Teach Soap

Maybe I will get more of a response in this forum.


I read some instructions from the soapdish.com on Tempering:

Tempering: Graniness in shea butter is fairly common, caused by crystallization during the cooling process. Graniness in shea butter is not an indication of poor quality, just a reaction to temperature fluctuations. It tends to be more of a problem during the summer months when products sit in hot trucks during shipping. The proper method for alleviating graininess is a process known as tempering. To temper the butter, heat it to 170 to 185 F, and hold it at that temperature for approximately 15 to 30 minutes. To keep the fat crystals from reforming, stick the shea butter into the refrigerator until solid. The steady heat of tempering will help completely melt the fat crystals, but will not harm the beneficial qualities of the butter.

My question is this: do you only have to do this once?

How would one maintain that temperature over a double boiler?

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Kristen D. Vineyard
visit my blog http://washwithvegetables.blogspot.com

I've never had to temper my shea butter, but I would imagine that one time would be enough unless it went through extreme temp changes again. Maybe someone else knows the answer.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

I've tempered shea butter more then once and stilll got grains each and very time. I use mango butter now and no grains or tempering needed.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I have done this a couple of times but never took the temp of the shea butter so I have no idea how hot it got...just melted it down in the dbl boiler and then stuck it in the freezer until it firmed back up. It was perfectly smooth after that.
BUT - grainy shea butter works just fine for cp soap!