FOOD MOULD

The present invention relates to moulds for specifically shaped foods and, more particularly but not exclusively to moulds for the production of ^w Kb≤ιkeeb" or Kibby pie-like food preparations popular in Lebanese and other middle-eastern cuisines. BACKGROUND

The terms Kbakeeb or Kibby as used in this Patent specification mean a food comprising a filling, usually meat based, encased in an outer coating usually comprising minced meat and boiled crushed wheat; the food being suitable for frying in oil much as a battered or crumbed food article may be cooked .in western cuisine.

Typically such Lebanese Cuisine has been prepared by hand with each item being prepared individually. Traditionally the outer coating substantially comprising minced meat and boiled crushed wheat is formed into a ball and then a finger is poked into the ball and the resulting hole expanded into a void. The desired filling (usually comprising mincemeat, spices, parsley, onion, pine nuts and the liJce is then inserted into the void by hand and then the outer coating reformed by hand so as to completely cover the filling so inserted. The resulting food item is then formed into the desired shape usually circular or egg-

shaped and then either frozen for later cooking or cooked immediately in a pan with oil. It will be appreciated that this process is time-consuming especially when cooking for a family or larger number of people and this time-consuming nature of the process means that younger persons who may prefer fast-food preparation are not consuming such traditional foods.

It is an object of the present invention to address or ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

Notes

1. The term "comprising" (and grammatical variations thereof) is used in this specification in the inclusive sense of "having" ¹ or "including", and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of",

2, The above discussion of the prior art in the Background of the invention, is not an admission that any information discussed therein is σitable prior art or part of the common general knowledge of persons skilled in the art in any country.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

In a broad form of the invention there is provided a food mould comprising an upper and lower die, each incorporating a multiplicity of separate shaped concave

depressions/ the depressions in one die adapted to lie in register with depressions in the other die when said upper die and said lower die are brought together face to face into a closed position; an intermediate die member configured so as to have a multiplicity of convex protrusions conforming in shape to the shape of the concave depressions in the upper and lower dies but of slightly smaller dimension than said concave depressions and adapted, when placed in register with either the ^• upper or lower dies and pressed thereinto to urge any malleable food material in the concave depressions into a thin shell-like coating evenly disposed about the surface of each concave depression.

Preferably said upper and lower die are hingedly connected along one edge thereof so as to be closeable on each other in register thereby to define a multiplicity of food enclosures between corresponding concave depressions in respective said upper and lower die when in a closed condition,, in register. Preferably said food enclosures are substantially egg- shaped.

Preferably said food enclosures are oval in shape in a first cross section of said enclosure.

Preferably said food enclosure is circular in shape in a second cross section normal to said first cross section.

Preferably said upper and lower die and said intermediate die are provided with engaging structures adapted to secure registration ^■ of said depressions and said protrusions; structures of said upper and lower dies and said intermediate die controlling formation of said shell-like coating into shells of uniform thickness. The food mould described above wherein edges of said depressions are defined by raised ridges; said ridges of depressions of- said upper die adapted to abut said ridges of depressions of said lower die so as to trim malleable food material overlapping said edges from said shells. In a further broad form of the invention there is provided a method of producing a multiplicity of a .food product by use of the food mould described above; the method including the following steps: a) Placing malleable edible food material in each of said depressions of said upper and lower dies, b) Superimposing said intermediate die in turn over each of said upper and lower dies, so as to urge said malleable edible food material into uniform thickness shells, c) Filling each of said shells with ^' a filling food material, d) Closing said upper and lower dies so as to press said shells of said upper die into contact with said shells

of said lower die to form enclosures encapsulating said filling food material, e) Removing said shells; encapsulating said filling food material from said depressions

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of ^■ the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of upper and lower dies and an intermediate die,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the upper and lower dies of Figure 1 hinged together with the intermediate die and plastic sheeting for use, Figure 3 is a plan view of the hinged together upper and lower dies of Figure 2, in open position with the intermediate die superposed over one of the dies,

Figure 4 is a cross section of the intermediate die and one of the upper and lower dies when in the superposed position of Figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PEEFEKRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the food mould 10 of the present invention includes an upper die plate 12, a lower die plate 14 and an intermediate die plate 16, Upper die plate 12 and lower die plate 14 are provided with hinge

elements 13 and 15 along one respective edge of each plate to provide a hinge 17, when the upper and lower die plates 12, 14 are connected together by means of hinge pin 18, as can be seen in figure 2. Each die plate 12 and 14 is provided with an array of rows and columns of concave depressions 20 and 22 respectively,, arranged so that when upper die plate 12 is rotated about hinge 17 to bring, the plates face to face, corresponding concave depressions 20 and 22 .of the two plates are in registration and each pair of a depression 20 and 22 form a cavity between them.

Preferably, the so formed multiplicity of cavities are each substantially egg-shaped or ovoid in form, with a first cross-section oval in shape and a second cross- section, normal to the first, circular in shape.

