| 1. | Method for baking paste, on both sides outside an oven for producing simultaneously multiple amounts of thin pancakes, characterized by the following steps: piling up shells in one or more collecting containers, putting the shells collecting containers in a gas burned or electric powered oven by means of a lifting device, warming up the ceramic shells in the oven, removing the containers with the heated shells from the oven by means of the lifting device, successively taking the shells out of the containers one by one, filling them up with predetermined volumes of paste and piling them up one by one, and baking simultaneously, on both sides and outside the oven, the paste volumes interposed between the shells solely by transfer of the heat from the shells. |
| 2. | Method according to claim 1, in which the shells are heated to a temperature of 450 to 550 degrees, preferably 485 degrees Celsius. |
| 3. | Method according claims 1 or 2, in which the shells are bowl shaped and are made of a ceramic material. |
| 4. | Method according to any of the claims 1 to 3, in which the paste is liquid. |
| 5. | Method according to claim 1, in which the collecting containers are equipped with lateral rims comprising a double turned collar. |
| 6. | Method according to claims 1 and 5, in which the lifting device is a fork engaging the containers laterally with the double turned collars. |
| 7. | Method according to claims 1, 5 and 6, in which the fork has bulge shaped ends gripping behind the lateral double turned upper rims of the container. |
| 8. | Method according to claim 1 in which the lifting device is driven by an electric motor. |
| 9. | Pancakes produced simultaneously by baking paste on both sides and outside an oven according to the method of claim 1. |
| 10. | Method of serving pancakes produced by baking paste outside an oven according to the method of claim 1, characterized by immediately serving the pancakes with various dressings to be chosen by the consumer. |
The aim of the invention is to bake simultaneously and in a short time period large amounts of thin pancakes for instant consumption in a restricted area.
Actually many ways exist to bake paste, like pizzas or thin pancakes, which has to be served for immediate consumption. Traditionally these are baked by a direct heating process, separately or in small series, either or not in baking moulds. Generally a baking oven or a flat baking plate is used for this purpose. A problem for all these baking processes is that large quantities of baking paste require a large baking area and as a result, the consumption area is reduced correspondingly.
To solve this problem the invention focuses on baking the paste outside the baking oven by transfer of the baking heat from preheated small dishes or shells in order to reduce the baking area. It is known from the French patent application FR-2.525.455 (Gardin) to preheat collectively, in a gas burned or electric powered oven, cooking plates made of granite, schist, porcelain or stoneware. The preheated cooking plates are then placed separately on a supporting frame provided on the consumption table in order for the consumer to prepare his own barbecue meal with meat, bacon or the like. The method according to this French patent application deals with collectively preheating baking plates but is does not provide a way to produce simultaneously large amounts of products to be baked on both sides. Therefore thin pancakes should have to be turned upside down on the baking plates in order to bake on both sides.
According to the invention, the simultaneously baking, on both sides, of large amounts of thin pancakes outside an oven is achieved by preheating shells in a heating area to the required temperature, taking the shells out of the heating area and putting the necessary amount of paste between the shells. Piling up the shells in a warm electric powered or gas burned oven, reduces drastically the required oven area. Therefore stacks of shells are placed in one or more containers and -according to the kind of paste used- are heated all together to a temperature between 450 and 550 degrees Celsius. Once the shells have reached the required temperature, the containers are removed from the oven by means of an adequate transporting tool.
Subsequently a baking shell is taken out of the container and filled with the needed amount of paste. A second shell is placed upon the paste in the first shell and is filled in its turn with the needed amount of paste. The same steps are repeated for the third shell and continued until the new stack has reached the height required for the paste between the shells to get the desired thickness. At the same time this piling technique reduces the working area to a minimum. By the heat transfer between the heated baking shells and the paste all of the thin paste volumes are baked simultaneously on both sides without any further supply of external heat. Finally, after the thin pancakes are removed from between the baking shells, the latter are piled up again in the containers which are then reintroduced into the oven.
The pancakes are ready to be served. Meanwhile the consumer has made his choice of varying dressings (e.g. Italian dressings) to garnish his pancakes.
One such cycle only takes a few minutes. More shell stacks undergo a plurality of such cycles simultaneously. The material of the shells is determined by the optimum temperature and heat transfer of the shells. Therefore ceramic material is the most suitable. Preferably the shells are bowl shaped to ensure stability during piling up.
Mainly liquid paste of usual composition can be used.
Due to the small dimensions, the oven, which can be electrically powered or gas burned, can be installed in the consumption area for smooth serving purposes.
The containers can be put in and taken out of the oven by means of a tool comprising a fork for supporting the containers. Alternatively an electrically powered construction can be installed in the vicinity of the oven for automatic transport of the containers.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a view of a container with piled-up shells;
Fig. 2 shows the piling up of heated shells with the liquid paste interposed;
Fig 3a and b is a view of the lifting device to put the filled containers in or to take them out the oven; Fig 3a shows the fork before it catches the container. Therefore the U-shaped fork is equipped with bulge shaped ends.
Fig 3b shows the fork catching the container. The upper rims of the container are equipped with a lateral double turned collar for engagement with the arms of the U-shaped fork by a vertical pivoting movement. At the same time the bulge shaped ends grip the lateral double turned collars of the container. In this way the container and the fork are secured vertically as well horizontally.