This invention relates to confectioneries, and particularly reduced fat chocolates comprising an admixture of non-fat chocolate ingredients in accordance with specified particle size distribution formulae, and the method of preparation thereof. Controlling particle packing, using continuous particle size ingredient distributions and discrete, bi-modal particle size ingredient distributions, has been shown to be useful for achieving highly concentrated chocolate suspensions, having reduced fat concentrations and suitable rheology for moulding, enrobing or extrusion. The methods of this invention are also useful for providing conventional chocolates (25% or greater fat content) having good rheological characteristics, while reducing cocoa butter usage. Specified particle size distributions are achieved through the selective blending of fine, medium and coarse ingredients. The continuous particle size distributions and bi-modal particle size distributions provide several parameters for manipulating the rheological properties of chocolate.
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