Cherry Chocolate Valentine Tutorial: Phase 1

I’ve been asked how I made these cute Cherry Chocolate Valentine Soaps.  Here, I’ll provide the steps involved in making these soaps, however, I’m assuming you have a basic understanding of both the melt and pour method and cold process method of soap-making. I’ve provided links for purchasing the items you’ll need through Bramble Berry Soap Making Supplies.  I made the soaps in two phases.

The first phase is to make 18 hearts and a lot of swirls to be embedded.  Note: I didn’t record my measurements for the melt and pour phase, so these are estimates.  You’ll need:

• 5.5 lbs Bulk Clear Melt and Pour Base
• 1.5 oz Black Cherry Fragrance Oil
• .4 oz Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil
• Brown and Pink Colorant.  I used Bakery Beige from the Sweet Treats Colorant Set and Non-Bleeding Red Liquid Colorant.
• A silicone square tray mold.
• A silicone heart mold.

Hearts: Cut 3 lbs of the melt and pour base into cubes, place in a 32 oz Pyrex measuring cup (or other heat-safe measuring dish), cover with plastic wrap and melt in the microwave.  I melt mine in 20 minute increments until it’s all melted.  Let cool a bit and then stir in 1 oz of Black Cherry Fragrance Oil.  Then, add drops of Non-Bleeding Red Liquid Colorant while stirring.  Add drops of colorant until you like the color.  I wanted mine to be pink and somewhat translucent.   Pour into each heart cavity of your heart mold, spritz with alcohol and wait for it to set up. Note: I put mine in the freezer because I’m impatient that way. 

Swirls: In the meantime, you can make soap for your swirls!  For this, you’ll cut and melt 1 lb of melt and pour soap.  Follow the same procedures above for cutting and melting.  You’ll then use .4 oz of Dark Rich Chocolate FO and your brown colorant.  I added drops of Bakery Beige until I liked the color.  Then, pour it into the silicone square mold, spritz with alcohol and let set.

Hearts: Your heart soaps should be ready to pop out of the molds, so do that.  Then, you’ll use the remainder of your melt and pour soap and Black Cherry Fragrance Oil to make 6 hearts.  Again, I didn’t record how much melt and pour base I used, so it’s possible that you’ll either need more base or you’ll make more than 6 hearts.   Follow the hearts directions above.

Swirls: Slowly remove your slab of chocolate-scented soap.  On a cutting surface, slice the soap in 1 to 2 inch-wide strips.  Then, use a vegetable peeler to peel each strip.  As you peel, the soap will curl; creating swirls.  See my swirls below:

Once you have your 18 hearts and your swirls completed, you can store them in separate gallon-sized zip-lock bags until you’re ready for the second phase.