Hello!
I have the exact same book at home and did try out the recipe you've posted when I first started. Luckily it turned out OK for me but I fully support the concerns raised by others on this thread about the 0% superfat and I won't be using that recipe again. I just wish I had known it at the time! I have also heard other concerns. I don't have the book in front of me right now but here's some comments from one of the reviews on amazon UK:
"Firstly, within the first few pages, there is a section where she has a highlighted section of the 10 main points to remember, one of which is to always ADD THE WATER TO THE CAUSTIC SODA, rather than the reverse!!! Luckily, she does explain elsewhere that in fact the reverse is true, but still, a beginner (as I was) could just go to that section to refresh their memory as to which way the two should be combined with disasterous results.
Secondly, she translates the measurements of essential oils from teaspoons/tablespoons into grams (that might be mls - I've given the book back to the library) completely wrongly. (It's o.k. if you follow the teaspoons/ tablespoons measures).
Thirdly, the amount of Sodium Hydroxide in some of the recipes is wrong - e.g. in one recipe (I haven't checked them all), it is 25% TOO MUCH!
Fourthly, she uses 'vegetable oil' and 'vegetable shortening' in many of the recipes; if you don't know what type of oil or shortening you are using you cannot accurately calculate the amount of Sodium Hydroxide to use. On realising this, and with a fridge half full of Cookeen, I contacted them only to be informed that their product does not include either Soya or Palm oil, and that they would not in any case disclose the recipe.
Fourthly, you will never be able to legally sell that soap in the U.k., because you will not be able to accurately declare the ingredients.
Fifthly, she does not warn of the dangers to your project of using the wrong water - she suggests that bottled water is o.k. All bottled waters are not equal, and some have a lot of minerals in them which will destroy your batch. I find distilled water gives reliable predictable results; not so bottled water.
Fifthly, many of the recipes are just not good recipes (even where the amount of Sodium Hydroxide is correct); a major factor being that they will be so hard that they will fracture on cutting, and be almost impossible to actually cut a decent bar from; and many will also be very drying.
Sixthly, there is no reference to EU regulations, and the book gives the impression that it is o.k. to just sell soap you have made, without spending longer on paperwork than making soap
Seventhly, she doesn't really discuss the gel phase (where the soap is left to 'cook' in the mould); in my experience small batches have much more difficulty getting hot, and the edges and corners will not make good soap. I appreciate that small batches of a pound or two, which is where the book is focused, are just what the beginner wants and needs, but more explanation of this, and some extra measures (e.g. heating the moulds, ensuring that they are wrapped/insulated really quickly and even put in a luke warm oven) would have been helpful."
It's a nice book for ideas etc. and looks lovely but I would be wary of using the recipes. Her second book, Natural Soap, is much better.
