APPLICATION
Panning of a confectionery center with a soft sugar coating
The soft-coated dragée results from the coating of a centre with successive layers of sugar syrup and sugar powder. Ingredients and methods vary depending on capacity and purpose.
BASE
Core products
Cores are typically hard or soft, chewy centres.
RECIPE
Ingredients
A coating syrup is prepared with the following:
- Sugar
- Glucose syrup
- Water
- Colours and flavours
Refined powder sugar is added to form the bulk of the shell.
The glucose percentage is critical to provide the sticking and binding layer for the solid sugar particles.
PROCESS
How does it work?
The process is a batch operation with successive syrup and powdered sugar additions. The syrup is added to provide a fine sticking film on which the powder sugar will adhere, melt partially, and form a cohesive layer.
The dry sugar absorbs the moisture. No dry air is used. The total process time is quick – 1 to 2 hours.
After coating, the product must be stored in a stove at a regulated temperature and moisture during 12 – 24 hours to finalize the crystallization.
1.
Wetting of the centre with the syrup, dispersion
2.
Application of
sugar powder
3.
Dispersion
crystallization
4.
Repeat sugar addition to absorb the moisture
5.
Repeat operations 1 to 4
PROCESS
Coating system
The operation occurs in a coating pan.
The revolution of the pan causes a smooth tumbling effect. Baffles can enhance mixing.
Coating pans have ball or cylinder shapes, offering small 50 – 250 kg to large 250 – 3000 kg capacities.
The syrup application occurs by dribbling or spraying.
PROCESS
Coating system
Systems of various shapes – ball, cylinder – and sizes are used. The process can be made continuously in a large tumbler where the product progression is controlled and is successively coated with syrup and powdered sugar.
PRODUCT EVALUATION
How do you measure your success?
Key quality features
The check is essentially visual.
Surface aspect
Even the smooth aspect, showing no cracks, bumps, or missing coating, is rougher than hard-panned dragée.
Product integrity
The core should be broken, deformed, and sheared in the early processing stage. The body, and she’ll stay softer to the bite than hard panning dragée.
Stability
The residual moisture is higher, but the product must not show stickiness (vitreous transition) or spots (fat).
Key quality parameters
The key features to take into consideration.
Core product
Core type, shape, and dimensions.
Sugar
Sugar syrup, concentration, temperature, crystallization speed.
Design and operation
Pan type, shape, and dimensions. Air conditions, temperature, RH, velocity. Time sequences.
How to tackle a project?
Do you want to develop or improve the coating of a food product? Or do you have a problem that we can solve with a coating application?
First, write the brief, and define the purpose of the coating: aspect, texture, taste, flavour, preservation, and functionality.
Core product
What is the core centre to coat? Composition, size, shape, texture, moisture, bulk density.
Ingredients
Are they specific ingredients to apply, or are you looking for the right ingredients?
How does it work?
Upstream
Where does the core product come from? How is it shaped?
Coating process
Is there an existing process, or are you seeking a technical solution?
Downstream
A finishing step is probably required to stabilize and give its characteristics to the coated product.
Step 1
Upstream
Forming process
Step 2
Application of sugar powder
Step 3
Downstream
Finishing process
Step 4
Repeat sugar addition to absorb the moisture
Step 5
Repeat operations 1 to 4
Coating system
The challenge is to reproduce at a larger scale what has been done manually in the kitchen or at the bench scale. What operating principle to choose: band, pan, tumbler with dipping, dribbling, dispersing, spraying.
Coating system
If existing, what are the coating system characteristics? Type, capacity, making. Any picture, documentation, or reference of it? Where to source it?
How do you measure your success?
Key quality features
The check is essentially visual.
Surface aspect
Even smooth aspect, showing no cracks, bumps, or missing coating, is rougher than hard-panned dragée.
Product integrity
The core should be broken, deformed, and sheared in the early process stage. The body and she’ll stay softer to the bite than hard panning dragée.
Stability
The residual moisture is higher, but the product must not show stickiness (vitreous transition) or spots (fat).
Key quality parameters
The key features to take into consideration
Core product
Core type, shape, and dimensions.
Sugar
Sugar syrup, concentration, temperature, crystallization speed.
Design and operation
Pan type, shape, and dimensions. Air conditions, temperature, RH, velocity. Time sequences.