Tips On Using Emulsifying Powder |
Making creams can take a bit of getting use to. Once you get the knack, it is really straight forward. I have posted several recipes on the site and a tutorial. I generally use around 5% (although I have used 12% before) in the oil phase but it is the cetyl alcohol that will contribute to thickness, aids stability and provides a conditioning element. The emulsifying powder is a basic self-emulsifying ingredient - by 'basic' I mean it is a PEG free ingredient that is widely used throughout the cosmetic and food industries for its emulsifying-only function. Regarding its use, I can give you a run down of what I do :o) - melt all the oils,
butters, e powder, cetyl alcohol in a double boiler, in the meantime, while they are
melting I prepare another double boiler (bowl over a saucepan is fine) by simply
warming the water bowl over the boiling water - When all the
oils/butter/ewax etc... have melted (with a little gentle stirring here and
there) & are at about 70 degrees, I add the water phase ingredients (that
are not heat sensitive) EXCEPT the water/hydrolat to the water bowl to warm. I
then boil the water seperately in either a seperate kettle/saucepan and only
when boiling do I add that to the heated water phase double boiler. This ensures the
water is as hot as it can be and because the bowl has been warmed, cooling of
the water is minimised. In all this time, the oil phase is still over the
heat. - Then I immediately
put my stick blender in the water phase and add the hot oil phase in a thin
steady stream to the water phase (not the other way around). The water phase is
still over heat. - I continue to stir
the mix, over heat for 3-5 mins. I have found though that by using the stick
blender for only 30 seconds to a minute then switching to a balloon whisk and
continue gently stirring (not vigorously) helps to reduce air bubbles
significantly and results in a heavier, smoother cream. It takes a bit longer
but is worth it. - After 3-5 mins (I
prefer 5 mins) stirring over the heat, I transfer to the cold bath and continue
to stir gently with a balloon whisk until a nice cream has developed.
Further Information! Here is a link to a
tutorial I added to the main site: Here is a recipe
which is in the main recipes (there are more) but it has mixed measurements so I
would convert like for like to grams: If you are registered to the forum, here is a link to
some tips on recuding bubbles and creating a richer
cream: The emulsifying
powder is a more natural emulsifyier (widely
used in both cosmetics and food) and once you get the technique it is really easy to use. The
more cetyl you use, the thicker the cream (but thickness increases over a few
days so don't make a judgement on consistency immediately). Cetyl is important
for stability though and I generally use 50-75% of the total emulsifying
powder. |