Unlike printers that print on wafer paper or icing sheets that are then glued onto baked goods, Eddie prints directly onto items like cookies, biscuits, candy, chocolate and marshmallows that have a maximum diameter of 89mm and 202-25mm height.
The manual mode extends these parameters to 120mm x 120mm and allows thicker items with a maximum height of 27mm. This is especially important for printing on macarons, which – because of all their parts (a soft filling sandwich between two meringue-based halves) – are typically too high to be printed with the automatic feed.
Personalising the macaron
By using the manual feed and a ‘macaron tray’, bakers now have the ability to print a variety of designs onto the finished macaron.
The macaron tray is one of several new food trays designed especially for Eddie by DTM Print, along with one for chocolate lentils and one with an engraved grid that makes positioning the product a lot easier.
Currently in development is another tray with a generic grid and pins in order to fixate the contour of any desired shape.
The custom trays enable bakers to produce multiple items in one run – for example, up to five macarons or 64 chocolate lentils – while maintaining ease of operation, precision and speed (5-6 items per minute).
DTM Print can also custom make the trays according to customer specifications.
Eddie meets all regulatory requirements by the FDA and in the EU as a food additive, and is the only edible ink printer to be approved by recognised, third party certification organisations. The ink cartridge itself meets cGMP standards, while the entire manufacturing and cartridge filling processes are FDA compliant and cGMP certified. The edible ink is also Kosher and Halal certified and suitable for vegans.
According to DTM Print, Eddie owners can upgrade their units to include the manual feed option by updating the PrintHub. The corresponding adjustments have already been made in the new firmware (v1.25) and PrintHub (v1.8.1.11). For the manual feed, the carousel no longer needs to be connected to the printer.
Eddie – which has an RRP of €2,995 – is directly available from DTM Print, as well as its authorised partners in Europe, Middle East and Africa. The Eddie food trays range from €29.95 to €49.95.