TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of multilayer food products. More particularly, the present invention relates to chilled multilayer food products, such as chilled multilayer desserts. The multilayer food product comprises a dairy layer, a pastry layer containing crunchy hulled millet grains and a water-barrier layer between the dairy layer and the pastry layer. The present invention also relates to processes for preparing said chilled multilayer food products and to the use of hulled millet grains as crunchy inclusions in a pastry product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Multilayer food products provide the possibility of combining different flavors and textures. For instances, multilayer desserts are widely appreciated by consumers, as they provide superior sensations when compared to desserts which exhibit only one single texture and/or flavor. However, after the preparation of multilayer desserts, the different layers should not mix together. Otherwise, it is possible that the contrast between the different layers, in particular different viscosities and/or different biting characteristics, will not be experienced during consumption. Examples of multilayer desserts include chilled desserts. For instance, chilled desserts may comprise a dairy layer (i.e. a layer comprising a milk-based product) and a pastry layer (e.g. biscuit, crumble or cake layers). Chilled desserts are desserts which must be stored under refrigeration in order to remain stable until consumption. Chilled multilayer dairy desserts are known in the art.

An example of a chilled three-layer dessert is the Lemon Cheese Cake sold under the brand GLJ. This dessert is made of a biscuit layer at the bottom, a fresh cheese layer on top and a lemon curd intermediate layer. The biscuit is mainly composed of flour, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder and acidifier. The lemon curd is mainly composed of sugar, whole eggs, butter, vegetable oil, egg yolks, maize starch, lemon juice, water and acidifier. The fresh cheese is mainly composed of fresh cheese, whipped cream, sugar, whole eggs, starch and water. A similar product is the "Mango and Passionfruit Cheesecake" by GLJ (Mintel record 5005261). Another example is a "Chocolate and Shortbread Biscuit Whipped Ganache Dessert" by L'Atelier Blini (Mintel record 5338557), which does not contain a curd but a chocolate mousse layer. The three-layer commercial products often show a short-term stability of about 15 days when stored under chilled conditions. This may be partly due to the phenomenon of syneresis. Indeed, water from the dairy-based layer may be absorbed by the pastry layer. As a consequence, the texture of the pastry layer may become watery and may lose crunchiness. Usually, consumers find this quite unpleasant. It is known in the art to use a high-fat layer as a hydrophobic barrier between the dairy layer and the pastry layer. For instance, the high-fat layer is a lemon curd. This high-fat layer reduces the migration of water from the dairy layer to the pastry layer. Nevertheless, even if such a hydrophobic layer is used, there may remain some water migration, for instance along the inner surface of the container. EP 1430789 discloses moisture barrier for foods.

Parallel to the consumers liking indulgent multi-layer desserts, they are becoming more conscious of dietary and nutritional questions. Hence, there is a growing need to provide indulgent multilayer desserts which offer a lower fat or sugar intake than current products. For instance, sources of fat include butter, eggs, oil or milk fat. The high-fat layer is an important source of fat in indulgent multilayer desserts.

Hence, a drawback of multilayer desserts is that their organoleptic properties are not always as expected when stored during long periods of time, such as 28 to 35 days. Moreover, these desserts are usually quite nutritious and may represent a large share of the lipids or sugar intake.

Thus, there remains a need for indulgent chilled multilayer desserts which offer an interesting sensory experience and yet exhibit a low fat content, and which remain stable during shelf life. In particular, there remains a need for indulgent chilled multilayer desserts comprising a pastry layer and a dairy-based layer, where the pastry layer remains crispy or crunchy over shelf life, and where the dairy layer remains fresh and creamy during shelf life.

Any reference to prior art documents in this specification is not to be considered an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to improve the state of the art, and in particular to provide a multilayer food product that overcomes the problems of the prior art and addresses the needs described above, or at least to provide a useful alternative. In particular, an object of the present invention is to allow the consumers to experience indulgent chilled multilayer food products, especially chilled multilayer desserts, with a reasonable nutritional profile when compared to similar desserts, with a contrast between its layers, such as different textures, biting characteristics or flavour, even after a long period of storage under chilled conditions.

The inventors were surprised to see that the object of the present invention could be achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims further develop the idea of the present invention.

Accordingly, an aspect of the invention relates to a chilled multilayer food product comprising a first layer, a second layer and a third layer, wherein the first layer is a dairy layer, the second layer is a pastry layer and the third layer is a water-barrier layer between the first layer and the second layer, characterised in that the pastry layer comprises from 5% to 20% of hulled millet grains by weight of the pastry layer.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a process for preparing a chilled multilayer food product, preferably a chilled multilayer dessert, comprising the steps of providing separately a dairy composition, a pastry composition and a water-barrier composition, followed with a step of combining a first layer of the dairy composition, a second layer of the pastry composition and a third layer of the water-barrier composition, where the third layer is placed between the first layer and the second layer, the process being characterized in that the pastry composition comprises hulled millet grains.

