Baking & Snack - April 2014 - 89

FORMULATION
Ingredient App

Water-based chocolate fillings save calories and help create ...

Soft-Centered Snacks

by Laurie Gorton

Americans love chocolate. So, why don't more snack
cakes and other baked foods feature chocolate fillings,
especially the soft, pudding-like ones that have such
great kid appeal?
The reason: Typical chocolate fillings dry out the
crumb significantly over time when used in small-sized
snack cakes and similar items. "Chocolate represents
only 4% of the ready-to-use fillings market in the US,"
said Jo Libens, senior product manager, fillings, Puratos
NV/SA, Groot-Bijgaarden, Belgium.
Blame water activity. In foods, water naturally moves
from wetter areas to drier ones, from the moister crumb
into the drier fillings. Fat-based fillings are particularly
troublesome because they contain so little water anyway.
Puratos introduced the Cremfil Ultim line of white
and dark chocolate fillings to solve such problems. The
water-based fillings contain 25% real chocolate yet hold
their moisture to allow preparation of baked snacks with
injected soft centers. "The ability to maintain an ideal
crumb structure and filling properties throughout the
whole value chain until consumption is a real breakthrough," Mr. Libens said.
By controlling the water activity of the fillings, the
freshness of soft bakery and pastry items improves
markedly. For example, soft chocolate-filled buns -
a familiar snack in Europe - harden 40% less with
Cremfil Ultim fillings than those with
fat-based fillings when measured after one month. The texture of the
filling stays soft and creamy
throughout the finished
product's shelf life.
In the US, sweet
goods such as muffins, cupcakes and
snack bars are the
main targets for soft
chocolate fillings. These
categories already account
for about 25% of the US market for ready-to-use fillings
and are well-positioned for
growth. "These types of products are in line with the 'meal mobility' and 'snacking on the go' trends

identified in our recent Taste Tomorrow Consumer
Forecast," Mr. Libens observed.
Softness is the key benefit to the new chocolate line.
Soft chocolate centers are an emerging trend for many
types of cakes, muffins, croissants and cookies, according to Mr. Libens. Fillings, particularly chocolate ones,
reinforce the indulgent perception of bakery snacks.
But there are also calorie savings to be earned. These
water-based fillings contain less than 10% fat. "A typical
'white and fluffy' filling has approximately 20% fat and
460 Cal per 100 g," Mr. Libens said. "The Cremfil Ultim
Chocolate, with only 9% fat and 300 Cal per 100 g, reduces the fat and calorie content of the filling by 55%
and 35%, respectively."
Because water-based fillings have fewer calories than
the crumb on an equal weight basis, the finished filled
product carries lower calorie counts than unfilled items.
Cremfil Ultim fillings are already being produced at
the company's US manufacturing facility in Pennsauken,
NJ. Puratos is about to install a state-of-the-art line to
increase capacity and allow preparation of additional
flavors and those made without artificial preservatives.
Fillings are no small matter for Puratos, a worldwide
bakery ingredients supplier with US offices at Cherry
Hill, NJ. It produces nearly half of its fillings as customtailored solutions, shipped in bulk totes and containers. Mr. Libens said that more commercial bakers are
moving away from in-house prep in favor of
prepared fillings. For more information,
visit www.puratos.us.

Muffins injected
with water-based
chocolate filling
remain fresh and
moist throughout
their shelf life.
Puratos

www.bakingandsnack.com / April 2014 Baking & Snack 89

http://www.puratos.us http://www.bakingandsnack.com

Baking & Snack - April 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baking & Snack - April 2014