Hi everyone,
we are making cream cracker for the first time. In our experiments we get a hard one that doesn't melt in your mouth; there was little air between the layers.
We would like to get a delicate layered texture, like«Mayora» - ROMA Cream cracker. Maybe someone will tell us the recipe or features of production technology like product at the photo.
Daryna, I will prepare a description of the equipment / process and some recipes and send shortly.
Iain Davidson
Hello Daryna
Some ideas and questions you might want to check. I'd be glad if you could provide more info on questions below.
Do you use sponge and dough or all-in method? Is your mixing time and final sponge temperature adequate? Are you using fresh yeast and/or enzymes? Are you respecting fermentation time (or laytime in case of enzymes), temperature and %RH? Do you have a fermentation chamber? Does your line have a layer forming unit (laminator)? Are you using dust between the dough layers? What are the ingredients in the dust powder? Is there enough fat in dust? Some use a little bit of ammonium bicarbonate as dust ingredient. Is there enough fat in the dust (not oil)? Are you using proportion 2 : 1 (or up to 2,5 : 1,0)as reduction ratio in gauging rolls? Try providing more heat and/or increase extraction in 2 first zones.
Regards
Jose
Hello Jose,
We already tested both methods: sponge and dough and all-in methods. They differ only in taste and aroma. The taste of yeast is pronounced in the "sponge and dough" method. That`s why we decided use all-in method.
Mixing time for dough is 13 min, dough temperature is 36-38 C.
We are using dry yeast and proteinase.
Fermentation time - 1,5 h, temperature in an efermentation chamber - 35-36 C, RH - 80-90%.
Our line has a layer forming unit.
Yes, we used dust between the dough layers. There is our recipe:
Flour -22%; native corn starch - 60%, Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat - 15%, Salt - 2%, Ammonium bicarbonate - 1%.
Our line has 4 couple of gauging rolls, reduction ratio is 2:1.
Baking time - 4,5 min. Our oven has 5 zones, temperature profile is: 1) 230 C; 2)260 C; 3) 250 C; 4) 210 C; 190 C.
Thank you for you attention,Daryna
Daryna,
The following is a description of cream cracker process from the book 'Biscuit, Cookie and Cracker Process and Recipes' published by Elsevier.
CREAM CRACKERS
Product specification
(1) (2)
Dimensions: 68 x 66 mm 66 x 66 mm
Thickness: 6.4 mm 6.3 mm
Weight: 7.7g 8.3g
Appearance: Evenly blistered
Colour: Pale cream or darker biscuit colour with dark blisters
Texture: Open and flaky, with a crisp bite
Flavour: Mild flavour
Moisture: 1.5 - 2.5%
Ingredient list from pack:
Wheat flour, palm oil, salt, sodium bicarbonate, yeast.
Recipe 1
Flour strong |
100.000 |
Vegetable fat |
15.200 |
Sugar fine |
1.400 |
Yeast fresh |
1.400 |
Malt extract |
1.000 |
Salt |
1.150 |
Sodium bicarbonate |
0.060 |
Water at 32oC |
4.400 |
Water to adjust dough temp. |
26.000 |
150.610 |
|
Fat flour dusting |
|
Flour strong |
100.000 |
Vegetable fat |
34.000 |
Salt |
2.000 |
Dough Mixing on a Horizontal High Speed Mixer
The open cracker structure is established in the first third of the baking process. This requires radiant heat (Direct Gas Fired oven) and band pre-heat. No convection.
Dear Daryna, thank you for your reply.
Everything seems ok to me, except for the mixing time and maybe the fermentation time. When fresh yest is used, fermentation time may be 4 to 16 hours, for All-in method. But I am not sure if 1,0 hour is enough time for the fresh yeast to act, even when using protease or a specific enzyme. There is a way to reduce the fermentation time by increasing the work done on dough during mixing, but it is not very usual. I would suspect that you are mixing your dough for too long (altough I have already seen c.cracker dough at the temperature you mentioned). Are you using 3-axis mixer or horizontal high speed mixer? For the latter, total mixing time (cream + dough stages) is usually 5- 6 minutes, enough to achieve the desired dough temperature described above, and develop the gluten. Also, check if you are forming at least 4, up to 7 layers in laminator.
Regards,
Jose
Hi Daryna,
I agree with Jose that you are prObably mixing too long. Generally a fermented cracker dough shouldn’t be mixed excessively, we used to mix the dough after the flour addition until it formed “Chunks” so about 3 or 4 minutes. The dough is further worked during the lamination stage so excessive mixing isn’t required and may result in shrinkage and hardness.
Dear Jose,
we are using dry instant yest. That`s why we thought that 1,5 h fermentation time - it is enough.
We are using horizontal high speed mixer. And we are forming 6 layers on the laminator. Thank you for your reccomendation about mixing time, we will try it. What is should be the optimal dough temperature after such a short mixing time?
Kind regards,
Daryna