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of embodiments of the invention, in connection with the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used in the specification, the words "comprise", "comprising" and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense, that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to", and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. As used in the specification, the words "consisting of" and the like are to be construed in an exclusive or exhaustive sense: they exclude any unrecited element, step, or ingredient. As used in the specification, the words "consists essentially of" mean that specific further components can be present, namely those not materially affecting the essential characteristics of the invention. As used in the specification, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plura l referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

As used in the specification, the term "substantially free" means that no more than about 10 weight percent, preferably no more than about 5 weight percent, and more preferably no more than about 1 weight percent of the excluded material is present. In a preferred embodiment, "substantially free" means that no more than about 0.1 weight percent of the excluded material remains.

Unless noted otherwise, all percentages in the specification refer to weight percent, where applicable.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms have and should be given the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.

In the context of the invention, the word "chilled" refers to a temperature of 0.5 to 10°C, as can be found in a refrigerator for the storage of the food product. In the context of the invention, the word "ambient" refers to a temperature between 18°C and 30°C.

In the context of the invention, the term "maturation" refers to a period of 24 hours after the step of assembling all the layers of the food product, such as a dessert.

In the context of the invention, the "overrun" is a measure of the volume of gas incorporated into a product. The overrun OR is defined as:

Vm— Vo

OR = - * 100

Vo

where Vo is the initial volume of a mass M of product, and Vm is the volume of the same mass M of product after incorporation of gas, for instance by whipping.

In the context of the invention, "stable over one month under chilled conditions" means that the food product does not undergo spoilage and maintains its organoleptic properties, especially the crunchiness of the pastry layer, for up to 1 month, i.e about 28 days, when stored under chilled conditions, preferably between 2 and 8°C.

In the context of the invention, the term "top layer" refers to the uppermost layer of the multilayer food product. In the context of the invention, the term "bottom layer" refers the bottommost layer of the multilayer food product. In the context of the invention, the term "intermediate layer" refers to a layer, which is comprised between the top layer and the bottom layer of the multilayer food product. In a first aspect, the invention relates to a chilled multilayer food product, such as a dessert, which remains stable over one month under chilled conditions, preferably over 28 days under chilled conditions. Preferably, the multilayer food product is a three-layer food product, such as a three-layer dessert. Hence, the chilled multilayer food product comprises at least a first layer, a second layer and a third layer. The first layer is a dairy layer, the second layer is a pastry layer and the third layer is a water-barrier layer between the first layer and the second layer. The pastry layer comprises hulled millet grains. Details of the different layers will be provided below.

The dairy layer is made of a dairy composition. The term "dairy composition" refers to a food composition comprising at least 50wt% of milk and milk derivatives, and at most 50wt% of non-dairy ingredients. Milk may be produced from non-human mammals such as cow, sheep, buffalo, goat or camel. Preferably, cow milk is used in the invention. Examples of milk include, but are not limited to, whole milk, semi-skimmed milk, skimmed milk, powdered milk or milks enriched with cream. Examples of milk derivatives include, but are not limited to, buttermilk, milk proteins, whey, caseins, milk fat, or non-fat milk solids. Non-dairy ingredients of the dairy composition are ingredients which are substantially free of milk. Examples of non dairy ingredients include, but are not limited to, cocoa, fruits, cereals, coffee, vanilla, cinnamon, honey, vegetables, aromatic herbs, meats, chemical flavors or mixtures thereof. Non-dairy ingredients are added essentially to provide additional flavour or texture to the dairy composition.

In an embodiment, the dairy composition may optionally comprise at least one gelling agent. Examples of gelling agents include, but are not limited to, gelatin, carrageenan, guar gum, agar, locust bean gum, pectin, xanthan gum, arabic gum or mixture thereof. The dairy composition may comprise between 0 and 1,5 % of gelling agent based on the total weight of the dairy layer, preferably between 0,7 and 1 % of gelling agent based on the total weight of the dairy layer.

The dairy layer may optionally comprise at least one emulsifier. Examples of emulsifier suitable for the invention are: mono- and diglyceride of fatty acids, acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids such as acetic, lactic, citric, tartaric, mono- and diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, mixed acetic and tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acid, sucrose esters of fatty acids, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, polyglycerol polyricinoleate, polyethylene sorbitan mono-oleate, polysorbate 80 and, chemically extracted lecithins . The dairy layer may comprise between 0 and 1 % of emulsifier based on the total weight of the dairy layer, preferably between 0,2 and 0,8 % of emulsifier based on the total weight of the dairy layer. The emulsifiers and the gelling agents may be used to limit water migration from the dairy layer by increasing the dry matter content in the dairy layer.

The dairy layer may be for example cheese, mousse, yoghurt, flan, pudding, custard or cream. Preferably, the dairy layer is a mousse. Mousses suitable for the invention may be fruit mousse, vegetable mousse, chocolate mousse, whipped cream or fresh cheese mousse. When the dairy layer is aerated, namely a mousse, the overrun of the dairy layer is comprised between 30% and 150%, preferably between 100 and 120%. A standard aeration mixer can be used for whipping the dairy layer. Suitable equipment includes aeration mixers supplied by AEROMIX or MONDOMIX. Aeration of the dairy base may be used not only to provide a foamy texture but also to reduce the fat content. If the dairy layer consists of a yoghurt, it may be a set-yoghurt, a stirred-yoghurt or a Greek-style yoghurt. Another suitable aeration mixer may be the one disclosed in the patent EP2775853 Bl.

