Soap Frosting

I love decorating my soaps but at the beginning, I found it really difficult to find a recipe for frosting that

(a) wouldn’t set before I’d finished piping, or

(b) wasn’t temperamental when it came to temperature.  But now I think I’ve finally cracked it.

Start cold!  This method I found on the internet and it made perfect sense.  

‘Start Cold’ it said, so I put my recipe together the day before which included making up my lye solution and putting both in the fridge. The next morning I took both out of the fridge and let them stand on the counter for about an hour or so while I took my dogs for a run. 

Back in my kitchen, I checked the temperature of both the oils and the lye they were at 15 degrees C (60 degrees F) so I gave them a good stir. The oils were soft enough for me to use a spatula so no need for a hand mixer or stick blender. Once the oils are soft and creamy I add my lye a little at a time mixing it thoroughly until all the lye in.

Next, I add my fragrance and any colour’s and mix in. I may have to wait a few minutes for the frosting to reach the consistency I need to pipe but that gives me plenty of time to prepare piping bags or change nozzles or whatever. When the frosting has reached the consistency that I need for piping I simply fill my piping bag and away I go. Want the recipe?  Here you go;

• 141.75g Coconut Oil  
• 141.75g Cocoa Butter 
• 113.40g Olive Oil 
• 56.70g Shea Butter 
• 172.36g Distilled Water 
•   64.77g Lye Na0H  

I found that this recipe also works really well if you need to correct the odd piping error. Plus I also had time to divide the quantity, add different colours and pipe without having to worry about the frosting hardening too soon.

If you should decide you would like a softer frosting simply reduce the coconut oil and the Cocoa butter and up the Olive Oil. Give it a go and let me know how you get on.