weird palm oil

[android]

hey all, the only palm oil i've been able to find locally is very red/orange and looks like there's some 'stuff' in there. i used it successfully in a recipe a while back in small proportion and used it again this weekend with a greater percentage and the soap seems like it has pools of oil on the surface or something and some deep red veins in it and seemed really soft when i cut it... i think it will turn out OK but what's the preferred type of palm? is there a clarified type? anyone else had a similar experience? thanks!

also, how does one avoid the gelling effect? i seem to get it in all my soaps and for once i'd like a nice, solid color in a bar.

 

[madpiano]

unrefined palm oil is orange. The bits floating is normal, you need to melt the whole pot and stir it thoroughly, then measure out the amount needed.

There shouldn't be any pools of oil or red veins.....

I can only get orange palm here (unless I order over the internet), so all my vegetarian soaps will have to be some shade of yellow/orange.

If I want a white soap, I replace the Palm Oil with Lard.

 

[android]

i think my red veins are actually gelling, but i just wanted to make sure it was kosher to use this type of palm oil for soap.

 

[MikeInPdx]

Give the pools of oil a few days to soak up.....I have had this happen with a couple of batches and they usually right themselves.

As far as not gelling.....you can put the mold in the freezer or refrigerator.....that should stop it.

 

[android]

is the insulation of the batch what causes the gelling? and seriously about the refrigerator?