The dairy layer is prepared by mixing dairy layer ingredients together to obtain a dairy mix. The dairy mix may be further heat treated to limit the bacterial load of the dairy layer. The skilled person in the art may easily determine the time and temperature combination needed to reach an acceptable bacterial load. For example, the dairy mix may be pasteurized with a heat treatment at a temperature of 92°C for 30 seconds. For example, the dairy layer may be sterilized with a heat treatment at a temperature of 130°C for 300 seconds. The heat treatment may be performed with a plate heat exchanger. Before heat treatment, the dairy mix may be homogenized using a pressure ranging from 200 bars to 300 bars at a temperature ranging from 55°C to 65°C. After heat treatment, the dairy mix is cooled down to ambient temperature or chilled temperature. The dairy mix may be then optionally whipped to reach the desired overrun. After whipping, the overrun of the dairy mix may range from 30% to 150%. Preferably, the overrun of the dairy mix ranges from 100 to 120%. A standard aeration mixer can be used for whipping the dairy mix. Suitable equipment includes aeration mixers supplied by AEROMIX or MONDOMIX. Another suitable aeration mixer could be the one disclosed in the patent EP 2 775 853 Bl. Before whipping, the dairy mix may be stored under chilled conditions from 1 hour to 30 hours, preferably from 1 hour to 24 hours.

When the dairy layer consists of a fermented dairy product (e.g Greek style yoghurt), an additional step of fermentation is performed before undergoing heat treatment. More particularly, the dairy mix is cultured at a temperature and a time sufficient to reach a stable pH of 3.5 to 5.0, preferably of 4.0 to 4.8, using conventional lactic acid bacterial cultures and culturing conditions. For instance, the liquid dairy composition is cultured at a temperature of 30 to 45°C, preferably 35 to 40°C, for 6 to 15 hours, preferably 7 to 10 hours. The lactic acid bacterial cultures are added to the liquid dairy composition at a level of about 0.01 to 1 wt%.

Suitable lactic acid bacteria include Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus lactis, Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris, Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis, Leuconostoc lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Streptococcus thermophilus. Preferably, the lactic acid bacteria are yogurt strains, namely Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. Bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

The second layer consists of a pastry layer. By "pastry layer" or "pastry base", it is understood a layer or a food product resulting from the step of heating a dough and characterized by a crunchy texture in mouth after cooking, for instance during consumption of the multilayer food product. Examples of pastry layer include, without being limited to, biscuit, crumble, cracker, rusk, short crust, short bread, bread, cereal wafer or cookie. Preferably, the pastry layer is a biscuit layer or a crumble.

The pastry layer comprises hulled millet grains. Preferably, the hulled millet grains are integral, meaning that they are not milled or ground to smaller particle size. Preferably, the millet grains are non-pre-processed hulled millet grains. The terms "non-pre-processed hulled millet grains" refer to hulled millet grains which do not undergo a process that modifies the millet grains structure, except drying prior to their incorporation in the pastry layer. More particularly, it refers to hulled millet grains, which did not undergo an extrusion, expansion, milling, partial pre-cooking or puffing process before use in the present invention. "Hulled" millet grains are grains from which the husk has been removed, for instance by standard mechanical treatments. In other words, the pastry layer comprises millet grains that are only hulled and possibly dried (due to standard grain treatment before storing) before incorporation in the pastry layer.

Millet may be selected from the following species: pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), foxtail millet (Setaria italica), proso millet (Panicum miliaceum), finger millet (Eleusine coracana), barnyard millet ( Echinochioa spp.), Kodo millet (Paspalum scrobicu latum), little millet (Panicum sumatrense), Japanese millet ( Echinochioa esculenta), guinea millet ( Brachiaria deflexa), and browntop millet (Urochloa ramosa) and mixes thereof. Preferably, proso millet (Panicum millaceum) is used in the pastry layer. The pastry layer comprises from 5% to 20% of hulled millet grains by weight of pastry layer, preferably non-pre-processed hulled millet grains. More preferably, the pastry layer comprises from 8% to 16% of hulled millet grains by weight of pastry layer, preferably non-pre-processed hulled millet grains. Most preferably, the pastry layer comprises from 9% to 15% of hulled millet grains by weight of pastry layer, preferably non-pre-processed hulled millet grains. The amount of millet grains used may be determined by taking into account the desired crunchiness, the type of pastry layer and the moisture content of the overall dessert.

The advantage of using millet grains in the pastry layer is that it provides good nutritional value to the dessert due to their low fat content and their content in beneficial nutrients and macronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, protein and fibres. Moreover, millet grains enable to maintain or increase the crunchiness of the pastry layer even in presence of syneresis. Therefore, millet grains are good candidates to reduce fat content in biscuit while solving issues of loss of crunchiness resulting from syneresis.

Indeed, on the one hand, the inventors have discovered that a pastry layer comprising hulled millet grain, such as non-pre-processed hulled millet grains, as crunchy inclusion overcomes the drawbacks resulting from syneresis. Millet grains as inclusion in the pastry layer provide crunchiness to the biscuit, even after hydration of the pastry layer by the water migrating from the dairy layer.

