Food Glazing Method

Abstract

A food glazing system for automatically applying a glaze to an edible object. An inclined heatable surface is disposed in the path of sugar dispensed from a sugar dispenser and is positioned to heat the sugar enroute to an edible object to be glazed.

1 . A method for applying a glaze to an edible object, the method including the steps of:
 providing an inclined heatable surface;   providing an edible object below the inclined heatable surface; and   heating the heatable surface and dispensing sugar onto the heatable surface such that at least some of the dispensed sugar slides off the heatable surface onto the edible object without having been melted.   
     
     
         2 . A method as defined in  claim 1  in which the step of dispensing sugar onto the heatable surface includes:
 providing a dispenser comprising a feed hopper; 
 providing a rotary sifter adjacent the feed hopper; 
 providing sugar in the feed hopper; 
 operating the rotary sifter; and 
 dispensing sugar from the feed hopper through the rotary sifter onto the heatable surface. 
 
     
     
         3 . A method as defined in  claim 1  in which the step of providing an edible object includes providing a plurality of edible objects via an edible object conveyor disposed beneath the heatable surface in a position where sugar falling from the heatable surface will land on the edible objects as the edible object conveyor serially transports the edible objects past the heatable surface along an edible object path. 
     
     
         4 . A method as defined in  claim 2  including the additional step of obtaining desired glaze characteristics on the edible objects by adjusting the speed of the conveyor. 
     
     
         5 . A method as defined in  claim 2  including the additional step of obtaining desired glaze characteristics on the edible objects by adjusting the rate at which sugar is dispensed onto the heatable surface. 
     
     
         6 . A method as defined in  claim 2  including the additional step of obtaining desired glaze characteristics on the edible objects by adjusting the temperature of the heatable surface. 
     
     
         7 . A method for applying a glaze to an edible object, the method including the steps of:
 providing a plurality of inclined heatable surfaces;   moving an edible object along an edible object path passing beneath each inclined heatable surface of the plurality of inclined heatable surfaces;   heating the heatable surfaces; and   dispensing sugar onto the heatable surfaces such that the dispensed sugar slides off the heatable surfaces onto the edible object as the edible object passes beneath the heatable surfaces.   
     
     
         8 . A method as defined in  claim 7  including the additional step of obtaining desired glaze characteristics by adjusting the number of heatable surfaces from which sugar is dispensed onto an edible object passing beneath the heatable surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . A method as defined in  claim 7  including the additional step of obtaining desired glaze characteristics by adjusting the temperatures of the heatable surfaces. 
     
     
         10 . A method as defined in  claim 9  including the additional step of obtaining desired glaze characteristics by maintaining at least one of the heatable surfaces at a temperature different from the other heatable surfaces. 
     
     
         11 . A method as defined in  claim 9  in which the step of adjusting the temperatures of the heatable surfaces includes improving glaze adhesion to the edible object by heating at least one of the heatable surfaces to a temperature sufficient to melt at least some of the sugar. 
     
     
         12 . A method as defined in  claim 9  in which the step of adjusting the temperatures of the heatable surfaces includes providing a golden glaze color by heating at least one of the final few downstream heatable surfaces to a temperature sufficient to caramelize the sugar. 
     
     
         13 . A method as defined in  claim 9  in which the step of adjusting the temperatures of the heatable surfaces includes providing a desired texture by heating at least one of the heatable surfaces to a temperature sufficient to melt at least some of the sugar. 
     
     
         14 . A method as defined in  claim 9  in which the step of adjusting the temperatures of the heatable surfaces includes:
 adjusting the temperature of a first upstream one of the heatable surfaces to approximately 410 degrees Fahrenheit; 
 adjusting the temperatures of each of intermediate heatable surfaces downstream of the first surface to approximately 380 to 390 degrees Fahrenheit; and 
 adjusting the temperature of a final eighth downstream surface to approximately 410 degrees Fahrenheit.