A vegetable fat based confectionery product for use as a confectionery
coating or chip in food products comprises vegetable fat, which may be
cocoa butter or fat used in compound chocolate, as a principal fat
constituent. There is also included in the fat constituent 0.5% to 3% by
weight of anhydrous freeze-dried fruit. Accordingly, the flavor of the
included fruit infuses the fat based confectionery product. Typically,
the freeze-dried fruit is added to cocoa butter, if used, following a
conventional conching process step; but the freeze-dried fruit may be
mechanically admixed to the fat constituent. Depending on its melting
point, the confectionery coating may be used on health bars or the like,
or on frozen ice cream bars.