2001 Grained and Ungrained Confections - staging.files.cms.plus.com

Grained and Ungrained Confections
Invertase is an
enzyme that under
the right
conditions
specifically breaks
down sugar into
its two simple
sugars, dextrose
and fructose.
The sugar crystals are made by milling standard
sugar to give particles in the range of
6–30 microns, and generally are supplied
as dry fondant, containing eight parts of
sugar and one part of dry corn syrup or dextrin
solids.
The dry fondant is then mixed with sufficient
syrup. Often this is just corn syrup
and water, but generally also containing
butter and/or vegetable fat to give a paste
of the required consistency and moisture
content. They are mixed at the correct
extrusion temperature, 95°–100°F. The
enzyme invertase is added and mixed in
thoroughly, followed by color and flavor.
The paste is then extruded into ropes that
are cut into the correct lengths by a wire
or vibrating blade, as the ropes leave the
extruder nozzles. The units drop onto a
plastic-coated canvas band which conveys
them through a cooling tunnel and then
onto a bottomer and enrober to be covered
in chocolate. After 2–3 weeks, the
invertase in the center breaks down the
sugar to produce a soft, shelf-stable creme.
A typical recipe for extruded cremes is
shown in Figure 12.
As with most confections there are
numerous recipes used, including those
containing special starches, crystalline fructose
and a whipping agent.
The role of invertase in fondant and
creme technology has already been mentioned
under moulded fondants and is essential
in the manufacture of soft extruded ones.
It is important that we understand how it
works and what we have to do to ensure
that it does. Invertase is an enzyme that
Extruded Creme Recipe
Dry fondant 83.7%
Butter 4.0%
Water 10.0%
Vegetable fat 2.0%
Invertase
Color and flavor as desired
Figure 12
0.3%
under the right conditions specifically breaks
down sugar into its two simple sugars, dextrose
and fructose, making available the very
soluble fructose to dissolve in the syrup and
increase its soluble solids to a stable 75–76
percent, lowering its water activity to below
0.65.When it is used in fondant, the amount
of sugar crystals is reduced as the fructose
goes into solution and the fondant softens to
a creme texture.
Several factors have to be controlled to
make invertase work properly to give a stable,
soft-textured product:
Water
Sufficient water is needed in the deposited
fondant or extruded creme, but not so
much that there is not enough sugar to
break down and raise the soluble solids
and reduce the water activity to below 0.65.
Invertase to some extent is automatic in
that if there is enough water and sugar
solids present it will continue breaking
down the sugar until the water activity
drops to 0.68–0.7, when inversion slows
down or stops.
Temperature
Invertase starts to be deactivated at 140°F,
slowly at first but as the temperature rises,
more rapidly. Above 180°F it loses most
of its ability to invert sugar. This is not a
problem with extruded cremes, which are
formed at 95°–100°F, but does limit the
depositing temperature of moulded fondants
to 165°–170°F. The storage temperature
after the cremes are packed is also
important. If they are put directly into
cold storage, this will inhibit the invertase
from doing its job, and potentially result in
unstable, unsaleable rocks.
Extruded cremes are sometimes
regarded as too coarse in texture compared
with deposited ones. This can give them a
lower-quality image.This is the result of
using an impact-milled sugar powder, which ➤
50 55 th PMCA Production Conference, 2001