Chocolate & coffee as ingredients

[RogueRose]

I have a couple questions about coffee as a liquid, coffee grounds, and chocolate (dark bakers chocolate, no milk, VERY bitter - might actually be called chocolate liquer).

I'm wondering how coffee is used in soap. Is it possible to boil it down to concentrate it more? Is that worth it and can it burn and ruin the smell? Does caf/de-caf matter?

What about coffee grounds. I would think that may add a nice exfoliating/scrub to some bars. Anyone have any experience?

Finally, the chocolate. I'm curious if this can be used in any way and I'm sure the type of chocolate does matter b/c some have milk and sugar (Pthe stuff I have doesn't - but I also have some like nestle morsels) Any suggestions on that?

 

[Obsidian]

Yes, you can concentrate the coffee down into a syrup and add it trace, use low heat to prevent burning. Another option is just to use strong cold coffee to dissolve your lye, it will heat up, turn weird colors and smell bad at first. The scent goes away, so does the orange color. I prefer to use concentrate.
Grounds do make a good exfoliate but they can be too scratchy for some people. I grind fresh beans on the finest setting on the grinder, its more of a powder and it isn't near as scratchy.

I've never used chocolate but I know other people have. Maybe try .50oz to 1oz PPO. I'd melt it with the hard oils and make sure its mixed into the oils really well.

 

[melimelo]

Hi I have used the first 8 oz of coffee dripped out from 1 lb of espresso grinds and added unbrewed coffee for exfoliation and decorative effect. I swirled titanium dioxide to make some if it "milky". Did not retain coffee smell. Good coloring though.

 

[Susie]

I have also used cocoa as a colorant. Not chocolate, though.

 

[Earthen_Step]

I've read of many people using coffee in replacement of water. I personally have used cocoa for color and a little goes a long way.

 

[RogueRose]

I've read of many people using coffee in replacement of water. I personally have used cocoa for color and a little goes a long way.

Do you know how they keep it from smelling bad when mixing the lye?

 

[dixiedragon]

I have used cocoa powder as a colorant. I use the cheap stuff and save the good cocoa for cooking.

Instead of brewing coffee, I just threw some ground coffee into my lye solution. I was making a gardener's soap and I wanted the scrubbing effect. I liked it a lot. I did get a slight coffee scent from the grounds. I add tea tree EO to the soap. The soap is dark brown. I made the mistake of pouring some into a Milky Way cat mold, and when the soap had been used and the cat features worn away, it looked like a coil of poop.

I don't see the point of adding baker's chocolate to soap, except for label appeal. If I want my soap to have authentic chocolaty-ness, I use cocoa butter and cocoa.

ETA: Also, I have used instant coffee granuals. They will not dissolve in the soap batter, but I dissolve them in a little hot water and they make a good dark brown colorant. I like them better than cocoa actually - cocoa is more of a muddy gray brown.

 

[Earthen_Step]

Do you know how they keep it from smelling bad when mixing the lye?

I've never read of a terrible smell while mixing. I probably won't be attempting a coffee soap for another 2-3 months. When I do I'll try to remember and mention anything I run into. I'd imagine if there are any off-scents it will dissipate while curing. Here is one recipe that uses double-strength coffee as replacement for water.

http://offbeatandinspired.com/2012/09/17/a-recipe-for-cafe-soap/

 

[RogueRose]

I've never read of a terrible smell while mixing. I probably won't be attempting a coffee soap for another 2-3 months. When I do I'll try to remember and mention anything I run into. I'd imagine if there are any off-scents it will dissipate while curing. Here is one recipe that uses double-strength coffee as replacement for water.

http://offbeatandinspired.com/2012/09/17/a-recipe-for-cafe-soap/

Unfortunately the smell didn't seem to dissapate after curing which was really dissappointing. I'm going to try using frozen coffee cubes and dividing the lye into 5-6 equal amounts and add them after the previous amount has cooled to say 100-120 degrees. This way the temp doesn't get too hot all at once.

 

[Earthen_Step]

Unfortunately the smell didn't seem to dissapate after curing which was really dissappointing. I'm going to try using frozen coffee cubes and dividing the lye into 5-6 equal amounts and add them after the previous amount has cooled to say 100-120 degrees. This way the temp doesn't get too hot all at once.

Let us know how that goes. If all else fails I plan on just using solid coffee for exfoliation and some concentrated syrup in at trace. But, I hope to do a full water replacement.

 

[lsg]

I have used very strong coffee, frozen, for my liquid and very finely ground coffee as an exfoliant. Cocoa absolute smells wonderful in soap, but it is very expensive.

 

[RogueRose]

I have used very strong coffee, frozen, for my liquid and very finely ground coffee as an exfoliant. Cocoa absolute smells wonderful in soap, but it is very expensive.

How much cocoa do you add in your recipes?

 

[lsg]

I just added a little bit along with chocolate fragrance. Cocoa absolute is very expensive.