Edible printing sheets
By WaferPaper.com on 11-07-2020
Wafer paper (also known as rice paper) is a starch based material, made from potato starch. It is a stiff but slightly transparent material, with some of the thicker sheets measuring up to 0.6mm in thickness. This edible paper is ideal to use for edible printing. Due to it's rigidity wafer card is often used by bakers for Stand Up Cake Toppers and cupcake toppers. Wafer paper is bake stable and can be baked in the oven. It is made mainly from potato starch using 100% natural ingredients and as a result is virtually tasteless, vegan and gluten free. Often wafer paper is used as a cost effective alternative to edible icing sheets but there are some high end wafer types (DD/DDE) available that are a realistic alternative for icing sheets.
Wafer paper should be printed in high resolution. Allow the ink to dry completely before you put Wafer Paper onto your photo cake. Wafer Paper is mainly used on dry frostings. We recommend covering the cake with almond paste (marzipan) or the brilliant white rolled fondant. Moisten the cake frosting slightly before adding the edible paper to keep it in place. There are various wafer sheets on the markets, we distinguish the following types for edible printing.
0,3 mm quality
0,4 mm quality
0,6 mm quality
Whereas the O/AD/ADD qualities are basically one layered types of wafer paper the DD/DDE qualities are produced by laminating two layers on top of eachother aided with potato based maltodextrine liquid. In addition to the ingredients as mentioned above additional ingredients can added in order to color the wafer paper (E120, E133, E160, E141) or to add flavor to the paper (sucralose, vanilla, strawberry).
Canon edible printers are most used in cake decoration industry. They have removable printhead easy to maintain . Featuring wireless connection and copy scan function they will make perfect standalone edible machine. With included full set of edible inks and wafer paper than can be bought through various online distributors of cake decoration products.
See here a video of Debbie Coughlin, an edible paper expert from Icing Images in USA talking you through the different edible papers for printing: Edible Paper for Dummies and Non Dummies Too!