Method for producing a confectionery product

1. A method of producing an aerated confectionery product, said method comprising (a) depositing a first aerated confectionery mass having air bubbles by allowing it to flow from a discharge outlet of a depositor into one or more mold cavities having bottom surfaces in a mold to form a first layer of the first aerated confectionery mass in the one or more mold cavities essentially covering the bottom surfaces, the flow of the first aerated confectionery mass effective to maintain the air bubbles in the first aerated confectionery mass, (b) depositing at least one particulate material on the first layer of the first aerated confectionery mass in the one or more mold cavities to create a layer of at least one particulate material on or extending into first layer of the first aerated confectionery mass in the one or mold cavities; and (c) depositing a second aerated confectionery mass having air bubbles by allowing it to flow from the discharge outlet of the depositor into the one or mold cavities to form a second layer of the second aerated confectionery mass covering the layer of the at least one particulate material to form the aerated confectionery product, the flow of the second aerated confectionery mass effective to maintain the air bubbles in the second aerated confectionery mass, wherein the first and second aerated confectionery masses may be the same or different, wherein the first layer of first aerated confectionery mass can be formed by one or more depositions as in step (a), wherein the second layer of the second aerated confectionery mass can be formed by one or more depositions as in step (c), wherein the layer of at least one particulate material can be formed by one or more depositions as in step (b), wherein the air bubbles of the first and second aerated confectionery masses are maintained in the aerated confectionery product, wherein the depositing of the first and second aerated confectionery masses in steps (a) and (c) is controlled by a shut-off point being located at an inner surface of the discharge outlet for permitting a predetermined amount of the aerated confectionery product to pass through the discharge outlet and being positioned adjacent the discharge outlet for restricting formation of aerated confectionery product tails after shut-off, and wherein the discharge outlet is spaced at a clearance of less than 20 mm from an upper rim of the mold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second aerated confectionery masses are deposited as micro-aerated masses.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second aerated confectionery masses are aerated chocolate masses.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first and second aerated confectionery masses are aerated chocolate masses.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the particulate material is selected from the group consisting of nuts, raisins, rice crisps, wafers, cake, biscuits, and mixtures thereof, wherein the nuts, raisins, or rice crisps are whole or pieces thereof and the waiters, cake, and biscuits are crumbs or pieces thereof.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the particulate material is selected from the group consisting of nuts, raisins, rice crisps, wafers, cake, biscuits, and mixtures thereof, wherein the nuts, raisins, or rice crisps are whole or pieces thereof and the waiters, cake, and biscuits are crumbs or pieces thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aerated confectionery product contains about 20 to about 40 wt % of the first aerated confectionery mass, about 10 to 30 wt % of the particulate material, and about 40 to 60 wt % of the second aerated confectionery mass.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the aerated confectionery product contains about 20 to about 40 wt % of the first aerated confectionery mass, about 10 to 30 wt % of the particulate material, and about 40 to 60 wt % of the second aerated confectionery mass.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the aerated confectionery product contain about 20 to about 40 wt % of the first aerated confectionery mass, about 10 to 30 wt % of the particulate material, and about 40 to 60 wt % of the second aerated confectioner mass.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one or both of the first and second layers are deposited as one or more strips having a width in the range of 5 mm to 500 mm or a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 100 mm.

11. the method of claim at least one or both of the first and second are deposited as one or more strips having a width in the range of 5 mm to 500 mm or a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 100 mm.

12. The method of claim 4 , wherein at least one or both of the first and second layers are deposited as one or more strips having a width in the range of 5 mm to 500 mm or a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 100 mm.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one or both of the first and second layers are deposited as one or more strips having a width in the range of 5 mm to 500 mm or a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 100 mm.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least one or both of the first and second layers are deposited as one or more strips having a width in the range of 5 mm to 500 mm or a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 100 mm.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more molds are moved relative to an apparatus for depositing the first aerated confectionery mass, the at least one particulate material, and the second aerated confectionery mass.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more molds are moved relative to an apparatus for depositing the first aerated confectionery mass, the at least one particulate material, and the second aerated confectionery mass.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more molds are moved relative to an apparatus for depositing the first aerated confectionery mass, the at least one particulate material, and the second aerated confectionery mass.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the apparatus has at least one discharge first outlet for depositing the first aerated confectionery mass and at least one discharge second outlet for depositing the second aerated confections and wherein the first and second outlets are spaced at a clearance of less than 20 mm from an upper rim of the mold.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the apparatus has at least one discharge first outlet for depositing the first aerated confectionery mass and at least one discharge second outlet for depositing the second aerated confections and wherein the first and second outlets are spaced at a clearance of less than 20 mm from an upper rim of the mold.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the apparatus has at least one discharge first outlet for depositing the first aerated confectionery mass and at least one discharge second outlet for depositing the second aerated confections and wherein the first and second outlets are spaced at a clearance of less than 20 mm from an upper rim of the mold.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the clearance between the upper rim of the mold and the first and second outlets is 2 mm to 10 mm.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the clearance between the upper rim of the mold and the first and second outlets is 2 mm to 10 mm.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the clearance between the upper rim of the mold and the first and second outlets is 2 mm to 10 mm.

24. A method of producing a confectionery product, the method comprising:

(a) depositing at least one aerated confectionery mass by allowing it to flow into a mold through at least one slit-shaped discharge outlet;

(b) depositing at least one particulate material in or on the deposited confectionery mass; and

(c) repeating step (a) at least once,

wherein the method does not include shaking or vibrating the molds to distribute the aerated confectionery mass in the mold, wherein the depositing in steps (a) and (c) is controlled by a shut-off point being located at an inner surface of the discharge outlet for permitting a predetermined amount of the confectionery product to pass through the discharge outlet and being positioned adjacent the discharge outlet for restricting formation of confectionery product tails after shut-off, and wherein the at least one slit-shaped discharge outlet is spaced at a clearance of less than 20 mm from an upper rim of the mold.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the slit-shaped discharge outlet has a width of 0.5 to 3 mm.

26. A method of producing a confectionery product, the method comprising:

(a) depositing at least one aerated confectionery mass by allowing it to flow into a mold through at least one slit-shaped discharge outlet such that shearing forces are substantially avoided;

(b) depositing at least one particulate material in or on the deposited aerated confectionery mass; and

(c) repeating step (a) at least once to provide the confectionery product,

wherein the method does not include shaking or vibrating the molds to distribute the aerated confectionery mass in the mold, wherein the depositing in steps (a) and (c) is controlled by a shut-off point being located at an inner surface of the discharge outlet for permitting a predetermined amount of the confectionery product to pass through the discharge outlet and being positioned adjacent the discharge outlet for restricting formation of confectionery product tails after shut-off, and the at least one slit-shaped discharge outlet is spaced at a clearance of less than 20 mm from an upper rim of the mold, and wherein the confectionery product has an aeration level of 8 to 13 percent.