Can I Filter Cocoa Butter at Home?

[Noodge]

Hi all,

So I went and splashed out on some unrefined cocoa butter for lotion bars cause I want that beautiful chocolatey scent

But - disaster! I'm melting it, and melting it, and melting it in a double boiler for half an hour and there are still crystals. I fish some out as that doesn't seem right, and upon inspection- they don't melt.

I'm guessing that those are the bits that make the butter 'unrefined'

So, not great for lotion bars then!

Is there a way to filter these out? I have a fine mesh sieve but I get the feeling that it will gunk up very, very quickly.

Any thoughts while I repeatedly smack my face into my palm?

 

[Obsidian]

Unrefined should not have pieced like that. I would definitely complain to the seller and find a new supplier.

You can filter at home. I would start out with a regular sieve to get out the bigger bits then use the finer one.
You may need to use something like a reusable coffee filter to finish it up.

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with Obsidian. Though I would run it through some cheesecloth. I tried to filter shea in a coffee filter once and it clogged up. A sieve or fine strainer would likely work too.

 

[cmzaha]

I would also run it through a fine strainer that you can actually clean in boiling water. A fine stainless steel strainer works well. Just make sure your strainer is dried well if you have to clean it out between straining, although as long as your butter is hot enough it should keep the strainer from clogging up with butter other than the larger gunk, whatever it is. I have never had un-refined not meltdown and that is what I always purchase.

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

Sounds like you have a bad batch of cocoa butter. I use unrefined all the time and never have behavior you're describing. You can filter it with cheesecloth or a fine tea strainer. To keep the strainer from clogging you can keep a bowl of hot water near by and just dip the strainer in the hot water and shake it off before pouring more melted butter through the strainer.