On the other hand, millet grains are coarse cereals with a low fat content. Therefore, millet grains are good candidates to reduce the fat content in the pastry layer. For instance, millet grains may replace part of the butter in the pastry layer and still provide the targeted organoleptic features for the pastry layer, in particular crunchiness. Aside from their low fat content, millet grains are of high nutritional interest because they providing, for example, proteins or fibres.

Food with millet as an ingredient are known in the art. But these foods contain millet flour (e.g US 4,254,022; W0200563026) or extruded, expanded, puffed or partially pre-cooked millet grains before being transformed into the end products, (e.g WO201278907, W0200563048A1). Pre-processing of the millet grains adds to the complexity of the process and may also impact the nutritional and organoleptic properties of the final pastry layer. The pastry layer is prepared by first mixing the ingredients to prepare a dough and the hulled millet grains. The ingredients may be added all together at the same time or sequentially into an appropriate mixer for instance.

The third layer consists of a water-barrier composition. The water-barrier is a hydrophobic layer made of food-grade ingredients. The hydrophobicity is a key feature of the third layer to limit or prevent water transfer between the dairy layer and the pastry layer. Due to the difference in water activity between the dairy layer and the pastry layer, water would migrate from the dairy layer to the pastry layer if the water-barrier layer was not placed between. This phenomenon could be reinforced by the fact that during storage, the dairy layer could lose water due to syneresis.

The water-barrier layer may be an oil in water emulsion and may further comprise eggs to stabilize the oil in water emulsion. The water-barrier layer may exhibit an acid or a slightly acid pH to provide microbial stability. In this case, the water-barrier layer is acidified using acidifying ingredient, preferably natural acidifying ingredient such as lemon juice. The pH of the water-barrier layer is preferably between 4.5 and 6.5. The water-barrier layer may not contain any chemical preservatives.

Starch may be used in the water-barrier layer to reduce the fat content. Starch may be chemically modified starch or native starch. Example of chemically modified starches are monostarch phosphate, distarch phosphate, phosphate or acetylated distarch phosphate, acetylated starch, acetylated distarch adipate, hydroxyl propyl starch, hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate, acetylated modified starch. Modified starches are preferably avoided. Examples of native starch include, for instance, rice starch, maize starch, or potato starch. Native starch are staple ingredients in the food industry. The water-barrier layer may comprise from 1 and 10 wt% of starch, preferably from 3% to 5 wt% of starch.

Suitable water-barrier layers include, without being limited to, cream, ganache, lemon curd, spread or chocolate. Preferably, the water-barrier layer is a lemon curd, a coconut cream, or a chocolate ganache. The chocolate ganache may be a white chocolate ganache, a milk chocolate or a dark chocolate ganache. Preferably, the chocolate ganache is a dark chocolate ganache.

The water-barrier layer is prepared by mixing the water-barrier layer ingredients together to obtain a water-barrier composition. The water-barrier mixture is then heat treated with a temperature between 80°C and 135°C for a time ranging from 30 seconds to 50 minutes. For example, the water-barrier composition may be heat treated in a double jacketed tank at a temperature from 80°C to 100°C for a time ranging from 5 minutes to 50 minutes, preferably from 5 to 25 minutes. For example, the water-barrier composition may also be heat-treated with a plate heat exchanger at a temperature of 130°C for a time of 30 seconds. Before the heat-treatment, the water-barrier composition may be homogenized with a pressure ranging from 200 bars and 300 bars and at a temperature ranging from 55°C to 65°C. After the heat-treatment, the water-barrier composition may be cooled down to chilled temperatures or ambient temperatures.

The dairy layer and the pastry layer may be indifferently superposed. In a first embodiment, the multilayer food product comprises a pastry layer below the water-barrier layer also below the dairy layer. In another embodiment, the multilayer food product comprises a dairy layer below the water-barrier layer also below the pastry layer. Preferably, the dairy layer is a top layer and the pastry layer is a bottom layer. Whatever the shape of the multilayer food product, the water-barrier layer is an intermediate layer between a pastry layer and a dairy layer, to prevent water migration between the dairy layer and the pastry layer. In a further embodiment, the multilayer food product comprises more than three layers. Additional layers may be one or several additional dairy layers, one or several additional pastry layers, and where needed, additional water-barrier layers. Other layers may be considered to impart additional textures and/or flavours. For instance, in a chilled multilayer dessert, additional layers include, without being limited to, jelly, meringue, fruit puree, caramel, jam, cake, crepes.

Preferably, the dairy layer has a water activity above 0.9 after maturation while the pastry layer has a water activity above 0.5 after maturation. The inventors have determined that a pastry layer without hulled millet grains, in particular non-pre-processed hulled millet grains, loses its crunchiness when the water activity of the pastry layer is above 0.5. Although the pastry layer comprising hulled milled grains may have a water activity above 0.5 after maturation, it remains crunchy thanks to the hulled millet grains.

Water activity of the different layers may be measured, using a dew point hygrometer, by the dew point method based on the water activity definition as the ratio of partial pressure

P

of water vapor in the product (p) to that in presence of pure water (p ₀ ): a _w =— . Dew point

hygrometers consist of a mirror in a sealed chamber, which is cooled down. Photodetection of the vapor condensation on the cooled mirror together with the precise measurements at the surface of the mirror allows deducing the water activity in the cell where the sample of food was disposed.

