Ready-to-eat fudge dessert

1. A method for preparing a heat processable fudge comprising: (a) homogenizing a blend comprising about 45 to about 60 percent water, about 15 to about 45 percent fat, about 1 to about 15 percent non-fat dry milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.1 to about 3 percent lecithin, and about 0.1 to about 20 percent water binder to form an emulsion; (b) heating the emulsion at a temperature and time sufficient for pasteurization; and (c) allowing the emulsion to cool to form a solid fudge comprising from about 45 to about 60 percent water.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the water binder is selected from the group consisting of cocoa, starch, modified starch, gums, fibers, maltodextrin, and combinations thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fudge is a chocolate fudge; wherein the blend contains about 45 to about 60 percent water, about 15 to about 45 percent fat, about 1 to 15 percent non-fat dried milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.1 to about 3 percent lecithin, about 0.5 to about 20 percent water binder, 0 to about 45 percent sugar, 0 to about 1 percent artificial sweetener, and 0 to about 1 percent flavoring; wherein the water binder is cocoa; and wherein the emulsion has a pH of about 6.4 to about 7.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the blend contains about 45 to about 55 percent water, about 20 to about 30 percent fat, about 2 to 10 percent non-fat dried milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.2 to about 1.5 percent lecithin, about 5 to about 15 percent water binder, about 5 to about 15 percent sugar, 0 to about 0.3 percent artificial sweetener, and 0 to about 0.3 percent flavoring; and

wherein the emulsion has a pH of about 6.6 to about 6.8.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fudge is a non-chocolate fudge; wherein the blend contains about 45 to about 60 percent water, about 15 to about 45 percent fat, about 1 to 15 percent non-fat dried milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.1 to about 3 percent lecithin, about 0.1 to about 5 percent water binder, 0 to about 45 percent sugar, 0 to about 1 percent artificial sweetener, and 0 to about 1 percent flavoring; wherein the water binder is a modified starch; and wherein the emulsion has a pH of about 6.4 to about 7.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the blend contains about 45 to about 55 percent water, about 20 to about 30 percent fat, about 1 to 10 percent non-fat dried milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.2 to about 1.5 percent lecithin, about 2 to about 4 percent water binder, about 10 to about 25 percent sugar, 0 to about 0.5 percent artificial sweetener, and 0 to about 0.5 percent flavoring; and

wherein the emulsion has a pH of about 6.6 to about 6.8.

7. A method for preparing an ultra high temperature processable chocolate fudge comprising: (a) homogenizing a blend comprising about 45 to about 60 percent water, about 15 to about 45 percent fat, about 1 to about 15 percent non-fat dry milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.1 to about 3 percent lecithin, and about 0.1 to about 20 percent cocoa to form an emulsion; (b) heating the emulsion under ultra high temperature conditions of about 250 to about 300° F. for at least about 15 seconds; and (c) allowing the emulsion to cool to form a solid chocolate fudge comprising from about 45 to about 60 weight percent water, wherein the emulsion has a pH of about 6.4 to about 7.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 , wherein the blend comprises about 45 to about 55 percent water, about 20 to about 30 percent fat, about 2 to 10 percent non-fat dried milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.2 to about 1.5 percent lecithin, about 5 to about 15 percent cocoa, about 5 to about 15 percent sugar, 0 to about 0.3 percent artificial sweetener, and 0 to about 0.3 percent flavoring; and

wherein the emulsion has a pH of about 6.6 to about 6.8.

9. A method for preparing an ultra high temperature processable non-chocolate fudge comprising: (a) homogenizing a blend comprising about 45 to about 60 percent water, about 15 to about 45 percent fat, about 1 to 15 percent non-fat dried milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.1 to about 3 percent lecithin, about 0.1 to about 5 percent modified starch, 0 to about 45 percent sugar, 0 to about 1 percent artificial sweetener, and 0 to about 1 percent flavoring; (b) heating the emulsion under ultra high temperature conditions of about 250 to about 300° F. for at least about 15 seconds; and (c) allowing the emulsion to cool to form a solid non- chocolate fudge comprising from about the same amount of water as the blend prior to heating the blend, wherein the emulsion has a pH of about 6.4 to about 7.

