Abstract: The effect of fat content on the quality of butter and cocoa butter replacer-based whipping cream was investigated. Further, we evaluated the effect of fat content, butter to cocoa butter replacer ratio and homogenization pressure on the overrun, texture characteristics, partial coalescence rate of fat globules and crystalline characteristics of whipping cream using an orthogonal array design. It was shown that a fat content of 30%, a butter to cocoa butter replacer ratio of 2:3 and a homogenization pressure of 60 MPa allowed partial coalescence rate of fat globules and maintained the sensory characteristics, overrun and crystalline characteristics of the whipping cream. Homogenization at 60 MPa maintained the stability of the system and produced a large amount of free fat globules, promoting the partial coalescence of fat globules. The results of crystal formation analysis showed that under the optimized conditions, the X-ray diffraction patterns of the initial emulsions were broadened and changed from being sharp to being moderate, and the β’ crystal was significantly increased. Whipping cream emulsions produced fat crystals at low temperatures, and the size of fat crystals was larger than that at high temperature.

Key words: whipping cream, butter and cocoa butter replacer-based, X-ray diffraction, partial coalescence of fat globules, crystallization