The chilled multilayer food product thickness may be laid out as follows:

- from 35% to 45% of the chilled multilayer food product thickness is made of the dairy layer, - from 25% to 38% of the chilled multilayer food product thickness is made of the water-barrier layer,

- from 23% to 30% of the chilled multilayer food product thickness is made of the pastry layer.

The chilled multilayer food product has a low fat content and more particularly, it has a total fat content ranging from 7.5 grams to 11 grams per serving, preferably ranging from 8 grams to 10.5 grams per serving, more preferably ranging from 8 grams to 10 grams per serving. One serving of the chilled multilayer food productmay range from 68 grams to 102 grams. The chilled multilayer food product may have a total fat content ranging from 7.5 grams to 11 grams per serving of from 68 grams to 102 grams, preferably ranging from 8 grams to 10.5 grams per serving of from 68 grams to 102 grams. More preferably, the chilled multilayer food product may have a total fat content ranging from 8 grams to 10 grams per serving of from 68 grams to 100 grams. It is still possible to obtain a crunchy pastry layer despite a low fat content thanks to the use of millet grains as an ingredient.

In an embodiment, the chilled multilayer food product is a packaged food product. Especially, the chilled multilayer food product is packaged in a container. The container comprises a bottom wall, a side wall extending from said bottom wall and an opening formed by the side wall, which is opposite to the bottom wall. The opening may be closed, for example, with a lid. In such an embodiment, the bottom layer is the bottommost layer of the multilayer food product and is in contact with the bottom wall of the container. The top layer is the uppermost layer of the multilayer food product and is the nearest layer from the opening of the container. The container is made of food grade materials commonly used for food packaging. Examples of food grade materials include metals, glass, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), polystyrene (PS), and combinations thereof. In a further embodiment, the container is a baking container as disclosed in the second aspect of the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates an example of a chilled multilayer food product according to the invention. A chilled multilayer food product 1 in a container 5 is shown. The container 5 comprises a bottom wall 7, a side wall 8 extending from said bottom wall 7 and an opening 9 formed by the side wall 8, which is opposite to the bottom wall 7. The chilled multilayer food product 1 comprises several layers 6. A first layer 2 consists of a dairy layer and a second layer 4 consists of a pastry layer comprising hulled millet grains. In a preferred embodiment, the hulled millet grains of the second layer 4 are integral and/or are non-pre-processed hulled millet grains. The chilled multilayer food product 1 further comprises a third layer 3 consisting of a water-barrier layer. In this example, the dairy layer 2 is a top layer, the pastry layer 4 is a bottom layer and the water-barrier layer 3 is above the pastry layer 4 and below the dairy layer 2.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a process for preparing a chilled multilayer food product, preferably a chilled multilayer dessert. The process comprises the steps of providing separately a dairy composition, a pastry composition and a water-barrier composition. The dairy composition, the pastry composition and the water-barrier composition may be prepared one composition after another one or simultaneously. The pastry composition comprises hulled millet grains. In a preferred embodiment, the hulled millet grains are integral and/or are non-pre-processed hulled millet grains. Thereafter, a first layer of the dairy composition, a second layer of the pastry composition and a third layer of the water-barrier composition are combined in such a way that the third layer is placed between the first layer and the second layer. After all the layers are combined, the dessert is stored under chilled conditions.

In another embodiment, the process comprises a first step of dosing the pastry composition in a container, where the pastry composition is uncooked, to form the pastry layer. The pastry composition comprises hulled millet grains. In a preferred embodiment, the hulled millet grains are integral and/or are non-pre-processed hulled millet grains. The container is a baking container. The term "baking container" means that the container is made of a material which is resistant to high temperature ranging from 100 to 250°C. Example of such material could be borosilicate glasses or metals. After dosing, the pastry layer is then directly cooked in the container. The pastry layer may be for example cooked at a temperature between 110°C and 185 °C for a time between 15 and 40 minutes. Preferably, the pastry later may be cooked at a temperature between 125°C and 155°C for a time between 20 and 35 minutes. Cooking the pastry composition evaporates the moisture and crisps to different extents the millet grains and the rest of the pastry composition. After cooking of the pastry layer, the water-barrier composition is dosed over the cooked pastry layer to form the water- barrier layer covering the surface of the cooked pastry layer. Before dosing the water-barrier composition, the cooked pastry layer may be preliminary cooled down to a temperature below 20°C. After dosing of the water-barrier composition, the dairy composition is dosed over the water-barrier layer, to form the dairy layer.

Hence, the inventors have discovered that it is possible to use hulled millet grains in a cooked pastry, as crunchy inclusion. In a preferred embodiment, the hulled millet grains are integral and/or are non-pre-processed hulled millet grains. Advantages of using millet grains is that they have a low fat content and they keep crunchiness even in presence of high water activity.

Those skilled in the art will understand that they can freely combine all features of the present invention disclosed herein. In particular, features described for the product or the process of the present invention may be combined with the use of the present invention and vice versa. Further, features described for different embodiments of the present invention may be combined.

Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred in this specification. Further advantages and features of the present invention are apparent from the figures and non-limiting examples.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Lemon pastry desserts

Two three-layer lemon pastry desserts were prepared: a reference full-fat recipe and a low-fat recipe (Table 1). The low-fat recipe is according to the invention.

