Hot Process only 1 hour???

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KatieShephard

KatieShephard

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I just made my first batch of hot process soap. It looks good and all, but from when I put the lid on the crock to when I molded it was an hour and 15 minutes. Is this normal? I actually was going to take it out after an hour, but thought that was too soon (time wise) so I let it cook longer. I think the extra time dried it out a bit, but hopefully not too much. I took the soap ball I made from the bit left in the crock and lathered up and tested it with my ph strip and got an 8...so I'm assuming it's all cooked.

What are everyone's thoughts?
 
Shampoo Bar HP

Here are my %:
CO 3
Sunflower 5
Sweet Almond 15
Avocado 10
Castor 8
Olive 59

I was going for a shampoo bar. I also added a touch of sugar and salt to my lye water.
 
I HP in the crockpot, usually 2 to 2.5lb batches (that's oil weight, not total weight), I cook on low, and they are done in 30 to 45 minutes.

I have no idea where the thought process that HP has to cook for a long time originated; I think a lot of people must be overcooking their soap and getting exactly what you observed: overcooked soap. Of course, different recipes, batch sizes, and heat sources will all make a difference, so YMMV.

I consider my soap done when it is all uniformly translucent, like a cross between hot Vaseline and mashed potatoes.
 
I usually go by the looks of the soap. If it has an appearance rather like petroleum jelly (translucent), then it is usually ready. You can also do a zap test. Take a little of the cooled soap and touch it to the tip of your tongue. If it doesn't zap, then it should be ready.
 
new12soap said:
I HP in the crockpot, usually 2 to 2.5lb batches (that's oil weight, not total weight), I cook on low, and they are done in 30 to 45 minutes.

I have no idea where the thought process that HP has to cook for a long time originated; I think a lot of people must be overcooking their soap and getting exactly what you observed: overcooked soap. Of course, different recipes, batch sizes, and heat sources will all make a difference, so YMMV.

I consider my soap done when it is all uniformly translucent, like a cross between hot Vaseline and mashed potatoes.
Click to expand...

Reading this makes me feel like maybe I did okay! :thumbup: I only did 1 pound...and after about 40 minutes (I took detailed notes) it all looked like vaseline and was translucent. Is that the time to add superfats? And then take out of the crock and let cool to add fragrance?

lsg said:
I usually go by the looks of the soap. If it has an appearance rather like petroleum jelly (translucent), then it is usually ready. You can also do a zap test. Take a little of the cooled soap and touch it to the tip of your tongue. If it doesn't zap, then it should be ready.
Click to expand...

I was going to try the zap test, but I'm terrified that I'll burn my tongue! :eek:
 
You can add superfat after the cook if you want, I don't bother and just put it all in up front. Add your fragrance when it's done cooking, if you move it out of the crockpot or let it cool you will never get it fully incorporated or be able to mold it, it gets hard fast.

An alternative to the zap test is to take a little bit of the soap and rub it between gloved fingers. If there is any grittiness to it, it still needs to cook, if it is totally smooth it's ready. Not as reliable as the zap test but it helps. Really, just make sure you stir from the bottom and all of it is evenly cooked and translucent and it should be fine.
 
KatieShephard said:
I was going to try the zap test, but I'm terrified that I'll burn my tongue! :eek:
Click to expand...
You won't burn your tongue if you take a little soap out of the pot and let it cool, then do the zap test. If you are worried about the lye burning your tongue, there shouldn't be enough to hurt you, if your soap is translucent all the way through.:razz:
 
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I have to say, cleaning out the crock pot after it sat in water a bit was so very simple! There are so many pros and cons for HP and CP...which to try next? :D
 
KatieShephard said:
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I have to say, cleaning out the crock pot after it sat in water a bit was so very simple! There are so many pros and cons for HP and CP...which to try next? :D
Click to expand...

For your next challenge make some M&P base. It is hot process, but has added ingredients.:mrgreen:
 
On the superfats question - if you want to superfat with a particular fat, add it at the end after the cook. This is the only way to selectively superfat a soap.

If your superfat is just a % of the mix of oils, then as New12Soap says, just put it all in at the beginning. I sometimes keep a wee bit out though, to help mix in the scent.
 
Unmolded today...look how pretty they came out! The empty tea box and yogurt container in the back were my molds :)

IMG_1607_zps7d7bab82.jpg
 
new12soap said:
I HP in the crockpot, usually 2 to 2.5lb batches (that's oil weight, not total weight), I cook on low, and they are done in 30 to 45 minutes.

I have no idea where the thought process that HP has to cook for a long time originated; I think a lot of people must be overcooking their soap and getting exactly what you observed: overcooked soap. Of course, different recipes, batch sizes, and heat sources will all make a difference, so YMMV.

I consider my soap done when it is all uniformly translucent, like a cross between hot Vaseline and mashed potatoes.
Click to expand...

Same here. My HP soaps get to this stage pretty fast. I don't find myself cooking for over and hour and definitely not 2 hours.

I think this idea may have originated on some Utube channels hehe :mrgreen:

But even with my short cook times it's hard to get my soaps to fill my molds in all its crevices. I take heaps and plop them into my soap loaf mold. I bang against the table but there's always pockets. I mean.. I press down, stab, jab, etc. Just can't get it to fill completely all the time... not like CP soap anyway.
 
Last edited:
After I made a coffee soap with a lot of extra water (it looks like CP even though it is HP) I am going to play with the water amounts, coupled with Sodium lactate, to get the most fluid batter with the least amount of water over and above the full water default. Will report back with my findings.

If any HPers are interested in helping out, drop me a pm and we can sort it.

ETA - I love how HP looks, though, rustic and all that. But for swirling, flat tops and so on I think there is a water amount that will be ideal.
 
I don't do a lot of HP but use a little extra water as well and SL with my shaving soaps and it seems to make it more fluid though not always totally smooth. At least no gaps or crevices. There are some amazing HPer's that have beautiful soaps. They've certainly mastered the process.
 

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