Process for molding frozen ice confectionery compositions into articles

• US 6,534,106 B2
• Filed: 05/12/1999
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Delande, Bruno, Cathenaut, Philip Igor
• Primary Examiner(s): Hendricks, Keith
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECKER, DREW E
• Application Number:
  US09/310,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20020018833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 426/512, 426/515, 426/524, 426/565, 426/317, 426/389, 426/519, 62/69, 62/70, 623/44, 623/56
• US Class Current: 426/317
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/281 at the discharge end of freezing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/283 for filling containers with material
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/288 for finishing or filling ice-cream cones or other edible containers; Manipulating methods therefor

Abstract

Molded ice confectionery articles are prepared by delivering a hard ice confectionery composition to a metering device chamber under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, keeping the composition in the device chamber under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure and metering the composition from the composition from the device chamber under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure into a mold member positioned in an environment for freezing the composition metered into the mold member for obtaining a molded frozen article. So operating allows the composition delivered to the device chamber to have a percentage of frozen water to total water of at least 50%.

Claims

1. A process for preparing a molded ice confectionery article comprising:

preparing a frozen ice confectionery composition in a solidifying environment;

continuously feeding the frozen ice confectionery composition at a temperature of −

6°

C. to −

7°

C. from the solidifying environment into a hopper;

conveying a compressed gas into the hopper to maintain the frozen ice confectionery in the hopper at greater than atmospheric pressure;

delivering the pressurized frozen ice confectionery composition from the hopper into a metering device to measure a predetermined volume of the frozen ice confectionery composition;

filling a mold with the predetermined volume of the frozen confectionery composition and maintaining the composition in a frozen condition in the mold; and

maintaining the frozen ice confectionery composition under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure from the hopper through to filling the mold, wherein the frozen ice confectionery composition contains a plurality of inclusions comprising at least one of dried fruit pieces, candied fruit, chocolate pieces, fondant pieces, caramel pieces, or biscuit pieces.

2. A process for preparing a molded ice confectionery article comprising:

preparing a frozen ice confectionery composition in a solidifying environment;

continuously feeding the frozen ice confectionery composition at a temperature of −

6°

C. to −

7°

C. from the solidifying environment into a hopper;

conveying a compressed gas into the hopper to maintain the frozen ice confectionery in the hopper at greater than atmospheric pressure;

delivering the pressurized frozen ice confectionery composition from the hopper into a metering device to measure a predetermined volume of the frozen ice confectionery composition;

filling a mold with the predetermined volume of the frozen ice confectionery composition and maintaining the composition in a frozen condition in the mold; and

maintaining the frozen ice confectionery composition under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure while filling the mold.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the pressurized frozen ice confectionery composition delivered to the metering device comprises at least 50% frozen water.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the frozen ice confectionery composition comprises 50% to 70% frozen water.

6. The process of claim 2 or 5, wherein the frozen ice confectionery composition is under a pressure of 1.5 bar to less than 2 bar.

7. The process of claim 2 or 5, wherein the frozen ice confectionery composition is force-fed via pressure from the hopper to the metering device.

8. The process of claim 7, which further comprises force-feeding the frozen ice confectionery composition by a mixer within the hopper.

9. The process of claim 2 or 5, wherein the compressed gas comprises air.

10. The process of claim 2 or 5, wherein the frozen ice confectionery composition contains a plurality of inclusions comprising at least one of dried fruit pieces, candied fruit, chocolate pieces, fondant pieces, caramel pieces, or biscuit pieces.

11. The process of claim 2 or 5, wherein the solidifying environment comprises a freezer.

12. The process of claim 2 or 5, wherein the filling comprises spraying the composition into the mold with a nozzle.

13. The process of claim 2 or 5, wherein the hopper is sealed.

5. A process for preparing a molded ice confectionery article comprising:

preparing a frozen ice confectionery composition in a solidifying environment;

continuously feeding the frozen ice confectionery composition from the solidifying environment into a hopper, wherein the frozen ice confectionery composition comprises at least 50% by weight frozen water;

conveying a compressed gas into the hopper to maintain the frozen ice confectionery in the hopper at greater than atmospheric pressure;

delivering the pressurized frozen ice confectionery composition from the hopper into a metering device to measure a predetermined volume of the frozen ice confectionery composition;

filling a mold with the predetermined volume of the frozen ice confectionery composition and maintaining the composition in a frozen condition in the mold; and

maintaining the frozen ice confectionery composition under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure through filling the mold.

14. The process of claim 5, wherein the frozen ice confectionery is ice cream.