New cake inclusions give hot twist to ice cream

The UK-based firm, which serves Europe and Australia, is now offering Crack Hot Sponge Cake and Mosquito Bite Cups, which were developed to retain their shape, full flavour and texture when included in frozen products, particularly ice cream and sorbets.

The cake inclusions are made with black pepper and come as cubes approximately 5mm by 5mm that can be added to ice cream for a sweet and spicy flavour.

The Mosquito Bite Cups are made from premium dark chocolate and filled with lime and chilli sauce which can be used in “numerous dessert products”.​

The motivation behind the new product launches was to meet “growing demand throughout Europe for unusual flavour combinations”​.

Allan Dew, Pecan Deluxe's UK managing director, said: "We know from talking to our customers that there is demand for exciting new products and flavours to use in ice cream and desserts, and, while there is always a market for the more traditional ranges, innovative new ideas can help to boost sales.”​

The product launches follow Pecan’s pledge last April Pecan to focus on developing bakery, confectionery and ice-cream ingredients for the health and indulgence markets.

However, the new ice-cream inclusions are more indulgence products than health ones according to a Pecan spokeswoman.

She told BakeryandSnacks.com: “Both products are aimed at premium speciality products, brands that want to add a sophisticated modern flavour – much like Lindt’s chilli chocolate.”​

The spokeswoman said that the ease with which they can be included into formulation would “depend on the inclusion type and the ‘base’ that it is being incorporated into”​.

But she added: “Pecan has a team of food technologist who are available to help customers integrate inclusions into new foods and develop the finished product. ​

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“All of Pecan’s products can be customised to meet food producers’ exact requirements and have all been tailored to give varying levels of sweetness, saltiness and hardness depending on the customer requirements.”​

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She said these products were a result of its own research and development and customer requests adding: “Customers often approach Pecan with an idea and Pecan then works to develop the idea to become a product.”​

Health and indulgence​

Pecan Deluxe Candy (Europe) specialises in food ingredients including sauces, fillings, nut pralines, dessert toppings, ice cream inclusions and chocolate products.

Its parent company is the US based Pecan Deluxe Candy Company.

As part of its pledge to develop ingredients for the health and indulgence markets, Pecan instigated a New Product Development (NPD) programme and it has a team dedicated to R&D.

The idea behind the programme was to cater for changing demands in snack eating because it said manufacturers often looked to add a healthy twist to indulgent products.

Its existing range of inclusions which have beneficial health ingredients include high fibre crisps with Siberian ginseng and camomile extract.

And last summer Pecan updated its range of fudge and caramel inclusions for use in cakes, cereal and desserts, providing low-fat alternatives.