Claims
- 1. A method for making hard pretzels comprising:
- a. sufficiently immersion cooking pretzel dough in caustic solution to form a caramelized surface layer;
- b. transporting the cooked and caramelized dough through a spray zone of the caustic solution wherein said cooked and caramelized dough is homogeneously coated on its outer surface with said caustic solution;
- c. sprinkling flaked salt over the cooked and coated dough; and
- d. hard-baking the cooked and coated dough into the hard pretzels;
- said coating step being sufficient to improve retention of flaked salt and darker coloring at lower pH in the hard pretzels than if step (b) had been omitted.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the caustic solution is maintained at 195.degree. F. to 200.degree. F.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the caustic solution contains from about 1% to 1.5% by weight sodium hydroxide.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the salt is sprinkled in an amount of 6% to 8% by weight of the pretzels.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the hard-baked pretzels are at a pH of 8.4 to 8.5.
- 6. An improved method for making hard pretzels from immersion cooked dough, salted with flaked salt comprising:
- spraying surface-caramelized immersion cooked dough with an effective amount of caustic cooking solution prior to application of said salt;
- applying said salt onto said sprayed and immersion cooked dough;
- and hard-baking the salted and immersion cooked dough while retaining improved weight percent flaked salt and darker coloring at lower pH for the hard pretzels.
- 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the caustic solution contains from about 1% to about 1.5% caustic by weight, at 195.degree. F. to 200.degree. F., and the flaked salt is applied in an amount of from about 6% to 8% by weight of the pretzels while 3% by weight of said pretzels is retained in the final product.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 07/845,396 filed on Mar. 3, 1992, now abandoned.
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
S. A. Matz, 1972, Bakery Technology and Engineering The AVI Publishing Company, Inc. Westport, Conn. pp. 218-220. |
D. K. Tressler, et al. 1975 Food Products Formulary vol. 2 Cereals, Baked Goods, Dairy and Egg Products AVI Publishing Company, Inc. Westport, Conn. pp. 167 and 168. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
845396 |
Mar 1992 |
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