CENTER-FILLED CONFECTIONERY PRODUCTS

1 . A confectionery product comprising a hard confectionery shell surrounding a filling, the hard confectionery shell comprising a plurality of segments having different colors, wherein the filling is selected from the group consisting of a liquid, a paste, a powder, a hard confectionery and combinations thereof.

2 . The confectionery product of claim 1 , wherein the filling comprises a component selected from the group consisting of a chocolate, compound coating, cocoa powder, cocoa liquor and combinations thereof.

3 . The confectionery product of claim 1 , wherein the filling comprises a component selected from the group consisting of fondant, caramel, nougat and combinations thereof.

4 . The confectionery product of claim 1 , wherein the filling comprises a component selected from the group consisting of peanut butter, nut paste and combinations thereof.

5 . The confectionery product of claim 1 , wherein the filling comprises a fruit-based product.

6 . The confectionery product of claim 5 , wherein the fruit-based product is selected from the group consisting of fruit pieces, freeze dried fruit, drum dried fruit, infused fruit, crushed fruit, squeezed fruit, fruit extract, fruit oil, fruit paste, fruit powder, fruit particulates, fruit juice and combinations thereof.

7 . The confectionery product of any of the preceding claims, wherein the segments of the hard confectionery shell have varying widths.

8 . The confectionery product of claim 1 , wherein the hard confectionery shell comprises at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of malted products, sweeteners, flavors, colors, sensates, acids, medicaments, actives and combinations thereof.

9 . The confectionery product of claim 1 , wherein the filling comprises at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of malted products, sensates, medicaments, actives and combinations thereof.

10 . The confectionery product of claim 1 , wherein the confectionery product comprises little or no trans fat.

11 . The confectionery product of claim 1 , wherein the confectionery product comprises little or no saturated fat.

12 . The confectionery product of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the group consisting of the hard confectionery shell, the filling and combinations thereof comprises a texture changing ingredient selected from the group consisting of acids, enzymes and combinations thereof.

13 . A method of making a hard center-filled confectionery product, the method comprising:

dispensing a first confectionery through a first outer passage of a nozzle;

dispensing a second confectionery through a second outer passage of the nozzle, the second confectionery comprising at least one different characteristic from the first confectionery;

dispensing a filling through an inner chamber of the nozzle; and

co-depositing the first confectionery, the second confectionery and the filling, wherein the first confectionery and the second confectionery form a plurality of adjacent segments that completely surround the filling.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of color, flavor, texture, moisture content, fat content and combinations thereof.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the filling is selected from the group consisting of a liquid, a paste, a powder, a hard confectionery and combinations thereof.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the filling comprises a component selected from the group consisting of a chocolate, compound coating, cocoa powder, cocoa liquor and combinations thereof.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the filling comprises a component selected from the group consisting of fondant, caramel, nougat and combinations thereof.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the filling comprises a component selected from the group consisting of peanut butter, nut paste and combinations thereof.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the filling comprises a fruit-based product selected from the group consisting of fruit pieces, freeze dried fruit, drum dried fruit, infused fruit, crushed fruit, squeezed fruit, fruit extract, fruit oil, fruit paste, fruit powder, fruit particulates, fruit juice and combinations thereof.

20 . A method of making a hard center-filled confectionery product, the method comprising:

dispensing a plurality of streams of a first confectionery in fluid form through corresponding first outer passages of a nozzle;

dispensing a plurality of streams of a second confectionery in fluid form through corresponding second outer passages of the nozzle, the second confectionery comprising at least one different characteristic from the first confectionery;

dispensing a filling through an inner chamber of the nozzle; and

depositing a portion of the first confectionery streams and the second confectionery streams into a mould;

depositing the filling on top of the portion of the first confectionery streams and the second confectionery streams; and

depositing the first confectionery streams and the second confectionery streams in the mould to form a plurality of adjacent segments that completely surround the filling.

21 . The method of claim 20 further comprising cooling the first confectionery streams and the second confectionery streams in the mould.

22 . A method of making a hard center-filled confectionery product, the method comprising:

partially enrobing a filling within a confectionery shell using a concentric nozzle, the confectionery shell comprising a plurality of segments having different characteristics;

depositing the partially enrobed filling in a cavity of a mould;

completely enrobing the filling component within the confectionery shell; and

setting the confectionery shell within the mould cavity to form the hard center-filled confectionery product.