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[NEASoapWorks]

Lemon Bars
These is my basic recipe soap, modified to include castor oil and coconut milk powder. They're fragranced with Lemon Eucalyptus EO. Now, I'm not sure what happened with these bars. The soap is FANTASTIC, but the look is a little...off.

The soap batter got VERY hot in the mold, and actually peaked in the center, and then cracked along the "hump". I took the lid off and stuck the mold by an open window (cold air). Not sure why the corner edges are opaque. Two of the bars in the back, are almost ENTIRELY opaque. Someone mentioned that the EO could have been the issue. I still love them!

Spiced Orange Chunk Bars
I attempted a "frosted" top, and added some chunks made from soap scraps from another batch. This is a different recipe: Olive Pomace, Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Castor Oil and Coconut Milk Powder.

I am TOTALLY diggin' this soap! I was gonna wait till I got my new TOG cutter, before making another batch of soap. But heck, everyone knows I can't cut that well, so...Paul said "Get your soap on, girl!" I did. I soap, therefore...I am. 8)

 

[Soapmaker Man]

You certainly did "get your soap on!" 8) 8) Nice looking bars NEA! Coconut milk is a toughie to work with because like goat milk there are a lot of sugars that can burn or heat the batter up a lot! Your bars look really good though! I would be proud to lather up with either one! Keep those oils saponifying NEA!

Paul.... :wink:

 

[Guest]

Beautiful job NEA! I love them both. The cracking came from the heat, and the coloring is from when you changed the temps from hot to really cold... is it ash on top that your talking about?

 

[NEASoapWorks]

Soap

Beautiful job NEA! I love them both. The cracking came from the heat, and the coloring is from when you changed the temps from hot to really cold... is it ash on top that your talking about?

Thanks, Paul and Smell!

Nope, it's the "opaque" corners. I'm understanding that a partial gel is the problem. I'm just wondering why just the corners and the end bars? I guess it's because the gel starts inward, and goes outward. When I noticed the crack, the gel was still moving towards the outward ends of the mold. When I cooled it quickly, the gel phase was interrupted enough to cause texture differences.

Thing is, I got tricked with the Lemon Bars. I anticipated heat issues, because of the sugar in the Coconut Powder. But, when the soap didn't gel, after an HOUR of having the lid on, I figured it wasn't going to. So, I stopped watching it, as closely. But it was gellin' on the downlow 8)

With the Orange Chunk Bars, I hand-stirred the batch at higher temps than with my Zero (unscented) Bars (made with buttermilk powder). Right after I poured it, I immediately stuck it on a cold porch, uncovered, on top of a cold marble slab. It gelled completely, but didn't get too hot. I really enjoy hand-stirring.

 

[Guest]

I have had that happen.. at each corner.. and also the end part of the log... :roll: still good soap though...

I love it! You are soaping.. I am just smiling everytime I hear you talk the lingo, and pics!

 

[FitMommyOf2]

They look wonderful!!!

 

[Tabitha]

Lemon Eucalyptus , with coconut milk powder sound divine!

 

[earthygirl]

Those look great! I may have to try my hand at some this weekend. Paul, I haven't had the problem with coconut milk heating up as bad as full fat buttermilk.

 

[Woodi]

I love them both! The pale yellow looks especially soft and appealing.