Fancy chocolates are works of art. Usually, it takes professional-level experience and equipment to turn out top-notch sculptural chocolates. The Cocoa Press, a 3D printer for chocolates, wants to put elaborate chocolate forms in the hands of anyone. The company on Saturday launched Cocoa Press 2.0, a new version that features a sweet suite of upgrades over the original. (Check out our look at the original Cocoa Press here.)
The printer is aimed at home hobbyists and confectionary professionals who want to expand their design capabilities. It works a lot like a regular 3D printer.
Cocoa Press"The biggest difference is that all of the chocolate for a print gets heated at the same time instead of being fed into the printer as it goes," the company said. All components that come into contact with the chocolate are food-safe and easy to clean. Printing times can vary depending on the size and style of the design.
The Cocoa Press 2.0 has desirable new features, including faster print times and upgraded electronics.
"Its fast-swap extruder system enables quick extruder changes, supporting future upgrades, including multi-color prints, while the Press Print UI touchscreen simplifies operation, offering streamlined print management," the company said.
The Cocoa Press can make dramatic chocolate designs come to life.
Cocoa PressCocoa cores used for printing are available from Cocoa Press in milk, dark or white chocolate. A 10-pack costs $49. Chocolate makers with a flair for adventure can try making their own cores, but Cocoa Press says it might "require a fair amount of experimentation to get working." Cocoa Press offers ready-to-use designs, but the real lure of the product is the ability to create unique customized chocolates.
The 3D chocolate printer has been sold mainly in kit form, which requires either buying preprinted 3D parts or printing your own to assemble the kit. You can preorder the Cocoa Press 2.0 kit now for $1,200. That's a few hundred less than the original; shipping is scheduled for this winter.