Architect Peter Zaharatos uses 3D printing to create artful chocolate bars at his Long Island City cafe, Sugarcube. 

If you’re a chocoholic and a 3D printing fan then this fusion will make your mouth water. A cafe in Long Island City is taking the humble bar of chocolate to artful new places. How, you might be wondering? By using 3D printed moulds to create intricate custom chocolates inspired by architecture.

The cafe is called Sugarcube and was started by architect Peter Zaharatos. As well as bringing his “distinct structural design aesthetic” to the food at the cafe, he also brought it to the interior of the store, which he designed himself.

Zaharatos’ idea was to blend the worlds of food and architecture, a long-term dream of his. As a student Zaharatos worked as a sculptor on a ship in Venice. It was here that, when he wasn’t sculpting, he was learning how to cook.

The parallel between 3D printing and chocolate work is clear for Zaharatos. He explains:

“Chocolate reacts very similar to plastic, it captures amazing detail. Sugarcube is an experiment to use my abilities as an architect and sculptor and combining all of those things to try to discover new structures.”

3D Printed Moulds for Chocolate Sculptures

The chocolate designs start out as an idea in Zaharatos’ sketchbook. After this initial design stage, he then models the desired chocolate end product in 3D design software.

Next, the models are sent to the in-store 3D printer — a Makerbot Replicator 2 — on which Zaharatos makes a plastic model of the design. With this he can then cast a negative of the chocolate from food-safe silicone.

Finally, he pours the chocolate into the mold and refrigerates it so the bar can solidify. Every 3D printed chocolate bar at Sugarcube receives this handmade treatment.

It’s a fascinating usage of 3D printing in food design, and the results are pretty spectacular. Certainly gets you thinking about the possibilities of making similar stuff at home, especially so when  food-grade silicone is easily available on the likes of Amazon.

Before you go ingesting anything that’s been even remotely close to your printer and its extrusions, brush up on your 3D printing food-safety tips here.

Lead image: viewing.nyc

Source: NBC New York