Intermediate die plate 16 is provided at its underside 24 with an array of convex protrusions 26 (appearing in Figure 1 and 2 as depressions when viewed from above) . These protrusions 26 are arranged in an array of identical spacing as the arrays of depressions in upper and lower die plates 12 and 14, Also, the protrusions 26 conform in shape to the concave depressions 20, 22 of the upper and lower die plates, but are dimensionally smaller.

It can be seen in Figures 1 and 2 that both upper die plate 12 and lower die plate 14 are provided with corner indentations 28 adapted to engage with legs 30 of

intermediate die plate 16, and arranged so that when intermediate die plate 16 is positioned over either upper die plate 12 or lower die plate 14, the protrusions 26 are in registration with depressions 20 or 22 respectively as can be seen in the plan view of Figure 3.

Furthermore, raised edges 32 _r (or other suitable structures) on both upper and lower die plates 12 and 14 are arranged so as to support the underside 24 of intermediate die plate 16 so as to leave a gap 36 between the respective opposing surfaces 38 and 40 of depressions 20 (or 22) and protrusions 26. The conformity of shape of protrusions 26 and depressions 20 (and 22) ensures that the gaps 36 are of even and consistent thickness. Preferably gaps 36 are 5mm in thickness. Die plates 12, 14 and 16 may be formed of any material suitable for food preparation and sufficiently heat resistant, including cast aluminium, pressed metal or thermoplastic mouldings. Use of the latter material could allow the use of an integral flexible hinge. In Use

When the depressions in upper die plate 12 and lower die plate 14 are prepared with a malleable edible food preparation, and intermediate die plate 16 is pressed down onto the upper or lower die plates in turn, the food preparation is urged into a shells of uniform thickness conforming to the gaps 36 between the surfaces 38 and 40.

With the shells or coating thus prepared, a filling food material may be placed in each of the formed shells, and the upper and lower dies closed so as to combine the shells of malleable food preparation of each of the corresponding depressions which are thus pressed together to form an enclosure for the filling food material.

Preferably, the edges of depressions in upper die plate .12 and lower die plate 14 are defined by a raised ridge 19 arranged' to abut when the die plates are brought into the closed position thereby trimming the shells of any overlapping malleable food preparation which may be- forced out of the depressions by the superposition and pressing down of intermediate die plate 16.

As an aid to removing the cooked Kibbys, non-stick plastic sheets 25 and 27 (refer to Figure 2) may be placed over upper and lower die plates 12 and 14 before introducing the malleable food material.

It will be observed that the bottom die 14 includes a multiplicity of rows ^' and columns of concave substantially semi circular female depressions 20 which are also visible.

^■ in Figure 2. Complementary intermediate die 16 on the other hand has a multiplicity of rows and columns of- convex substantially semi-circular male protruberances 26 which are arranged so as to be capable of being in register with

corresponding depressions in the bottom die 14. It will be noticed that the relative sizing of the depressions 20 and prαtruberanσes 26 are such that when the intermediate die 16 is urged onto bottom die 14 as depicted in Figures 3 and 4 with a malleable edible coating material 5 therebetween the gap between said protuberances and depressions accommodates said coating material and will assist such coating material to spread out into a shell like shape of uniform thickness (which in this case is approximately five mm) ; the gap between the protuberances and depressions defining a half eggshell like edible coating structure.

In order to assist in eventual removal of the fully formed food product from the mould a sheet of plastic 27 is also advantageously laid into the female depressions of die 14 before the die is filled with edible coating material.

Once the step above described is complete and a half egg shell shaped coating exists in the bottom die 14 and also opposing like top die 12 the intermediate die 16 is removed and top and bottom dies 12 and 14 are further filled with the edible material intended to form the centre filling of the food products being formed. In many cases this will comprise minced meat in combination with spices _/ pine nuts, parsley or the like.

Once this further filling material is introduced into the top and bottom dies the top and bottom dies are placed on top of each other with the opposing depressions in

register and the open surface of one die facing the open surface of the opposing die. ^'

When these two dies are pressed together it will be

. appreciated that the two halves of the food -products being formed are united into a multiplicity of unitary egg-shaped food .products comprising an external coating and an internal filling. As may best be viewed from Figure 2 it is advantageous that the top die 12 and the bottom die 14 are hinged along one side to each other by a hinge 17, If the top and bottom dies are manufactured from thermoplastic material the hinge may be an integral thermoplastic hinge or alternatively a more ^• conventional hinge and hinge pin may be used as shown. ^■ ■ ■

It should be appreciated that it is not essential to ϊ S the present invention that the depressions in the top and bottom dies are of egg like shape as other shapes may b<≥ appropriate such as circular or even cubic. ^: '

It will be appreciated that a food mould in accordance with the above description when utilised in accordance with the above process, facilitates the quick production of- 9 egg-shaped food articles having an external coating of uniform thickness about an internal filling.

The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to - those skilled in

the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

For example the mould can be used advantageously for the purpose of other food and sweets such as pies, apple pie, dumplings or any other food that can take advantage of the mould shape and process.