NOVEL FROZEN CONFECTION ARCHITECTURE AND PROCESS OF PREPARATION
The present invention relates to a structurally stable frozen confection product comprising from two to eight frozen confection streams rippled in the longitudinal direction, wherein the frozen confection stream ripples form a longitudinal repeat unit comprising a ripple of each frozen confection stream and the frozen confection product comprises from three to eight repeat units and the longitudinal rotational axes of the ripples are spaced apart from each other. Furthermore, the invention relates to a process for the preparation of the structurally stable frozen confection product.
1 . A frozen confection stick product comprising from two to eight frozen confection streams rippled in the longitudinal direction, wherein the frozen confection stream ripples form a longitudinal repeat unit comprising a ripple of each frozen confection stream, the frozen confection product comprises from three to eight repeat units, and the longitudinal axes of the frozen confection stream ripples are not coaxial.
2 . A frozen confection product according to claim 1 , wherein from 20% to 80% of the surface area of each rippled frozen confection stream is in contact with at least two alternative frozen confection streams.
3 . A frozen confection product according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal rotational axis of each rippled frozen confection stream does not coincide with the longitudinal axis of the frozen confection product.
4 . A frozen confection product according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the longitudinal length of the repeat unit to the diameter of the frozen confection stream is from 1.0:1.0 to 3.0:1.0.
5 . A frozen confection product according to claim 1 , wherein the frozen confection of the frozen confection streams is selected from ice cream and water ice.
6 . A frozen confection product according to claim 1 , wherein the frozen confection product comprises three frozen confection streams.
7 . A frozen confection product according to claim 6 , wherein the frozen confection product comprises two water ice frozen confection streams and one ice cream frozen confection stream.
8 . A process for the preparation of a frozen confection product according to claim 1 comprising the steps of:
a. Passing a continuous flow of from two to eight frozen confections through a stationary nozzle comprising two to eight passageways and corresponding nozzle inlets and outlets;
b. Extruding the frozen confections onto a moving conveyor belt to form rippled streams of frozen confection; and,
c. Cutting the extrudate of step b. positioned on the conveyor to form a frozen confection product.
d. Inserting a stick into the frozen confection product of step c.
9 . A process for the preparation of a frozen confection product according to claim 8 , wherein the frozen confection product of step c. is cooled.
10 . A process for the preparation of a frozen confection product according to claim 8 , wherein a stick is inserted into one end of the frozen confection product of c.
11 . A process for the preparation of a frozen confection product according to claim 8 , wherein the outlets of the nozzle have the same diameter.
12 . A process for the preparation of a frozen confection product according to claim 8 , wherein the outlets of the nozzles are disposed in an equilateral triangular configuration.