Comments on: My first attempt at soap making https://zentastic.me/blog/2010/09/22/my-first-attempt-at-soap-making/ I can scarcely move or draw my breath // Let me, let me freeze again to death Wed, 06 Jan 2016 03:58:04 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Max https://zentastic.me/blog/2010/09/22/my-first-attempt-at-soap-making/comment-page-1/#comment-12768 Max Sat, 25 Sep 2010 15:11:44 +0000 https://zentastic.me/blog/?p=9582#comment-12768 If you’re going to be cooking sugar syrups to hard crack, make sure to keep a large bowl with ice and water on hand. As soon as you have the sugar to the point that you want, drop the whole pot into the ice water and stop the cooking process. Hot sugar will continue to rise in temperature for quite a few minutes after you turn off the heat, which can turn a very sweet application into a very bitter one.

If you’re not going to be using a sugar thermometer, a cool old-school alternative to gauge where the sugar is in the cooking process is to take that same bowl of ice and water, and soak your hand in it for a few minutes. When your hand is completely numb, grab a bit of the boiling sugar, and immediately submerge it (and your hand) back into the ice water. You’ll be able to feel if it’s at soft ball, hard ball, soft crack, or hard crack. It’s a nice way to skip owning and calibrating specialty thermometers, and to make sure that your sugar is right all the time, every time.

Be careful. They call it culinary napalm for a reason, and I have more than a few battle scars to show for my time working pastry.

]]> By: John https://zentastic.me/blog/2010/09/22/my-first-attempt-at-soap-making/comment-page-1/#comment-12763 John Fri, 24 Sep 2010 02:49:54 +0000 https://zentastic.me/blog/?p=9582#comment-12763 Thank you for continuing to post these wonderful projects. My son is nearing the age where he will be able to participate in these sorts of things, and I have many of your previous posts bookmarked for ideas. Can’t wait to see what’s next!

]]> By: Ana Sofia https://zentastic.me/blog/2010/09/22/my-first-attempt-at-soap-making/comment-page-1/#comment-12762 Ana Sofia Fri, 24 Sep 2010 01:35:20 +0000 https://zentastic.me/blog/?p=9582#comment-12762 i think you should do a recap of the survivor episodes. lol i love survivor!

]]> By: NickH https://zentastic.me/blog/2010/09/22/my-first-attempt-at-soap-making/comment-page-1/#comment-12753 NickH Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:26:57 +0000 https://zentastic.me/blog/?p=9582#comment-12753 Sorry to hear it is still so rough with no end in sight but I am happy the new projects have provided a bit of a boost. Off to watch survivor myself. It is my longest TV love that has always held me.

All the best,

-n

]]> By: Rebekah https://zentastic.me/blog/2010/09/22/my-first-attempt-at-soap-making/comment-page-1/#comment-12752 Rebekah Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:54:12 +0000 https://zentastic.me/blog/?p=9582#comment-12752 don’t laugh at me – will you be selling any of your creations? I have a dear friend who I met on BME who needs a gift for the holiday – preferably drop-shipped from Canada. And your stuff is FUN! (I loved the bowl)

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