How do you get a smooth HP soap?

[Guest]

I've tried my hand at 2 batches of HP soap. What I am not liking about it is that it starts to harden and get crumbly when packing in the mold. This one batch had a bunch of gooey crumbs on the surface that I had to use pressure to meld together and still it looks crumbly. Is there a sweet spot for temperature when packing HP soap? I am afraid of transferring it too hot and melting the freezer paper then having bits of freezer paper stuck to my loaf.

 

[Fragola]

You certainly need to pour hot.

Didn't know that freezer paper can melt. Of course, I'm using baking paper.

 

[lsg]

I use parchment paper to line any mold that needs lining. Why not try adding a little "Instant" milk powder to the soap and mixing in right before pouring. It has to be the "instant" milk and not the big granular brands or it won't mix in well. I have done this with rebatching soap and the soap seems to smooth out after adding the milk.
I don't know about just the right temp., when I make HP soap, I just cook until the Vaseline-looking stage and then do a zap test. If it doesn't zap it is ready to put in the mold.
Here is the link with info about adding instant dry milk. It is a rebatching recipe, but I don't know why adding milk wouldn't work for HP.

http://www.pvsoap.com/instructions_for_rebatch.htm

 

[judymoody]

It will never be as smooth as CP; it's the nature of the medium.

You can get wood molds that have lids that are inset. Once you pour, you can cover the soap (or inner surface of the lid) with freezer or parchment, and press down firmly. Then you'd have minimal trimming if any.

ETA that the milk trick helps with a smoother pour but it could be any kind of milk. I've used plain cow's milk out of the refrigerator and coconut milk.

 

[sosocal]

Sodium lactate added to the lye water increases my HP's fluidity considerably.

 

[KD]

I second the sodium lactate addition. Use at 3%, and you will be able to pour your soap.

 

[IrishLass]

I use sodium lactate with my HP and I've never been happy with my HP tops (CP has spoiled me), so what I do nowadays is I make my HP batches a tad bit bigger so that the soap batter overflows my log mold a little- not too much, but just enough for the batter to raise up over the top of my mold without actually spilling out of the mold. Then, when it comes time to unmold and cut, I just trim off the fugly excess with my planer and all is well and pretty- and this all without my soap being smaller than usual from having been planed. I love my planer. It's a beautiful thing. I then take the excess fugly part and smoosh it down into an indy mold and make a rustic looking but decorative bar of soap with it.


IrishLass

 

[FOhoarder]

I say embrace the fugly! HP is what it is. I personally love the rustic look of it.

 

[Hazel]

I say embrace the fugly! .

Great comment!

I also use sodium lactate but you could try adding some sugar. Remove enough water from the liquid amount to dissolve about 1 T ppo and add it into your batch. It's supposed to help make the HP more fluid but I don't know if it really does. I did this in my first batch of HP and I thought the loaf came out fairly smooth except for a little roughness on the top. Since it was my first batch, I didn't have anything to make a comparision which is why I'm saying it supposedly may help. I found this tip about sugar on Kathy Miller's site. http://www.millersoap.com/

 

[SilverMaple]

I use Sodium Lactate at 3% as well as a full water amount. While it's not as smooth as CP, my HP soap is about the consistency of applesauce when I pour it. My mold's lid fits inside, so I put a layer of plastic wrap on the top, set on the lid, and smoosh it down a few times as it cools. With practice, you can get a flat top. Otherwise I mound it in the middle and leave it alone-- people like the 'rustic' look.