ProEclair is funded by the European Commission within the Seventh Framework Programme
The primary focus of the proposed development work will be choux pastry; however the enabling technology will be transferable with adaptation to other base pastries containing high portions of water.
Choux pastry is an important “building block”, for a very wide range of popular traditional bakery products (see table below).
Typical end products from choux pastry in Europe:
| Products | Countries |
|---|---|
| Éclair | F, I, D, … |
| Lucca-Augen | D, A |
| Puff, cream puff, Windbeutel, petit chou, chou (à la crème, au chocolat, à la sauce au chocolat, glacé…) | D, UK, F |
| Doughnuts (one possible pastry) | UK, … |
| Cruller, French cruller, spritz cookies, Auflaufkrapfen, beignets soufflés, Rosinenkrapfen, Viktorianer, Spritzkuchen, echandés, Spritzgebäck | A, I, D, UK, F |
| cream puff dumplings for the soup, Backerbsen, Knabberbolletjes, zuppa reale, groszek ptysiowy, levesgyöngy-levesbetét, opékaná zavárka, zlatekroglice | UK, D, A, NL, I, PL, H, CZ, SK, SLO |
| Marillenknödel | AT, CZ |
| Baked pastry case for “Saint-Honoré-Torte” | F |
| Profiteroles | I, F, D |
| Schwemmklößchen, milk dumplings, quenelles | D, A, UK, F, … |
| Vanillecremebrezeln, bretzels à la crème à la vanille | A, D, F |
| Churros | ES, F, Turkey, US, Latin-Am. |
As there are no systems currently available to provide adequate process control the system is not automated and requires a high level of expertise and is time-consuming with a complex two stage preparation process.
Also due to its inherent high moisture content, the shelf life of prepared pastry is very short (less than one day) and needs to be used as soon as possible after preparation. Batches are therefore time-consuming yet skilled in preparation and small, due to their need for immediate use in product. It is therefore very difficult for the SME bakers to produce such products cost effectively.
The innovative proposed technology development is based on protected IP; it involves incorporating the stages involved in traditional pastry manufacture into a novel integrated process, in one machine affordable to SME bakeries and that enable aseptic filling into pouches for extended shelf life storage. The machinery will contain automated process control and will be readily and easily cleanable.