The nutritional values of the full-fat recipe, of the low-fat recipe and of a product on the market are compared in Table 2. The recipe according to the invention exhibits the best nutritional values with the lowest fat content and the lowest energy. In addition, the pastry layer of the low-fat product exhibits an interesting crunchiness. Table 1 - Lemon pastry

Biscuit Lemon curd as a water- Dairy layer

(%w/w) barrier layer (%w/w) (%w/w)

REFERENCE FULL FAT RECI PE

Butter 18.75 Butter 30.94 Greek style yogurt

Almond paste 37.50 Sugar 26.80 (3.1% milk proteins,

(50% almond powder, Whole eggs 20.62 8.6% total fat, 3.6%

50% sugar) Lemon juice 16.49 carbohydrates)

Flour 6.50 Water 5.15

Sugar 3.13

Whole eggs 15.62

Egg white 11.00

Egg yolk 7.50

Total 100% Total 100% Total 100%

LOW FAT RECIPE

Butter 9.38 Butter 18.53 Fresh cheese 0% fat 70

Flour 9.38 Sugar 25.88 (7.4% milk proteins, 0.1% fat,

Starch 15.62 Whole eggs 31.00 5% carbohydrates)

Sugar 20.00 Lemon juice 16.49 Stabilizers mass 30

Whole eggs 17.50 Water 5.18 (64.8% full fat milk, 8.0% skim

Egg white 11.25 Starch 3.00 milk powder, 24.0% suga r,

Egg yolk 7.50 2.8% gelatine 240B,

Millet grains 9.37 0.40% emulsifier)

Total 100% Total 100% Total 100%

Table 2 - Comparison

Serving size Full fat lemon pastry Low fat lemon pastry Tartelette au Citron de 80g dessert (Table 1) dessert (Table 1) Sidle (Carrefour)

Energy (Kcal) 202.4 149.0 293.0

Total fat (g) 16.4 8.2 13.5

Saturated fat (g) 8.9 4.9 7.0 Example 2: Coconut pastry desserts

Two three-layer coconut pastry desserts were prepared: a reference full-fat recipe a nd a low-fat recipe (Table 3). The low-fat recipe is according to the invention. Table 3 - Coconut pastry

Coconut Biscuit Coconut cream as a water- Dairy Layer (%w/w)

(%w/w) barrier layer (%w/w)

REFERENCE FULL FAT RECI PE

Butter 25.00 Coconut milk 44.55 Fresh cheese 3.2%fat

Flour 25.00 Full fat milk 10.00 (7.4% milk proteins, 3.2% fat,

Sugar 25.00 Sugar 10.89 5% carbohydrates)

Coconut 25.00 Egg Yolk 15.84

Coconut 8.90

Water 7.92

Gelatine 1.90

Total 100% Total 100% Total 100%

LOW FAT RECIPE

Butter 11.54 Butter 15.50 Fresh cheese 0% fat 70

Flour 30.52 Sugar 18.80 (7.4% milk proteins, 0.1% fat,

Sugar 22.50 Whole eggs 26.00 5% carbohydrates)

Coconut 10.50 Coconut 15.00 Stabilizers mass 30

Egg white 9.92 Water 19.70 (64.8% full fat milk, 8.0% skim

Millet grains 15.00 Starch 5.00 milk powder, 24.0% sugar,

2.8% gelatine 240B, 0.40% emulsifier)

Total 100% Total 100% Total 100%

The nutritional values of the full fat recipe, of the low fat recipe and of a marketed product are compared in Table 4. The low fat recipe according to the invention exhibits the best nutritional values with the lowest fat content and the lowest energy. I n addition, the coconut biscuit of the low-fat recipe remained crunchy over several weeks of storage. Table 4 - Comparison

Serving size Full fat coconut Low fat coconut Tartelette Chocolat Coco sur 75g pastry dessert pastry dessert son Sable Croustillant

(Table 3) (Table 3) (Paturages / I ntermarche)

Energy (Kcal) 217.0 163.0 308.4

Total fat (g) 13.9 10.0 18.1

Saturated fat (g) 10.6 7.2 10.8

Example 3: Dark chocolate pastry desserts

Two three-layer dark chocolate pastry desserts were prepared: a reference full-fat recipe and a low-fat recipe (Table 5). The low-fat recipe is according to the invention.

Table 5 - Dark chocolate pastry

Dark Chocolate Biscuit Dark chocolate ganache as a Dark chocolate mousse

(%w/w) water-barrier layer (%w/w) (%w/w)

REFERENCE FULL FAT RECI PE

Butter 25.25 Dark chocolate 50.00 Dark chocolate 39.70

Flour 12.12 Cream (31% fat) 33.30 Cream (31% fat) 6.67

Almond 25.25 Sugar 6.20

Sugar 25.25 Egg Yolk 8.70

Cocoa (0%fat) 12.13 Water 1.80

Total 100% Total 100% Total 100%

LOW FAT RECIPE

Butter 16.26 Dark chocolate 39.70 Skimmed milk 63.30

Flour 26.52 Sugar 10.16 Cream (31% fat) 17.00

Sugar 26.52 Whole eggs 26.00 Sugar 12.00

Cocoa (0%fat) 9.50 Coconut 15.00 Cocoa (10-12%fat) 4.00

Egg white 9.92 Water 19.14 Chocolate powder 2.00

Millet grains 11.28 Starch 5.00 Gelatine (Bovine 240B) 1.00

Emulsifier (E472b) 0.70

Total 100% Total 100% Total 100% The nutritional values of the full fat recipe, the low fat recipe and a marketed product have been compared in Table 6. The low fat recipe according the invention exhibits the best nutritional values with the lowest fat content and the lowest energy. Also, the dark chocolate biscuit of the low-fat recipe has a surprising crunchiness.

