It doesn't print very easily, but maybe it's time to give it a try - printers are already on sale for it
For some people, 3D printing is still in the realm of science fiction, but the love of chocolate, dating back centuries, is pushing the chocolate industry to new heights: 3D-making chocolate devices are now available (on Amazon they cost $ 230). Isn’t it time to buy one?
The printing of chocolate already has a history, of course, not as long as that of the cocoa drink, which archaeologists date to about 2000 BC. But leading companies: Nestle, Hershey, Mars Inc. have been experimenting in this direction for several years, because 3D printing brings creativity and seduces not only with taste – yes, it is very tasty !, but also with design, offering original and complex designs.
Sounds interesting, but how does it work?
Chocolate 3D printers, like regular ones, work with CAD files, but instead of an incandescent wire, they use a syringe that charges and maintains the required temperature for printing. The extruder head lays the melted chocolate in the desired shape, after which it cools and hardens.
Why is it difficult?
It is easier to print plastic than chocolate, and this is because the cocoa product has different melting and cooling features, it cannot harden as fast as plastic, it can change shape due to changes in temperature and gravity. That is why experts recommend using not just any, but high-quality and properly tempered Belgian dark chocolate, because it gives better printing results than other types.
Temperature, time and process are the three main problems in creating 3D chocolate and printers for it are not suitable for mass production. But if you want to prepare something really different and design new shapes, to make unique candies with a complex design, it is a good idea to test your skills with this technology.
