Bubbles on top

[three_little_fishes]

I finally did it! Made the cinnamon shave soap I've been wanting to do for what seems like ages. Looks like it turned out great! It's still insulated right now, but definitely reached full gel (whew! my last 2 batches have partial gelled on me!).

I probably shouldn't have tried something new on a new recipe and I probably should have cut the recipe in half to begin with, but I sprayed the top with alcohol (90something %...I forget the exact percentage and if I leave the room right now my kid will have a tantrum) to try to prevent ash. One of the logs has a weird looking film on top now with tiny bubbles in it.

I made sure to bang on the counter to get air bubbles out. It only did it in the HDPE mold, not the silicone. The plastic wrap did touch on the top of the soap so I'm wondering if that and the alcohol together caused the ugliness. :eh:

Will take a picture as soon as I can get up, but could it be from the alcohol?

 

[mel z]

I've had ugly tops if I sprayed alcohol and used plastic wrap. If I use plastic wrap at all I still get ugly tops.

Don't cover with anything the next time you spray with alcohol. The alcohol will keep ash at bay that way, that is what the alcohol method is for - not covering. At least that has been my experience with my experiments.

No alcohol is needed when covering and insulating.

I could be wrong, just had the same thing happen.

 

[three_little_fishes]

Ahhh, so I overdid it with the covering. That makes sense. That was the only mold I covered.

 

[cursivearts]

Yup, alcohol does the ash in, so no need to cover. It needs to be able to evaporate. I usually spray lightly once, and come back and spray again a few minutes later.

 

[three_little_fishes]

Glad I only did it to one mold! Makes me sad since I was able to make pretty tops on it, but it could be worse. Could have ended up lye heavy and useless!

Here is what it looks like along with a picture of the silicone mold a few minutes after pouring and playing with the top some. Sorry about the awful phone pic. I really wish I hadn't broken my iphone!

[URL=http://s1342.photobucket.com/user/threelittlefishes/media/2013-06-07074510_zps9cc4bea3.jpg.html] [/URL]

[URL=http://s1342.photobucket.com/user/threelittlefishes/media/2013-06-06213653_zps4b317b77.jpg.html] [/URL]

 

[three_little_fishes]

Also, I meant to put in OP. I am so thrilled that it didn't seize up on me! That was my biggest worry!

 

[mel z]

Yep, mine looked exactly like your top photo.

P.S. I've been thinking about getting one of those ED molds, as my wooden mold is huge and I have a liner for it that is not big enough, but yeah, I could do smaller loaves. I thought about the cardboard box frame. If you wipe it down now, you can line it with any left over freezer paper, or even a shopping bag or trash bag and keep reusing that box!

 

[three_little_fishes]

Yep, mine looked exactly like your top photo.

P.S. I've been thinking about getting one of those ED molds, as my wooden mold is huge and I have a liner for it that is not big enough, but yeah, I could do smaller loaves. I thought about the cardboard box frame. If you wipe it down now, you can line it with any left over freezer paper, or even a shopping bag or trash bag and keep reusing that box!

Good idea!

I honestly haven't been that impressed with the ED mold. Even in the box the sides bow out. I have to push it up against a wall and then put something else on the other side of it (usually my sugar canister). I still use it since I have it, but no more than I use my regular kitchen loaf pan that I never got around to making bread in. I'm really wanting more of the harder plastic molds, but they're so $$. I just lucked up and found the 4 pound one cheap on craigslist.