Table 6 - Comparison

Serving size Full fat dark Low fat dark Gateau Croustillant au

70g chocolate pastry chocolate pastry Chocolat Noir (Delisse - dessert (Table 5) dessert (Table 5) Marque Repere / Leclerc)

Energy (Kcal) 303.8 185.0 287.0

Total fat (g) 23.5 8.3 14.7

Saturated fat (g) 13.4 4.1 4.8

Example 4: Manufacturing process

A multilayer dessert according to the invention was prepared as follows.

First, a biscuit was prepared for the pastry layer by mixing all the ingredients, except millet grains, using a Hobart mixer for 15 minutes at room temperature to obtain a dough. For low-fat recipes according to the invention, millet grains were then added to the dough and mixed at room temperature for 5 minutes. The dough (with or without millet grain) was then dosed into a glass jar or container. The dough was baked in an oven at 140-180°C for 15-40 minutes to obtain a biscuit. After cooking, the biscuits were left to cool down to room temperature.

In parallel (or subsequently), the water-barrier composition and the dairy composition were prepared. The water-barrier composition was prepared by mixing all the ingredients at room temperature for 10 min in a Thermomix mixer. The resulting mixture was heat-treated in the Thermomix at 90°C for 10 minutes. After the heat treatment, the water-barrier composition was cooled down to room temperature before dosing into the glass jar onto the cooled biscuit, to obtain a water-barrier layer.

In the case of the lemon pastry dessert and the coconut pastry dessert, the dairy composition is a fresh cheese mousse. The ingredients from the stabilizer mix (Full fat milk, Skimmed milk powder, Sugar, Gelatine240B and Emulsifier) were mixed in a Thermomix at room temperature for 10 minutes. The resulting stabilizer mix was then heat treated in the Thermomix at 90°C for 10 minutes and then cooled down to 40-60°C. The stabilizer mix was then mixed at 50°C with fresh cheese containing 0% fat, to obtain a stabilized fresh cheese. The stabilized fresh cheese was stored at 4°C overnight before being whipped to obtain a fresh cheese mousse. The stabilized fresh cheese mousse was whipped using a Kitchen Aid, at room temperature for 10 minutes with step 2 as whipping speed.

In the case of the dark chocolate pastry dessert, the dairy composition is a dark chocolate mousse. All the ingredients to prepare the dark chocolate mousse were mixed with a Thermomix at room temperature for 10 minutes to obtain a chocolate mixture. The resulting dark chocolate mixture was then heat-treated in the Thermomix at 90°C for 10 minutes. The heat-treated mixture was stored at 4°C overnight before being whipped to obtain a dark chocolate mousse. The dark chocolate mixture was whipped using a Kitchen Aid, at room temperature for 10 minutes with step 2 as whipping speed.

The dairy composition (fresh cheese mousse or chocolate mousse) was dosed into the glass jar onto the water-barrier layer, to obtain the dairy layer.

Example 5: Stability over shelf life (water activity, sensory and microbial analysis)

Storage tests were performed at 8°C for 28 days for the low-fat desserts of examples 1, 2 and 3. The objective of storage tests was to follow the evolution of the product during the test period. In particular, the water activity, microbiological parameters and some tastings were performed. For each dessert, evolution of the water activity of the biscuit, the water- barrier layer and the dairy layer were measured before assembling (D), 24 hours after assembling (D+l) and 28 days after assembling (D+28). The results are reported in Table 7 below. The water activity was measured with a dew point hygrometer with the dew point method described previously in the specification. In parallel, each layer was tasted to follow the sensory evolution over shelf life.

For the lemon pastry dessert, the water activity of the biscuit increased from 0.919 before assembling, to 0.935 after 24 hours of remaining in contact with the other layers, and to 0.968 at the end of shelf life. Despite the high water activity of the biscuit after 28 days of storage at 8°C, the biscuit was still dry (no water release in the container/jar) and the millet inclusions were perceived as crunchy. In the case of the lemon curd water-barrier layer, the changes of water activity were less important. It increased from 0.939 before assembling to 0.962 after 24 hours of storage of the composite product at 8°C and showed only a slight variation from 0.962 to 0.968 for the rest of the shelf life. Water activity of the fresh cheese mousse decreased from 0.987 to 0.960 and the fermented mousse was perceived as becoming thicker at the end of the shelf life.

For the coconut pastry dessert, water activity of the biscuit increased strongly from 0.447, before assembling, to 0.845 after assembling and 24 hours of storage at 8°C, and to 0.960 at the end of the shelf life. The biscuit was perceived as a bit soggy and a little bit crunchy/crispy. Hence, despite a high water activity, the biscuit remains crunchy. Water activity of the coconut water-barrier layer remained almost constant over shelf life. Despite the fact that no important changes of the coconut barrier were observed during the shelf life, the top dairy layer lost more water and the mousse of the coconut pastry dessert became drier than in the case of the lemon pastry dessert.

