Coconut milk solidified when lye added

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LeaningTreeAcres

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I'm making a HP coconut milk soap recipe that I have used many times. Hubby bought a different brand of coconut milk than normal, and it separated in the freezer, which doesn't usually happen.
The lye dissolved fine and the milk didn't burn, but it did set up solid while it was cooling down. Has anyone ever had this happen before or know why?
Soap came to trace easily and everything seems to be progressing as it should. I'm just wondering about this anomaly. Thoughts?
 
How much different was the coconut milk you used in comparison to the brand you normally use? In other words, how different are the ingredients, and also- how different is the fat content?


IrishLass :)
 
I haven't even tried to make coconut milk soap and now I'm wondering what coconut milk you used and what ingredients is listed on the can. What temp did you cool the soap to?
 
What's the fat content?
In the brand I used it is about 25ml in 100ml of coconut milk.
Lye probably saponified coconut fat (oil) in your milk and those lumps/solids are just coconut soap.
Your lye mixture was maybe sitting on the bench for tad to long.
Just zap test your soap when it's cooked, but if it looks fine and there is no zap it might as well be just that.
Coconut milk will often separate in the freezer, unless there is some binding agent in it, like flour etc.
I sometimes freeze curries, and it happens on the occasion, it just looks a bit off, but there is nothing wrong with it.
 
I've had this happen. I use pure/plain coconut milk and what I've noticed is that when mixing the lye with the frozen coconut cubes, do this very last before adding to oils. The temp is very low at first but it starts to rise and saponify. If you mix with oils as soon as all the cubes are melted you'll bee fine
 
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