Brrr, COLD processing, aka my poor blender (pics)

[Hausfrau007]

I just HAD to use that empty Pringles can for a mold, I just absolutely had to. I had enough coconut milk frozen to make another 2lb batch of what might become my favourite recipe (too soon to tell).

So I measured out my olive oil, then I chopped up the coconut milk, put the container in an ice bath and started adding my lye bit by bit. Stir stir stir. Stir stir stir. All the chunks were dissolved, and the milk was nice and creamy after the lye dissolved. It's only then that I remember to put my thermometer into the milk/lye solution. 64F! Dammit, is that too cold? I had no idea. Regardless, I came this far, I might as well continue what is now an experiment in adding a very cold lye mixture to room temperature olive oil.

I stickblended the ever-living bejeeses out of it, and it took a full 25 minutes to reach trace. My poor poor stickblender, it got all hot and bothered, and I started to smell something like electrical distress coming from it. Once trace was finally within grasp, I poured the gloop into the Pringles can and shoved the whole thing into the door of the fridge (me, now being a big fan of avoiding gel phase). 15 hours later, I took it out, and it was still very VERY soft. Not pourable but very mooshable. After leaving it another 12 hours on the kitchen counter, thank goodness and hallelujah, it had hardened to the point that I could take it out of the mold.

Tada:

Good, eh? 8)

 

[Gryfonmoon]

Oooo, very good! So the fridge can avoid the gel phase, hmmm? Good to know :think:

 

[chicklet]

Glad the batch turned out okay. The soap looks good! I had a similar experience last night. My lye didn't get as cool as yours - I think it was around 80 degrees. I had mixed it with frozen buttermilk. After mixing that into the oil, I used the stick blender until it started to feel warm in my hand, then I left the whole thing just sitting there for about 5 minutes, came back and blended a little more and it was still pretty thin, so I left it for 5 more minutes and that did the trick - it had thickened to thin pudding consistency. I'm still learning, but I've read that emulsification is really all that's necessary (as opposed to getting it to a certain trace) unless you're needing it at a certain consistency for doing some fancy stuff. I was just making plain jane shampoo bars so I went ahead and poured it. I've never done the gel thing - I need to learn more about that. I always stick mine in the freezer for 30 minutes (or an hour, or 6), then move it to the fridge for a while before unmolding and slicing.

 

[Seifenblasen]

Looks very nice and creamy!

How did you prep the Pringles can? Do you wash it out first and oil it with mineral oil?

 

[Hausfrau007]

I should be ashamed of myself, such is the extent of my laziness. I just feebly rinsed the can a little bit with tepid water to get the crumbs out. Smell test revealed just a hint of salt and vinegar, lol. No lining nor swabbing with any oils, and as you can see, the stuff peeled right off. Could be because there wasn't any heat. Oh and the salt 'n vinegar smell that was left in the can prior to the pour miraculously did not transfer to the soap. I checked.

 

[Hausfrau007]

Btw, those aren't my hairy knuckles. Those are my Mister's.

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Btw, those aren't my hairy knuckles. Those are my Mister's.

Bwahahaha! I may or may not have just spewed water on my screen...

 

[Juliana14]

I love the looks of your soap :shock:

 

[Hausfrau007]

Ya, me too. If you keep your soap cool after you pour them into the mold, they look for like vanilla ice cream after. Yummy!

 

[lizflowers42]

Does the pringles can work well for just a lye-water soap (you used milk-lye)? I am still in research phase and havent even made my first batch! Can it withstand the heat with out putting it in the fridge?

 

[Lindy]

Yup - it can..... :wink:

 

[lizflowers42]

Yup - it can..... :wink:

Assuming that the bottom metal part doesn't react with the lye too-or do you recommend lining the bottom?

 

[judymoody]

So are you using 100% OO with coconut milk in place of water for your lye? And full (38%) water?

If so, it's not surprising that it took awhile to trace. And if you're not gelling, it can take several days for that formulation to become firm enough to unmold cleanly and cut.

Your soap looks nice and creamy! It sounds like a great solution if you find coconut oil hard to come by locally. Depending on the brand, coconut milk is roughly 10% fat and you get those nice sugars and a bit of protein too.

 

[Hazel]

I love that creamy color. I think your soap is looks wonderful.

 

[green soap]

Now I want to go buy some pringles so I can try this!

I have been having the same problem with a too cold lye solution when I use frozen goat milk. Now I let it thaw a little and/or add a bit of room temperature milk.

 

[Lindy]

Yup - it can..... :wink:

Assuming that the bottom metal part doesn't react with the lye too-or do you recommend lining the bottom?

I haven't heard of anyone having problems with it....