Abstract: Disclosed is the preparation of fruit and nut mixes with improved texture stability. Such mixes contain from about 15% to about 60% fruit and from about 40% to about 85% nuts wherein at least about 20% of the nuts are roasted and at least about 20% of the nuts have a crystalline sugar coating. The fruit for use in the mix has an initial water activity of from about 0.35 to about 0.70 and an initial moisture content of from about 7% to about 18% water. The roasted nuts for use in the mix have an initial water activity of from about 0.05 to about 0.40 and an initial moisture content of up to about 3% water. Once the fruit and nuts are combined, they are allowed to equilibrate in a moisture impervious environment to an equilibrium water activity of from about 0.35 to about 0.58 and a percent moisture to equilibrium water activity ratio of the fruit of from about 17:1 to about 32:1.

Abstract: A tumbling bed of edible cores is formed which has a longitudinal axis extending from an entrance end to an exit end of the tumbling bed. Individual edible cores travel through the tumbling bed from the entrance end to the exit end by rotating in a generally helical path along the longitudinal axis of the bed. The edible cores are coated within the bed by repeatedly tumbling through both a wet zone(s) and a dry zone(s) formed within the bed. These wet and dry zones are formed, respectively, by spraying the surface of the tumbling bed with a hydrating liquid and by dusting the surface of the tumbling bed with a farinaceous powder. Both the wet and dry zones thus formed are generally rectangular, but not overlapping, zones with the major dimensions of these rectangular zones being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tumbling bed.

Abstract: Individual coated nuts or seeds are produced by mixing nuts or seeds at 180.degree. F. to 270.degree. F. with coating syrup (including sugar and sweetener syrup) at 270.degree. F. to 330.degree. F., in a rotating pan coater or other shear mixing coater until the coating syrup is distributed over the nuts or seeds, then cooling until the coating syrup begins to set, then adding separating composition, and when individual coated nuts are produced, optionally coating with particulate ingredients and/or a protective alpha-tending emulsifier coating, then transferring from the coater and cooling, then optionally coating with chocolate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing individual, crunch-confectionery-coated edible nuts. The raw, unblanched nuts are first coated with a film-forming polysaccharide to maintain the skins adhered to the nuts in a durable polysaccharide coating. The coated nuts are then subjected to shear mixing, e.g., in a pan coater, during which sucrose syrup is applied to the polysaccharide-coated nuts. Heat is applied to the nuts during shear mixing to remove moisture and to thereby form a crystalline coating, which is then partially melted to form a crystalline-amorphous coating on top of the polysaccharide coating on the individual nuts.