Culinary Creativity with the My Cusini Chocolate 3D Printer

In the ever-evolving world of culinary innovation, the My Cusini Chocolate 3D Printer has emerged as a game-changer, captivating the hearts and taste buds of passionate home chefs and professional confectioners alike. This remarkable device promises to revolutionize the way we approach the art of chocolate making, unlocking a realm of endless possibilities for those who dare to push the boundaries of their culinary creativity.

The My Cusini Chocolate 3D Printer arrived at my doorstep, its primary packaging clean and straightforward, though I found it curious that the brand name was not prominently displayed. Nonetheless, the attention to detail in the packaging was evident. The printer itself was securely sandwiched between sturdy polystyrene, ensuring it was well-protected from any potential knocks during transit. The power supply was carefully wrapped in bubble wrap, and the other parts were neatly organized in a plastic bag, accompanied by a piece of card to prevent the extruder part from moving during the journey.

As I unboxed the My Cusini, I was immediately struck by its sleek and modern design. The printer's compact footprint belies the sheer power and versatility it possesses. With a built-in touchscreen display and intuitive controls, navigating the My Cusini's features was a breeze, even for a novice like myself. One of the standout capabilities of the My Cusini is its ability to work with a wide range of chocolate types, from dark and milk to white and even specialty flavours. This flexibility allows users to experiment with different recipes and create truly unique confections that cater to diverse palates.

Inside the My Cusini Chocolate 3D Printer package, you will find the following:

• The printer itself (with SD card already inserted)
• Power supply
• Print surface
• Build plate
• Instructions
• Catalogue of prints
• Tweezers
• USB SD card adapter
• USB cable
• Pin (this is secured in a packing peanut)
• Stainless steel tube
• Holder for the stainless steel tube
• 5 x Chocolate refills (Equates to 10 as you cut them in half)

Beyond its technical capabilities, the My Cusini also offers a profound impact on the overall chocolate experience. By empowering users to create their own custom chocolate designs, the device fosters a deeper connection between the maker and the final product. The sense of accomplishment and pride that comes from crafting a unique chocolate creation is truly unparalleled. Moreover, the My Cusini has the potential to revolutionize the way we present and serve chocolate. Imagine serving your guests a dessert platter adorned with intricate chocolate sculptures or presenting a personalized chocolate gift that reflects the recipient's personality and interests. The My Cusini elevates the chocolate experience, transforming it from a simple indulgence into a true work of culinary art.

I imagine this is a big question of everyone’s lips…how does it taste? It is a pleasant taste! It has more of a dark chocolate vibe with a hint of vanilla, not too sweet and not bitter at all. The chocolate that is used is a “Legal Chocolate grease glaze”. This means that instead of cocoa butter, other vegetable fats are used, such as coconut oil so that the curing of the chocolate takes place quicker, of which as a result means taller objects can be printed, however, it is limited to 50mm high otherwise the chocolate could become unstable.

Here are the ingredients:

Sugar, fully hydrogenated vegetable fats (coconut, palm kernel), cocoa powder, vanilla extract, stabilizer: sorbitan tristearate, emulsifier: soya lecithin. May contain traces of milk and nuts

Nutritional values per 100g

At the moment, refills are only available via My Cusini at a price of   €7,85 for ten refills.  They come in a pack of 5, but as you cut them in half, it is technically 10. You then have your P&P charges on top, therefore this bumps up the price, especially being in the UK. In addition, the prints are relatively small and quick to print so your refills should last you a while. Each chocolate refill weighs 15g, and I would estimate you could get approx 10 prints out of 1 refill, but obviously depends on the size of the model you are printing.

You can now also get Blue , Pink and White chocolate!

As previously mentioned, you have the option of printing your own words, drawings, and outlines. You get access to these via the Mycusini Club once you have registered your Mycusini Chocolate 3D Printer on their site. Within here, you have access to the template library (of which all are on the SD card anyway), Tips & Tricks which give you the instructions to download and some videos. There are also various applications to choose which are detailed below. When going into each application, they present you with an option to choose which method of printing you are doing. There is only Choco at the moment, so it’s possible My Cusini will expand on this in future developments. Let’s see what the applications are.

Here you can write your own text, of which it will join the letters up. You can change the size and height.

Here you can write a text that isn’t joined up and also change the font. There are currently only four fonts to choose from, but hopefully, this will expand. Again, you can change the height and size of the text.

This is where you can show off your creativity! Freehand drawing allows you just that! Draw to your heart’s content and then print out your masterpiece in chocolate!

With the Trace Outlines feature, you upload an image of your choice, and this then acts as a background of which you can trace around the picture. The trace lines show up green, so you know where you’re going. As a result, this then gives you the file of which you can then print with the MyCusini Chocolate 3D Printer!

This is a simple function. Load up your STL file, resize as needed and save! I used the file used for the  Verkstan Faceshields  which has been widely used across the globe!

