How to make hot process soap tops less crumbly?
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You could always cut them off.
It looks to me like you might be overcooking your soap, or not using enough water (six of one, half dozen of another). Remember that you can put the soap into the mold at any time during the cooking process. Even if it is still zappy, it will finish saponifying on its own within a day or so (usually hours). I mold as soon as possible after the soap hits gel phase, although that might be a few minutes if I'm adding in things for scent, fluidity, post-cook SF, etc.
I'd recommend experimenting with higher water. Also, keep it covered as much as possible, and don't stir in the chunks from the sides of the cooking container. Those are almost always too dry and overcooked. You can tell because they turn whitish and don't mix into the rest of the batter. They also break off easily.
Banging down the mold can help with removing air pockets. I also put cling-wrap on the top and use a pancake spatula or piece of a plastic cutting mat (cut to size) to press the soap down into the mold and make the top flatter and more even.
I'd recommend experimenting with higher water. Also, keep it covered as much as possible, and don't stir in the chunks from the sides of the cooking container. Those are almost always too dry and overcooked. You can tell because they turn whitish and don't mix into the rest of the batter. They also break off easily.
Banging down the mold can help with removing air pockets. I also put cling-wrap on the top and use a pancake spatula or piece of a plastic cutting mat (cut to size) to press the soap down into the mold and make the top flatter and more even.
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I'll add a few more thoughts to the good advice given by @AliOop --
Mold the soap when it's as warm as possible. Any ingredients added at the end of the cook should be warmed if possible, so the soap doesn't cool off. I found adding tablespoon or two of (warmed) yogurt at the end is helpful to keep the soap as fluid as possible when going into the mold.
Search this forum for posts by HP expert @Dawni She has been very generous about sharing good advice and useful tips.
Mold the soap when it's as warm as possible. Any ingredients added at the end of the cook should be warmed if possible, so the soap doesn't cool off. I found adding tablespoon or two of (warmed) yogurt at the end is helpful to keep the soap as fluid as possible when going into the mold.
Search this forum for posts by HP expert @Dawni She has been very generous about sharing good advice and useful tips.
I normally have cooked around 40 ish mins on low temp. I unmold after around 1 hr and 20 mins. Im thinking maybe I need to let my soap cool off a little more before unmolding??? Any tips. I really appreciate all the other advice. I will see how to add a little more water.
You got a point bc last I get the edges and that is normally what is crumbly at top of my soaps
You got a point bc last I get the edges and that is normally what is crumbly at top of my soaps
I think you are unmolding too soon. You could still have warm spots. I always wait one day before unmolding and cutting.
Definitely look up @Dawni as she is a guru on HP soap as far as I'm concerned. Anything that goes in the soap batter after the cook, superfat, yogurt, FO or EO or even just extra water, needs to be warm...that was my big difference. But reading into Dawni's advice made my experience a lot different. I usually soap in the afternoon and then cut my soap right after I get up the next morning. Cooking too long or too hot will make it cut harder, although I have never had it crack (yet)...I never say never unless I add the word crack! LOL
What do you do then with the scrapings? Are they like the trimmings of CP, you can make confetti soap?
Sure, you can do that, or you can roll it into balls of soap for personal use.
If the scraps are fresh and there are a lot of them, I squeeze them into a ball, let them cure and they become sink soap (bathroom or kitchen). Elsewise I just toss them.
Dawni
Well-Known Member
Flattered about being called expert and guru - I'm not (not yet at least lol) but thanks @DeeAnna and @Quilter99755 
But yes, my experiences with HP are all over the forum. If you've not had time to look things up, here are some links (some aren't my threads)
www.soapmakingforum.com
www.soapmakingforum.com
www.soapmakingforum.com
Hope that helps for now. Everyone here is super helpful so if you have questions post them, and someone will be sure to have an answer.
But yes, my experiences with HP are all over the forum. If you've not had time to look things up, here are some links (some aren't my threads)
Latest soaps and HP fluidity lessons
So.... I said somewhere that I'll be writing this post pretending I'm a very experienced HP soaper lol. Let's see how it goes.. But pleeeease, correct me if I'm wrong anywhere, refute me if your experience was different, and add your tips if you're so inclined. We need as much info on HP as we...
www.soapmakingforum.com
Liquid HP methods
I've been away from soapmaking for a while so I know this topic may be quite old so forgive me. I've seen videos for fluid HP methods, one method is typical procedure adding yogurt or milk at the end. The other method is letting the batch volcano up and stir down (doing this several times)...
www.soapmakingforum.com
HP Tips
I’m looking for tips for getting a fluid HP soap. I hoping to recreate better versions of a couple of HP soaps I made when I first started making soap, but I’ve been making CP soaps for months now and I need to refresh on HP. I used the crockpot method and added orange wax to one of the...
www.soapmakingforum.com
Hope that helps for now. Everyone here is super helpful so if you have questions post them, and someone will be sure to have an answer.
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