A CONFECTIONERY FOOD ITEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to food items. More particularly, although not exclusively, it discloses a novel form of high energy snack food or confectionery.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

While energy snack foods based on chocolate are well known it is an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved high energy confectioneiy item which is formulated using coffee.

It is considered that a coffee based confectioneiy item according to this invention would provide an improved form of high energy snack food or at least provide the public with a wider choice of such products. It may also provide an edible form of coffee for convenient consumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly the invention in one broad aspect discloses a high energy confectioneiy food which includes by weight a crystalline sweetener or a substitute therefore in the range of about 10% to 80%, a vegetable fat in the range of about 10% to 50%, roasted and ground coffee beans in the range of

about 1% to 30%, milk powder in the range of about 0% to 40% and an emulsifϊer in the range of about 0.1% to 3%.

Preferably said food confection further includes a flavour enhancer such as vanilla or the like.

It is further preferred that said crystalline sweetener comprises sucrose, dextrose, fructose or the like.

It is further preferred that said vegetable fat includes cocoa butter or equivalent, a cocoa butter substitute or hydrogenated palm oil or the like.

It is further preferred that said milk powder is in the form of full cream, skim or whey.

It is further preferred that said emulsifier comprise lecithin or the like.

It is further preferred that said substitute comprises a low kilojoule bulking agent such as isomalt and a high intensity sweetener such as sucralose so as to give a sugar flee or low kilojoule alternative.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In accordance with the currently preferred example of the invention the aforementioned dry ingredients are milled with a roll mill or similar device in accordance with known methods to achieve sufficiently reduced particle size for a smooth mouth feel, mixed with fats at a temperature of about 40 C to 50 C and then further refined in a conehe.

Alternatively the said ingredients can be combined at about 40 C to 50 C and refined in a ball mill or universal refiner until a sufficiently reduced particle size is obtained to give a smooth mouth feel.

The mixture can then be moulded to form a confectionery item in itself or applied as a coating to enhance another food item and allowed to cool and set.

It has been found that the resulting snack food has the same texture and mouth feel as existing chocolate based confections but with the flavour and aroma of coffee.

While the invention has been described with reference to the currently preferred embodiment it is to be understood that the foregoing is offered primarily for the purpose of illustration. Clearly a wide range of variations to the formulation and method of production described herein may be made according to product requirements and/or following further development work by the inventor without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.