10. The method as defined in claim 9 , wherein the blend comprises about 45 to about 55 percent water, about 20 to about 30 percent fat, about 1 to 10 percent non-fat dried milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.2 to about 1.5 percent lecithin, about 2 to about 4 percent modified starch, about 10 to about 25 percent sugar, 0 to about 0.5 percent artificial sweetener, and 0 to about 0.5 percent flavoring; and wherein the emulsion has a pH of about 6.6 to about 6.8.

11. A self-supporting fudge comprising about 45 to about 60 percent water, about 15 to about 45 percent fat, about 1 to about 15 percent non-fat dry milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.1 to about 3 percent lecithin, and about 0.1 to about 20 percent water binder, wherein the fudge has been cooled from a flowable heat processable fudge blend comprising from about 45 to about 60 percent water and which has been pasteurized at about 250 to about 300° F. for at least about 15 seconds and the heat processable fudge blend being cooled to provide a self-supporting fudge at room temperature.

12. The fudge according to claim 11 , wherein the water binder is selected from the group consisting of cocoa, starch, modified starch, gums, fibers, maltodextrin, and combinations thereof.

13. The fudge according to claim 11 , wherein the fudge is a chocolate fudge comprising about 45 to about 60 percent water, about 15 to about 45 percent fat, about 1 to 15 percent non-fat dried milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.1 to about 3 percent lecithin, about 0.5 to about 20 percent water binder, 0 to about 45 percent sugar, 0 to about 1 percent artificial sweetener, and 0 to about 1 percent flavoring; wherein the water binder is cocoa; and wherein the fudge has a pH of about 6.4 to about 7.

14. The fudge according to claim 13 , wherein the chocolate fudge comprises about 45 to about 55 percent water, about 20 to about 30 percent fat, about 2 to 10 percent non-fat dried milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.2 to about 1.5 percent lecithin, about 5 to about 15 percent water binder, about 5 to about 15 percent sugar, 0 to about 0.3 percent artificial sweetener, and 0 to about 0.3 percent flavoring; and wherein the fudge has a pH of about 6.6 to about 6.8.

15. The fudge according to claim 11 , wherein the fudge is a non-chocolate fudge comprising about 45 to about 60 percent water, about 15 to about 45 percent fat, about 1 to 15 percent non-fat dried milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.1 to about 3 percent lecithin, about 0.1 to about 5 percent water binder, 0 to about 45 percent sugar, 0 to about 1 percent artificial sweetener, and 0 to about 1 percent flavoring; wherein the water binder is a modified starch; and wherein the fudge has a pH of about 6.4 to about 7.

16. The fudge according to claim 15 , wherein the non-chocolate fudge comprises about 45 to about 55 percent water, about 20 to about 30 percent fat, about 1 to 10 percent non-fat dried milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.2 to about 1.5 percent lecithin, about 2 to about 4 percent water binder, about 10 to about 25 percent sugar, 0 to about 0.5 percent artificial sweetener, and 0 to about 0.5 percent flavoring; and wherein the fudge has a pH of about 6.6 to about 6.8.

17. The fudge according to claim 11 , wherein the heat processable fudge is pasteurized under ultra high temperature conditions.

18. The fudge according to claim 12 , wherein the heat processable fudge is pasteurized under ultra high temperature conditions.

19. The fudge according to claim 14 , wherein the heat processable fudge is pasteurized under ultra high temperature conditions.

20. The fudge according to claim 16 , wherein the heat processable fudge is pasteurized under ultra high temperature conditions.

21. A method for preparing a self-supporting fudge, the method comprising: (a) homogenizing a blend comprising about 45 to about 60 percent water, about 15 to about 45 percent fat, about 1 to about 15 percent non-fat dry milk or equivalent milk protein, about 0.1 to about 3 percent lecithin, and about 0.1 to about 20 percent water binder to form an emulsion; (b) heating the emulsion at a temperature and time sufficient for pasteurization in a closed system; and (c) allowing the emulsion to cool to form a self-supporting fudge comprising about the same amount of water as the emulsion prior to pasteurization.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the closed system is a scraped surface heat exchanger.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the emulsion is pasteurized at about 250 to about 300° F. for at least about 15 seconds and then is cooled to provide a self-supporting fudge at room temperature.