Does anyone pre-heat their mould?

[CpnDouchette]

I use lard and soap cool, around 90. I have probably 30 to 40 loaves under my belt and know the difference between false trace and trace. I am in the UK so room temp is around 20c.

I am finding that if I do more complicated designs, my soap batter seems to cool and solidify in the mould so when I then add the next layer, it doesn't flow right. Today I tried 'to comb or not to comb and by the time I'd poured the outside rows, the inside was setting up. The batter in my jugs (I had 5 jugs for a 2-3lb batch) was still lovely and fluid. I've had it before with small portions of batter and have successfully microwaved for a few seconds to loosen it up but I can't chuck the whole mould in there - it wouldn't fit for a start.

Is it just me? How do other soapers from cooler climates manage? Do I just need to soap at 100?

 

[TheGecko]

What I would suggest is 1) Mix your batter at a higher temp, or 2) Make each layer separately. I did the later when I made a 3 layer soap...I master batch and divided the total amount of oils/butters I needed by 3 and then poured that amount into 3 bowls (each layer was a different color and scent). I then did the same thing with my Lye Solution. Then I mixed the first layer, poured and then went off to do something else while it set up. When it was ready, I then mixed up the second layer, pour and let set up and then did the third layer.

 

[CpnDouchette]

Otherwise round - i need the batter to stay fluid in the mould rather than set!

 

[Ford]

Hi, in same scenario. Unheated cellar space. I try to start around 95+. But I know I'm lower by time I pour. How about your FO's?? All behavers??

 

[Tara_H]

I struggled with this problem for quite a while. In the end I had to significantly rework my recipe to use a mix of oils that was liquid (thick but still pourable) at room temperature. Then the additional heat from saponification keeps it properly liquid while I do complicated designs.

 

[CpnDouchette]

Hi, in same scenario. Unheated cellar space. I try to start around 95+. But I know I'm lower by time I pour. How about your FO's?? All behavers??

Yup, all well behaved for the most part (and if they aren't its usually easy to identify its the FO wreaking havoc) .

rework my recipe to use a mix of oils that was liquid (thick but still pourable) at room temperature

This seems like a more practical solution than pre-heating my mould - not sure why it didn't occur to me sooner. And, now I think of it, its only really been a problem since I replaced the olive oil in my recipe....

 

[earlene]

In the wintertime, yes, because I do not heat my house very much during the winter, so a cold mould does as you say, cools down the soap batter too quickly. Since I want my soap to gel, I don't want it to cool down. Pre-heating is not difficult at all. I just pop them a pre-heated oven on tray. It also helps heat up the kitchen a bit, to pre-heat the oven.

Of course, if you are not making soap in a kitchen or a room with an oven, then there are other ways to pre-heat a mold, such as heating pads, hot water (as appropriate), etc.

Not in the summertime. In the summertime, I don't cool the house excessively, so everything is quite warm already.

 

[dibbles]

I soap in my basement, which is on the cool side all year. I would say right now (summer) my room temp is similar to yours. I also use lard and my oil temps are close to what you are using. I don't have problems with false trace, and I don't heat my molds.

For the technique you are attempting, I would suggest pouring smaller amounts of batter at a time into each of the divided sections of your mold so that you can stir the batter more often to keep it fluid (as opposed to pouring all the batter into the center before pouring the sides). I hope that made sense.