Physical properties of dough for cookies with chestnut flour

Abstract

A challenge for food producers is certainly to find suitable flour that can replace wheat flour in the production of flour–based products. Chestnut flour can be adequate substitute for wheat flour in the production of gluten–free flour confectionary products, due to high starch and sugar content. The objective of this work was to characterize physical changes, rheological and textural properties of dough for cookies with chestnut flour. The control dough was only with wheat flour. The substitution of wheat flour with chestnut flour for examined dough samples was at three different levels (20, 40 and 60%). Moisture of the dough was 22%.Dynamic oscillatory measurements describe all dough samples as typical viscoelastic systems with dominant elastic modulus G' over viscous modulus G". The modulus ratio (tan δ=G"/G') decreased with increase in amount of chestnut flour. Also, the dough compliance (J) determined by creep and recovery curves decreased, thus more chestnut flour resulted in more brittle consistency of the dough. Texture determination confirmed the rheological results. Resistance to extension of the control dough sample was the highest, as well as dough extensibility. Application of chestnut flour and increase in its amount reduced these texture parameters for dough samples. Optimal physical properties of dough were achieved with low amounts of chestnut flour of 20%.