Carrot Powder

[dibbles]

So I got some carrot powder and want to play with it a bit. If anyone has used it...how? Is it scratchy if added to batter and if not, would 1/2 tsp PPO seem about right? Or maybe it should be infused into oil?

I realize any color from the carrot powder may fade, but that's OK. I'd really like to use it added to batter for a speckled look, but don't want to waste a batch if it is unacceptably scratchy. It feels pretty soft dry, but then again so does cinnamon.

 

[penelopejane]

I haven’t used powder but I’ve used carrot with pumpkin and it sticks a bit more than the pumpkin and gives it a deeper colour. I used 1 carrot + pumpkin simmered until very dry and substitute it for 1/2 my water. Fresh purée makes soap darker than purée refrigerated overnight.

Does the carrot powder give you ratios for use as in 1tsp=1/2 carrot etc?

Infusing tumeric in oil still produces dots in soap. You have to strain it to get rid of the dots.
I somehow imagined the carrot powder might reconstitute into purée and not cause dots?
Will be interested in your results.

 

[dibbles]

Thank you for your input Penelopejane. I did decide to try mixing it in water, and it seems to dissolve. Seriously, I should have figured that's what would happen. So my little test batch plan will be to use enough water to dissolve the NaOH and then split my batter and add carrot puree to half and carrot powder dissolved in buttermilk to half and see what happens. I'm donating a gift basket to a friend's charity silent auction in June, so am just getting a head start with some ideas.

 

[penelopejane]

Thank you for your input Penelopejane. I did decide to try mixing it in water, and it seems to dissolve. Seriously, I should have figured that's what would happen. So my little test batch plan will be to use enough water to dissolve the NaOH and then split my batter and add carrot puree to half and carrot powder dissolved in buttermilk to half and see what happens. I'm donating a gift basket to a friend's charity silent auction in June, so am just getting a head start with some ideas.

Yes I thought the powder might reconstitute in water or oil.

Could you do three testers? One with the powder added directly to the batter.

 

[dibbles]

Yes I thought the powder might reconstitute in water or oil.

Could you do three testers? One with the powder added directly to the batter.

Well, there's an idea

 

[Jeanea]

I just recently made a soap with carrot powder. I made a 3lb batch and added the powder to my oils with my clay. It did turn my batter a darker color, but I was expecting that.

 

[dibbles]

I did my test batch. I was planning to use RE's Candied Ginger FO, then realized the usage rate is 1.49%. So the round soap is made with that, no color and carrot powder only (fragrance is barely there). The other bar was made with the batter split - part with carrot puree and part with carrot powder. This also has the Candied Ginger FO at the max usage rate and a couple of other ginger FOs, at least one of which discolors, and the batch was made with 1/2 being mixed with carrot puree and 1/2 mixed with carrot powder (no colorant). Definite discoloration, and also some overheating in the test loaf. The carrot powder left a bit of speckling, but since it does tend to reconstitute I don't think I'll get a predictable result. I'll use it, but when it's gone I won't get more. Puree gives a nicer color, but I don't know how long it will last.

And I managed to figure out how to upload a picture

 

[penelopejane]

I did my test batch. I was planning to use RE's Candied Ginger FO, then realized the usage rate is 1.49%. So the round soap is made with that, no color and carrot powder only (fragrance is barely there). The other bar was made with the batter split - part with carrot puree and part with carrot powder. This also has the Candied Ginger FO at the max usage rate and a couple of other ginger FOs, at least one of which discolors, and the batch was made with 1/2 being mixed with carrot puree and 1/2 mixed with carrot powder (no colorant). Definite discoloration, and also some overheating in the test loaf. The carrot powder left a bit of speckling, but since it does tend to reconstitute I don't think I'll get a predictable result. I'll use it, but when it's gone I won't get more. Puree gives a nicer color, but I don't know how long it will last.

Did you test the carrot powder reconstituted in water or butter milk?
Maybe add it to pureed carrot as well?

 

[dibbles]

Did you test the carrot powder reconstituted in water or butter milk?
Maybe add it to pureed carrot as well?

The carrot powder in the round bar was reconstituted in water. In the 50-50 bar, it was reconstituted in buttermilk. I don't see any advantage to adding it to the carrot puree.

 

[penelopejane]

The carrot powder in the round bar was reconstituted in water. In the 50-50 bar, it was reconstituted in buttermilk. I don't see any advantage to adding it to the carrot puree.

I agree. Sorry, I didn’t understand from your description of the process in post 7. It was a bit disappointing in water/buttermilk. I expected it to be much darker.

 

[dibbles]

I agree. Sorry, I didn’t understand from your description of the process in post 7. It was a bit disappointing in water/buttermilk. I expected it to be much darker.

Being the first time I used it, I wasn't sure how much to use. Since it reconstitutes easily, I think you could use much more than I did for more color. But I think I'll go the pureed carrot route (baby food probably) rather than store the powder. I don't see myself making this regularly.

 

[penelopejane]

Being the first time I used it, I wasn't sure how much to use. Since it reconstitutes easily, I think you could use much more than I did for more color. But I think I'll go the pureed carrot route (baby food probably) rather than store the powder. I don't see myself making this regularly.

I think fresh purée carrot and pumpkin is a brighter and darker colour in soap but the canned/bottled product is a lot easier. Pumpkin soap is really nice. Hard to imagine and I don’t know why but it makes a really nice hard bar (in my standard recipe -so harder than normal) and a nice gentle soap.