For the dark chocolate pastry dessert, the same observations as in the case of the coconut pastry dessert were made. However a higher product stability was observed and the chocolate biscuit was crispier at the end of shelf life than the coconut biscuit. The results showed that the three examples 1, 2 and 3 have a good microbiological stability and exhibit an acceptable microbiological profile over shelf life. Moreover, despite the high water activity of the biscuits of the three examples at the end of the shelf life, the biscuits of the three examples still exhibit crunchiness thanks to the millet grains.

Table 7 - Evolution of the water activity of the individual layers during shelf life

Pastry dessert Layer Aw (D) Aw (D+l) Aw (D+28)

Lemon Pastry 0.919 0.935 0.968

(Low fat Water-barrier 0.939 0.962 0.968 dessert of Dairy 0.987 0.986 (7 days) 0.960

Example 1)

Coconut Pastry 0.447 0.845 0.960

(Low fat Water-barrier 0.962 0.965 0.963 dessert of Dairy 0.987 0.986 (7 days) 0.973

Example 2)

Dark chocolate Pastry 0.385 0.809 0.941

(Low fat Water-barrier 0.947 0.952 0.952 dessert of Dairy 0.983 0.975 (4 days) 0.975 (14 days) Example 3) Microbiological analyses were also performed following standard methods in chilled food products. The three pastry desserts were tested to assess if the products remained safe for consumption over shelf life, 24 hours, 14 days and 28 days after assembling. The results are reported in tables 8 (lemon pastry dessert), 9 (coconut pastry dessert) and 10 (dark chocolate pastry dessert).

Table 8 - Lemon pastry dessert

Parameter +24 hours +14 days +28 days pH at 25°C 4.39 4.46 4.50

Bacillus cereus (cfu/g) <100 <100 <100

Enterobacteriacea (cfu/g) <10 <10 <10

Nonlactic contaminants (cfu/g) no no no

Table 9 - Coconut pastry dessert

Parameter +24 hours +14 days +28 days pH at 25°C 4.83 4.83 4.18

Bacillus cereus (cfu/g) <100 =100 <100

Enterobacteriacea (cfu/g) <10 <10 <10

Nonlactic contaminants (cfu/g) no no no

Table 10 - Dark chocolate pastry dessert

Parameter + 24 hours +14 days +28 days pH at 25°C 5.57 5.60 5.78

Bacillus cereus (cfu/g) <100 <100 <100

Enterobacteriacea (cfu/g) <10 <10 <10

Total count (cfu/g) 10 30 20

Example 6: Comparison of different inclusions

To enhance the texture contrast and prevent a crispiness loss due to syneresis, crispy/crunchy inclusions were added to the pastry layer. The selection of inclusions was based on two criteria: the crispiness/crunchiness and the fat content.

Among various crispy inclusions (e.g. fruit, biscuit, nut pieces, expanded cereals) almond pieces are performing the best in terms of texture contrast (firmness/brittleness) and texture preservation but they are characterized by a high fat content (Table 11). The reduced fat alternatives proposed were the chia seeds and the millet grains.

Table 11

Nuts Total Fat (%) Saturated Fat (%)

Sesame seeds 92.00 14.00

Macadamia nuts 70.00 12.33

Brazil nuts 66.67 15.00

Pecan nuts 66.67 6.00

Hazelnuts 63.33 4.67

Wild nuts 60.00 5.67

Sunflower seeds 51.00 4.50

Peanuts 46.67 6.33

Pistachio 46.67 5.67

Almonds 46.67 3.67

Pumpkin seeds 46.00 9.00

Cajou nuts 40.00 7.33

Chia seeds 29.10 3.30

Millet grains 4.20 0.30

The results of water activity measurements on biscuits (low fat biscuit recipe of example 1) prepared with millet grains (Panicum miliaceum), chia seeds or almond pieces are reported in Table 12. The same amount of 9.37% of inclusions was used in the three cases. The water activity was measured with a dew point hygrometer with the dew point method described previously in the specification.

Table 12

Type of inclusion Inclusions Fat content (%) Aw at 25°C

size (mm) Total fat SFA 7 days at 8°C 28 days at 8°C

Almond pieces 4-6 44.67 3.67 0.973 0.961

Hulled millet grain 2-4 4.20 0.30 0.974 0.959

Black chia seeds 1-2 29.10 3.30 0.970 0.964 After a storage of 28 days at 8°C, the biscuits prepared with the three types of inclusions did not show pronounced differences in terms of water activity. The apparent decrease of water activity might be related to the presence of inclusions within the biscuit characterized by different sizes. The most pronounced texture contrast was perceived for the biscuit containing the millet grain inclusions and the biscuit containing the almond pieces. The main disadvantage of the chia seeds is their small size which is less perceived in the mouth and thus provides less mouthfeel. The almond pieces have the disadvantage of providing too much fat.

Therefore, the millet grains are the best candidate to provide crunchiness to biscuits in multilayer desserts as described above, while keeping a low fat content.

Although the invention has been described by way of examples, it should be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.