What causes "frostiness"?

[BrySC]

I was going for a mottled/layered candle with the one in the pic below...but it came out very frosty looking. I used 1343, poured at 185 degrees, only used stearic acid. Any ideas?

[topofmurrayhill]

Looks like the layers needed to be poured hotter. The small the layer the hotter the temp you need. Pretty much the same issue as the time you asked about the white-topped candle.

[BrySC]

Oh, I'm sorry if I'm asking the same questions I've asked before. But I would think 185 would be hot enough. Maybe not.

[Scented]

185 would be plenty hot enough. The steric causes the frostiness. Might check your thermometer to make sure it's working properly, because if you frosted at 185 I want to know your secret lol! And in thinking, how much steric did you use?

[topofmurrayhill]

It's fine to ask again if you didn't get it worked out.

I would expect especially with the first layer you might need to pour it hotter than that, especially if the room is cool. I would just pour it at 195-200 so as not to worry. The other layers could be poured cooler unless you wait too long.

If the wax congeals against the side of the mold when you pour and doesn't re-melt, you'll get a rough surface. Stearic will make it look frostier. That's what's happening because the wax is too cool.

It's actually worse than I would expect. Like Scented, I wonder about your thermometer. Or maybe you need to get to your mold faster because a small quantity of wax will cool off quickly.

[BrySC]

I used 1 tablespoon of stearic pp. And maybe the temp is the problem...because the layers did cool very quickly due to the fact that they were small. So I guess I'll try again, and make them hotter. As for my thermometer...it's a glass candy thermometer that came with the kit I bought about 2 months ago. I assume it's correct, but maybe not.

[MasterBaker2]

I used 1 tablespoon of stearic pp. And maybe the temp is the problem...because the layers did cool very quickly due to the fact that they were small. So I guess I'll try again, and make them hotter. As for my thermometer...it's a glass candy thermometer that came with the kit I bought about 2 months ago. I assume it's correct, but maybe not.

A good way to check your thermometer is boil a small pot of water and when the water is at a rapid boil take its temperature. It should be 212* and if not then your thermometer is off.

HTH

[Scented]

I used 1 tablespoon of stearic pp. And maybe the temp is the problem...because the layers did cool very quickly due to the fact that they were small. So I guess I'll try again, and make them hotter. As for my thermometer...it's a glass candy thermometer that came with the kit I bought about 2 months ago. I assume it's correct, but maybe not.

Double check your thermometer using what MB2 outlined. If it's screwy, they're like $2.97 at Wal-Mart. Something else might also be going on, because that's not a lot of steric at 1T pp to produce that kind of frosting too. You aren't chillin' your molds are you?

See I don't think your layers are actually that thin. Are there more than 4 layers in that candle and I can't see the rest of them?