There's been a lot of talk recently about using 3D printers to create food items.
After all, the thought of being able to whip up your favorite food you see on your computer screen and have it appear on your dish within minutes is very tempting.
While there are several 3D printers out there, one company is working to corner the market on sweets.
Chef Jet, a food printer from 3D Systems, creates “custom edible geometries” from sugar or milk chocolate. The Sugar Lab is 3DSystems digital bakery and consumer food brand. Its team of food scientists design recipes that generate spectacularly looking confections twisted into elaborate geometric shapes. Some are so lovely, they look too beautiful to eat.
While ChefJet won't be available for home kitchens until later this year, right now, The Sugar Lab offers two different types of printed candies via their website: Neon Ombre Sours and Geometric Peppermints. Each delicate candy is about ¾” in diameter with the consistency of a powdery sugar cube.
They come in fun, brightly hued mini globes, interlocked cubes and small diamond shapes.
So how does 3D printed candy taste?
The chefs at the Sugar Lab may have gotten the look right but after trying the Neon Sours, we think the formula needs a little tweaking. Like the sour powder on a Sour Patch Kids, these candies have a real bite. But the grainy texture and faint chemical after taste leaves us feeling a little bitter.
Still the novelty of printed food is pretty cool. Maybe one day, they’ll come up with a full meal.
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