I built a quick Google Sheet that sizes an animal-free butter block for laminated dough using refined coconut + cocoa butter + high-oleic sunflower oil; it adjusts for room temp (I work at 22°C) and batch size, targeting plasticity similar to dairy. It’s fully plant-based and a bit lighter on saturated fat than straight coconut — happy to share or hear tweaks if you’ve tested other ratios.
At ‘22°C’, temper cocoa butter; 0.8% lecithin helps, and 5% canola softens HO sunflower.
Instead of the 45‑min hold, keep cores about 30°F but hit the hopper/throat with CO2 snow and pre‑chill auger/knife so the surface sits about 26°F at the “3/8"” first pass; we clawed back that 5–6% and kept smear down by bumping knife sprin
But what cut our smear most was tightening knife‑to‑plate preload rather than going colder; we set until there’s a clean “witness ring” on the plate and accept a small amp bump, which kept throughput flat. Caveat: if you see gray silt, back off a quarter‑turn and re‑dress the plate — how often are you dressing the plate/knife between runs?
I’ve had success using a touch of avocado oil blended in to keep the texture smooth and pliable without losing that buttery feel. @amelia_bake2023, have you tried adjusting the ratios with other oils for a lighter finish?