For this one, I loaded up Tinkercad and put in my own text, then exported it as an STL. The STL was then uploaded to the MyCusini Club application, and the gcode generated.

I used Windows built-in 3D Builder for this. I just inserted a pyramid and saved as an STL. Import into the hollow mould application on My cusini club and size to your needs and that’s it! The best thing with this being 3D printed, you can easily slice between the layer lines in order to fill it with praline, and then stick the top back on! I have suggested to My Cusini about introducing a pause option so you can fill the chocolate partway through the print. There are also more Tips & Tricks added to the My cusini club which includes instruction videos, FAQ’s and more! To gain access to the My Cusini club, you will have to be in possession of a My Cusini Chocolate 3D printer as it uses the serial number for registration.

In addition to the normal features that come with the My Cusini Chocolate 3D Printer, the additional features are a cleaning mode and advanced cleaning mode. When you have finished printing and now you won’t use it for a while, the cleaning mode allows you to get the extruder to clean it. It also moves the plunger down for ease of cleaning too. There is also an advanced cleaning function that allows you to remove the plunger altogether, of which you can then wash all the parts by hand, or in the dishwasher! See the videos below…

Raspberry Chocolate

The Raspberry chocolate has a slight scent to it, along with a slight raspberry taste. I was expecting this to taste sweet, however; it doesn’t! Not too overpowering and has a wonderful balance of taste.

Coconut Chocolate

This coconut chocolate has that very distinct coconut smell, which is great! Again, like the Raspberry, it is not overpowering, but you can definitely taste it! The strongest tasting one out of the three.

Orange Chocolate

Finally, the Orange Chocolate. You would expect this to have an aromatic scent, but like the others, it’s very slight. Probably the weakest tasting of the lot, although still good! If you’re expecting a Terry’s Chocolate Orange taste, think again!

The Fillings

In my pack, I got 4 different flavours of fillings. Each were 30g packs. Before using, knead the packs to get a good consistency so you can squeeze it out of the packet. However, you could use warm water too. After kneading, just snip off the corner and you’re ready. Once opened, you need to store it in the fridge and use it within 2 weeks! Once you have filled your chocolates, use the end of some tweezers, or a cocktail stick to smooth the filling around to get it looking more professional.

• Peach & Passionfruit –  This is a nice, sweet and fruity filling. With the subtle notes of peach and a big hit of passionfruit. This one is tasty!
• Sour Cherry Yoghurt –  Within the filling, you can see chunks of cherry, which is an indicator this isn’t just full of artificial flavours! This one is a delicate blend of cherry yoghurt (which is one of my favourite flavours!) making you want more!
• Irish Cream Coffee –  A chocolate filling with a good kick of Irish coffee. This is definitely one for the coffee lovers!
• Marc De Champagne –  This one tastes exactly as I was expecting. Pretty much the same as other chocolates I have tried with this filling. A good filling for chocolate wedding favours!

The My Cusini Chocolate 3D Printer is available for just €348*. Delivery to the UK is €26.16. (* Price correct as of May 2021) If you are seriously considering getting one of these, you can purchase them from MyCusini on their website . I recommend it… it will not disappoint you.

The chocolate flavours cost from €7.85 each. This includes all the flavours and colours – Dark, Coconut, Orange & Raspberry. You can also get a mixed pack which includes all the flavours for €38.51 (2 dark and 1 of each other flavour) The fillings are available in packs of 8 at €15.40 each. A sample pack of 3 flavours is €12.13. This contains 2 of each flavour (Irish Cream Coffee, Marc De Champagne & Peach and Passionfruit) Unfortunately, the Sour Cherry Yoghurt was out of stock at the time of writing this review.

The gift boxes are priced from €2.20 for a pack of 4 up to €3.94. Alternatively, a mixed 10 pack is just €8! In addition, other accessories are also available.

To sum up, I adore the My Cusini Chocolate 3D Printer! It’s so easy to use and set up! The prints come out with significant results, and everyone I have shown the prints too is amazed! In addition, if you want to get your kids into 3D printing, this is an excellent starting point. Any mess you make, you just lick it up! Although the refills can be on the pricey side, give it time, and you’ll soon be able to make your own refills.

There is a limited build size. However, it is more than adequate for its purpose. The included library is excellent and being part of the My cusini club means you’ll get access to any new additions that are made. With future enhancements to look forward to such as using your own STL files, mobile printing and being able to use your own chocolate. My cusini is paving the way for food in the 3D printing industry for consumers, so I look forward to what is coming!

Having a variety of different flavours means there is more for everyone! There is no doubt in my mind, that over time more great flavours will be developed, for the fillings and chocolate. The prices of these items do reflect the fact that these are more bespoke, especially with the chocolate designed for use with the printer so therefore may seem expensive. If you own a My Cusini Chocolate 3D printer, these are a worthy addition meaning you can do more and in addition, broaden your horizons!

Future flavours I would like to see if perhaps mint chocolate and hazelnut chocolate. As, for fillings…peanut butter maybe, or even a white chocolate filling!