Abstract: To facilitate baking a frozen dough product in an oven, the dough product is formed over an edible film or substrate that may have a plurality of die-cut holes. This film serves as a baking substrate and obviates the need for a baking pan. The film is formed with the dough product that adheres to the dough during pressing. The end user may thus remove the frozen dough product together with the film from a packing preform and place the dough product and film assembly on an oven rack for baking. As the dough thaws, the crust will loose its stiffness. The film however, will prevent the more pliable crust from distending through the oven rack before the dough has become baked and rigid. The film forms a support that restrains flow of the dough, while at the same time the permits the escape of gases from the bottom of the crust and ensures uniform baking. During baking, the film is absorbed into the dough product.

Abstract: A dough developer is provided having an elongated chamber and a pair of dough conditioning rotors extending axially of the chamber. An inlet and an outlet are provided at respective opposite ends of the chamber to permit dough to be pumped through the chamber. A plurality of conditioning bars are mounted on a respective shaft of each rotor and extend radially outward therefrom with these bars axially disposed as between the two rotors so that bars revolve in overlapping planes. Each of the conditioning bars is of a U-shaped configuration formed from a cylindrical rod with the conditioning bars disposed in planes extending substantially axially relative to the rotors.