Microwavable food product

Abstract

A food product ( 4 ) for microwave cooking comprising a cereal dough ( 8 ) that expands on heating, the cereal dough be contained in a package ( 2 ) which is dimensioned such that there is free volume ( 16 ) within the package defined by the internal surface of the package and such that when the cereal dough is cooked by microwave heating the cereal dough expands and contacts areas (contact areas) of said internal surface so that the shape of the cooked cereal dough is defined, at least in part, by said contact areas, the package comprising susceptor material in at least some of said contact areas to cause browning and/or crisping of the cereal dough during microwave cooking.

1 . A food product for microwave cooking comprising a cereal dough that expands on heating, the cereal dough being contained in a package which is dimensioned such that there is free volume within the package defined by the internal surface of the package and such that when the cereal dough is cooked by microwave heating the cereal dough expands and contacts areas (contact areas) of said internal surface so that the shape of the cooked cereal dough is defined, at least in part, by said contact areas, the package comprising susceptor material in at least some of said contact areas to cause browning and/or crisping of the cereal dough during microwave cooking.  
   
   
       2 . A food product as claimed in  claim 1  in which the package is sealed.  
   
   
       3 . A food product as claimed in  claim 1  or in  claim 2  in which the upper surface of the food product comprises cereal dough and at least 60% of the upper surface area of the cereal dough contacts the internal surface of the package when the cereal dough is cooked.  
   
   
       4 . A food product as claimed in  claim 3  in which at least 80% of the upper surface of the cereal dough is in contact with the internal surface of the package when the cereal dough is cooked.  
   
   
       5 . A food product as claimed in any preceding claim in which the cereal dough is selected from bread dough, pizza dough, puff pastry dough, croissant dough and sponge mix.  
   
   
       6 . A food product as claimed in any preceding claim in which the cereal dough is filled with a savoury or sweet filling.  
   
   
       7 . A food product as claimed in  claim 6  in which the filling is selected from meat, vegetables, fruit and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       8 . A food product as claimed in  claim 6  or  claim 7  in which the filling is a liquid which has rheological properties so that it remains in the product after cooking.  
   
   
       9 . A food product as claimed in any preceding claim in which the package comprises a flexible sheet material.  
   
   
       10 . A food product as claimed in  claim 7  in which the package consists of flexible sheet material which is wrapped around the cereal dough and sealed around its edges.  
   
   
       11 . A food product as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  8  in which the package is in the form of a box or carton.  
   
   
       12 . A food product as claimed in any preceding claim in which the cereal dough is positioned in a dish or on a plate of susceptor material.  
   
   
       13 . A food product as claimed in any preceding claim in which the substantially all of said interior surface of the package comprises the susceptor material.  
   
   
       14 . A food product as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  12  in which the package additionally comprises antenna material.  
   
   
       15 . A food product as claimed in any preceding claim in which the food product is a bread roll, meat pie, fruit pie, sausage roll or croissant.  
   
   
       16 . A food product as claimed in any preceding claim in which the cereal dough comprises yeast and the cereal dough is proven.  
   
   
       17 . A food product as claimed in any preceding claim in which the cereal dough is frozen.  
   
   
       18 . A food product as claimed in  claim 17  in which the cereal dough is frozen after packaging.  
   
   
       19 . A food product as claimed in  claim 17  or  claim 18  in which the cereal dough comprises yeast and is frozen after proving.  
   
   
       20 . A food product as claimed in  claim 17  or  claim 18  in which the cereal dough comprises yeast and is frozen without proving.  
   
   
       21 . A method of cooking a food product which comprises the steps of providing a food product as claimed in any preceding claim and cooking said food product in a microwave oven.