped hollow mold is laid with its apex end oriented toward and spaced apart from the tip end portion of the tortilla patty.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the spaced apart distance varies in the range of 1.012 to 1.238 inches.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the spaced apart distance is 1.125 inches.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the intersecting point of the overlapping edge of said mold is positioned at an angle relative to said substantially flat surface, wherein said angle varies in the range of 60 degrees to 85 degrees.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the angle of the intersecting point of the overlapping edges of said mold is 72.5 degrees.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inserting a slice of cheese in the interior of said conically shaped tortilla shell; and

melting said cheese to coat the interior surface of said cone.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of using a clip to releasably secure said molds together.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the tortilla patty is cooked approximately two minutes.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the cooking oil is at a temperature that varies in the range of 330 degrees to 405 degrees Fahrenheit.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the temperature is 375 degrees Fahrenheit.