Will this 3D-printed cheesecake spell the end for your oven?

It could certainly take the stress out of baking.

Great British Bake Off could become a very different show after researchers from Columbia University made a breakthrough in 3D-printed desserts, producing a seven-ingredient cheesecake made of edible ink – at the same time predicting software, lasers and printers will soon replace ovens, stoves and microwaves.

For many, 3D-printed food is the dream. No cooking, just press a button and within minutes, whatever dish you’re in the mood for is ready to go. And according to the Jetsons, we’ll all be dining à la cartridge by 2062 – so it’s good to know progress is being made.

But like all scientific progress, it took the team some time, requiring seven design iterations to keep the ingredients upright and in their respective layers, as reported in the journal Science of Food. Earlier versions collapsed into a heap many bakers may be familiar with.

That’s because printing an entire dessert isn’t as simple as adding a dollop of buttercream on top of a cake, as machines have been doing for decades. Those machines enjoyed the luxury of a solid base, perhaps a buttery biscuity one or a moist sponge.

When starting from scratch, each printed layer must have enough structural integrity to hold its own shape, and support the layers above.

Starting with a triangular base made of graham cracker paste (graham crackers being a close relative of the humble digestive) the team’s printer added layer upon layer, starting with the American classic combo of peanut butter and strawberry jelly (jam), followed by Nutella, banana puree, another layer of graham cracker, cherry juice and a layer of frosting.

Quickly discovering that a simple stacking method wasn’t going to work, the team experimented with using different ingredients to hold in others. Ultimately, it was the sturdy graham cracker that eventually formed the wall of the cheesecake, printing inky walls and filling them in with the other ingredients – finished off with a swift laser broil before topping with icing.

And the finished product? 

‘It tasted sweet and delicious,’ says lead author Dr Jonathan Blutinger. ‘It’s no different than cooking in your kitchen – if you start with fresh ingredients, your meal will generally turn out good. 

‘While our ingredient choice is a bit unconventional for a “cheesecake”, the ingredients work well together and are layered in such a way that they “hit” your palette in waves to provide an interesting and new kind of enjoyment experience.’

Machines in food production and processing are nothing new, from pasta printers and cake decorators to pizza-making robots and burger flippers. However, the team notes that with conventional machine assistance, the chef at the helm has little room to manoeuvre creatively, instead being restricted to a default setting. As 3D food printing evolves, it is hoped the technology will allow for alterations to recipes and ingredients on an almost micro level. 

‘It gives total control over the food assembly process to the end consumer,’ adds Dr Blutinger. ‘They can dial-up or dial-down particular nutrients and fully customise the combination and local layering of the ingredients to create unique flavours and textures.’

However, it will be some time before every kitchen boasts a food printer.

Blutinger adds: “Because 3D food printing is still a nascent technology, it needs an ecosystem of supporting industries such as food cartridge manufacturers, downloadable recipe files, and an environment in which to create and share these recipes.’

The team believes that using individual printers would reduce food waste, through printing only the amount required, and the longer shelf-life associated with processed foods – but also notes the negative connotations and health effects associated with highly-processed foods.

However, co-author Professor Christen Cooper, from Pace University, says the new technology could actually help tackle low-nutrient food.

‘We have an enormous problem with the low-nutrient value of processed foods,’ says Professor Cooper.

‘3D food printing will still turn out processed foods, but perhaps the silver lining will be, for some people, better control and tailoring of nutrition-personalised nutrition.

‘It may also be useful in making food more appealing to those with swallowing disorders by mimicking the shapes of real foods with the pureed texture foods that these patients require.’

Or perhaps for fussy children who won’t eat what Mum and Dad would like for dinner. Will Jetson family life arrive sooner than we thought?

MORE : These flying 3D printer drones inspired by bees can fix buildings

MORE : Doctors transplant 3D printed ear made of human cells