Janelle Shane Profile picture
I write https://t.co/WNB8L0jc17. My book "You Look Like a Thing and I Love You" is out now! Research Scientist in optics. she/her. https://t.co/cC9JEun7YH

Feb 9, 2022, 9 tweets

I made holographic chocolate!

Way easier than I thought - and it’s 100% pure bittersweet, no coatings. When you catch the light at the right angle, it’s mesmerizing.

These are the instructions I used, as recommended by @GretchenAMcC .
They are basically:
1. Temper chocolate the normal way
2. Pour it on diffraction grating film.
It was my first time tempering chocolate and it worked!

instructables.com/Holographic-Ra…

I was astonished to discover that the structure of tempered chocolate is so fine that it can mold to the microscale ridges of a diffraction grating. It’s iridescent because of the ridges, like a CD. Even a shard is astonishing. All 100% chocolate.

This is the diffraction grating film I used. I bet others would work too if the grating pattern is surface relief and if you pour the tempered chocolate directly on the grating side. I had holographic glimmers after ~10min in the freezer. Flashlight helps. amazon.com/dp/B07CL2MGXW?…

I am so excited. Can’t stop looking at it. I did a dance.

Also note the fingerprints in the chocolate - the micron scale surface structure is super delicate and disappears with even the slightest melting.

Holographic chocolate makes a stunning cupcake topper, although I can see display will be tricky - the colors only show up with strong directional light

Alternate source for the diffraction grating film - thanks!

On an aesthetic level I think the chocolate is very cool.

On an optics level, I’m gobsmacked. Chocolate as an optical material?? 2 micron grooves? It even diffracts a laser beam!

When you do holographic chocolate on a flat surface, pressing the molten chocolate flat between two sheets, it’s easier to see that the grating is a grid.
My rippled chocolate was an accident (some lumps of seed chocolate didn’t melt) but I liked it best. Here’s a flatter one.

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