How to Make Bombs - Bath Bombs (Fizzers)

Already it's August. Just where did the time go ? Thankfully there is still a bit of summer left. 

The best bit too - with all the super late summer fruits like plums, cherries, new season apples and blackberries.

However, before you know it, we'll be plunging into winter and we'll all be tapping each other for ideas for Christmas hampers and making gutsy, rich winter stews.

Home made bath bombs are so easy that even the kids can help. You would really never guess that they could be so simple and the ingredients are things most of us food bloggers tend to keep in the cupboard. (.....some stocking up may be required). I actually made these about 3 weeks ago and sent them to nursery with Oliver for their raffle at Sports Day

Bath bombs make a lovely gift at any time of year and will keep for rather a long time. As long as you keep them dry that is ! They look lovely simply wrapped in some tissue paper with ribbon

Recipe (makes approx 6 largish bombs)

1 cup of citric acid

2 cups of bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp of olive oil

2.5ml tea rose fragrance oil (or another fragrance of your choice)

1ml colouring

water to spritz (spray bottle required)

No special equipment is required to make bath bombs apart from a simple plastic spray bottle. These are easily and cheaply obtained from pound / dollar stores or similar. It really does not need to be anything fancy.

You will also need something to mould your bath bombs. You could use a metal or silicone muffin tray. If metal, I suggest you line it with papers to make it easy to get the finished bath bombs out. Bath bombs will release very easily from even very intricate silicone moulds after they have been left to harden for a while. Silicone bakeware moulds mean you can make some really pretty designs.

 For these, I used our new 6 cell mixed flower mould that you can see below

Large volumes of citric acid and bicarbonate of soda are easy to buy online via ebay. Make sure the fragrance oils are cosmetic grade and not just suitable for candles / oil burners only. Some fragrance oil brands are much stronger than others, so you may need to vary how much you use.

Sift the citric acid and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl.

Add the fragrance oil, olive oil and colour. Mix well to combine.

Using the spray bottle, spray on a little water a little at a time. You really don't need much at all. Work quickly. Add only JUST enough so that when you squeeze the mixture hard in your hands it forms clumps. It will be very sandy in appearance and texture. 

If you add too much water, the bicarbonate of soda will start to fizz ..... and we really don't want that to happen yet !

Press the mix into the cells of your silicone mould and leave to harden for a couple of hours or so. That's all there is to it. 

Oliver loves to drop these in the bath and watch them fizzzzzz.

Here are some photos from last month's Nursery Sports Day...

READY...... STEADY..... GO !

Ooops. No motion shots - but here is Oliver getting his race completion sticker from Ladybird class teacher Miss Willimott.

Some of the yellow team being led off "train style" ready for the next race.

Here's race #2 !