LOS ANGELES — Sugar Lab, a digital bakery, is launching a new line of 3D printed truffles, bonbons and candies for Valentine's Day.
Sugar Lab worked with Chef Melissa Walnock of the Culinary Institute of America to develop chocolate ganache recipes that are complemented by the 3D printed shells, the company said. The Valentine's Day line features candies, cupcake décor, cocktail garnishes and pastry shells.
The 80s Throwback Bonbons are geodesic bonbons stuffed with chocolate ganache featuring peanut butter and jelly or s'mores flavor profiles.
The 90s Throwback Bonbons are 3D printed with sugar and vanilla and are filled with chocolate ganache with peanut butter and jelly or s'mores flavor profiles.
The Broken Heart Puzzle Chocolate Truffles feature three pastry shells that assemble into hearts and come in three flavor profiles: orange blossom and Earl Grey, tahini, and ginger.
The Strawberry-Covered Chocolate Truffles are vegan ginger pastry shells shaped like strawberries that come in three flavors: the pink berry features a tamarind elderflower flavor, the white berry features a pineapple upside-down cake flavor, and the red berry features a caramelized honey chili flavor.
The Romantic Dessert Shells are printed with notes of vanilla and are adorned with heart-shaped patterns. The shells are intended to be filled with cake batter and served as miniature cake bites, Sugar Lab said.
The Diamond Champagne Bitters are shaped like princess-cut diamonds and are made from sugar and Angostura bitters.
The Teddy Bear Champagne Bitters, made from sugar and Angostura bitters, are shaped like brown, pink and white teddy bears holding pink, red and white hearts.
The Heart-Patterned Roses are red and white candies with a subtle vanilla flavor.
The Teddy Bear Candies feature a subtle vanilla flavor and come in three varieties: a pink bear holding a white heart, a white bear holding a red heart, and a brown bear holding a bouquet of roses.
The SMS Text Candy Hearts are available in two collections. The Love Hearts have a watermelon-lemonade flavor and feature the messages BAE, XOXO, I LOVE YOU, I MISS YOU, KISS, and BFF. The Alt Hearts have a lime flavor and feature the messages SUS, LAME, LULZ, THIRST TRAP, RIDE OR DIE, and DM ME.
The Sugar Lab Hearts are red and white heart-shaped candies with a subtle vanilla flavor.
The Valentine's Sugar Cubes come in a range of geometric shapes and come in four color and flavor combinations: plain blue fade unflavored cubes, plain peach fade unflavored cubes, red fade peppermint flavored cubes, and red cinnamon flavored cubes.
“Our goal at Sugar Lab is to pursue chef-led culinary innovations in partnership with our skilled digital design team, using 3D printing technology,” said Kyle von Hasseln, chief executive officer and co-founder of Sugar Lab. “3D printing brings so much flexibility to the table for our customers. We can create complex and beautiful foods that really have to be seen to be believed. Equally significant, 3D printing allows for fast design iteration without the need for molds. This means we can quickly brand and personalize existing designs with something unique for each customer.”
Sugar Lab was founded in 2020 by Mr. von Hasseln and chief operating officer Meagan Bozeman in collaboration with 3D food designer William Hu. Mr. Von Hasseln and his wife, Liz, invented the technology in 2012, which was soon acquired by a major 3D printing manufacturer. Mr. Von Hasseln, Ms. Bozeman and Mr. Hu became key members of the R&D team that ultimately invented the first food-safe 3D printer, in partnership with Brill, Inc.
“After years of developing the Culinary Printer, we understand its potential better than anyone,” Ms. Bozeman said. “We’ve stepped out on our own with a concept we believe in and, more importantly, with people we trust, to start this business. Our goal is to make this amazing technology accessible to chefs and consumers around the world.”