I have it on 180 and it is taking SO long, I am not sure why! Should I be concerned??
It's been in the oven for almost 2 hours!
- Thread starter Laurabolyard
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I take it that you're doing hpop? That sort of thing is important to know if you want accurate answers.
Any additives not listed in the recipe?
Any additives not listed in the recipe?
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The picture looks like the soap is at the mashed potato stage. I would stir it and let it cook until it is at the Vaseline stage. Once it has reached that stage, do a zap test.
dixiedragon
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So long to do what? That looks like Vaseline stage to me? maybe blast it with the stick blender.
It's still zappy. I gave it a stir and put it back in. Sugar is the only other additive.
Sorry, I thought that was understood when I said oven. My apologies
Sorry, I thought that was understood when I said oven. My apologies
I agree with Dixiedragon is looks like vaseline stage. Are you certain it is zappy, feels like touching your tongue to a 9 volt battery? Non zappy soap can burn the tongue a little. Take out a little with a spoon, run in under cold water to cool and harden it, then wet your finger and rub it across the test sample then touch your tongue. If it is zappy you will get a bit of a shock
I wouldn't be worried. It usually takes mine about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours to reach zaplessness, but some batches take longer. My last HP batch took 2 1/2 hours to reach zaplessness. I would just give it a stir at this point and check for zap every 10 minutes or so.
IrishLass
IrishLass
I'm definitely feeling like I over cooked it. What conditions would keep it zappy at this stage? Too much lye, not reaching trace before going into the oven? I'm about to cut it, but by looking at the sides, it's very crumbly!!
I wouldn't be worried. It usually takes mine about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours to reach zaplessness, but some batches take longer. My last HP batch took 2 1/2 hours to reach zaplessness. I would just give it a stir at this point and check for zap every 10 minutes or so.
Hmmmm, Interesting, maybe my hp still zaps and cures out, since I never cook mine past the vaseline stage. It hits vaseline stage and I pour it.
IrishLass
How good is your scale? It really should not zap. I would recommend just setting it aside for a couple of months to cure and see if it still zaps.
Same recipe for both in the following pic, except I did the 'non-crumbly' (#2) one in the crock, and held some liquid back. Things happened FAST, too fast for a newbie, but it came out SO nicely fluid. I believe the first one would have been the same, NICE and fluid as it looked in the pot picture, but I kept cooking because I was getting zapped!
These!
What happens when you cook a recipe that didn't trace? Wondering if that could be a reason for zap.
What happens when you cook a recipe that didn't trace? Wondering if that could be a reason for zap.
No, cooking before trace shouldn't have any effect on being zappy. If it was zappy, either the recipe hadn't finished saponifying or you mismeasured the lye. Soap is very uncooperative, often doing exactly what you don't want or expect.
You soap is crumbly because it dried out too much. You could have added a little extra water if it seemed to be drying out too fast. For future reference, you don't have to wait for HP to be zap free before you pour, it will finish saponifying in the mold.
You soap is crumbly because it dried out too much. You could have added a little extra water if it seemed to be drying out too fast. For future reference, you don't have to wait for HP to be zap free before you pour, it will finish saponifying in the mold.
THIS is GREAT to know!! I could have saved my tongue, too many tests!!
When I make HP, I just cook it until it starts to get a little translucent then pour. If it seems like its getting too hard or dry, I'll pour even sooner.
You try CP yet? Its a lot less fiddly. Blend until thick, pour in mold, cut when hard. I'm not a fan of having to babysit cooking soap.
You try CP yet? Its a lot less fiddly. Blend until thick, pour in mold, cut when hard. I'm not a fan of having to babysit cooking soap.
I feel like I need to get this HP right, so I will keep trying for a while! Also, I can give them away a little sooner while I am still experimenting with color, oils, etc. I don't have much space to keep it. I did try a CP last week, it looks good, but that's all I can tell right now since I can't use it!
the second batch from the crock was perfect, but things were expanding and volcanoing and making me nervous!
Does stick blending while hot make volcanoes?
Well, one batch GREAT! I'm going to cure some of the crumbly bottoms that didn't stick, just to see how they cure... the rest, in a rebatch bag!!
the second batch from the crock was perfect, but things were expanding and volcanoing and making me nervous!
Does stick blending while hot make volcanoes?
Well, one batch GREAT! I'm going to cure some of the crumbly bottoms that didn't stick, just to see how they cure... the rest, in a rebatch bag!!
gloopygloop
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My soap is always done after 45 minutes, by done I mean zap free but i agree you can pour it even if it is zappy as it will cure out.
Unfortunately, HP takes just a long as CP maybe longer due to more liquid required to make it. They should both cure 4-6 weeks before using, other than testing yourself.
gloopygloop
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i actually dont find this to be the case, my soap is quite hard enough and could be used within a couple of days which I have done on occasions and its been perfectly fine, that little bit extra water does tend to evaporate off with HP I think. It will depend of course upon the recipe and I will say that the soap will definitily improve with more time as all soap tends to do, but it certainly does not require the 4 to 6 weeks "cure time" to be safely used as CP does.
Agreed, with each batch I've kept and used the 'scraps' right away, to be sure they're zap-free, And I don't mind giving it away less cured, I've told them that it will get harder with time. as long as I know that I'm not going to ZAP my friends, I'm good!!
I have no intention of ever selling, I'm just wanting natural bars for myself and loving the experimentation.
It sure LOOKED done! I'm disappointed that it was still so zappy and I left it in so long. Although I FEEL that everything was measured properly, something HAD to have been off. I'm going to try a piece today see how it feels.
I have no intention of ever selling, I'm just wanting natural bars for myself and loving the experimentation.
It sure LOOKED done! I'm disappointed that it was still so zappy and I left it in so long. Although I FEEL that everything was measured properly, something HAD to have been off. I'm going to try a piece today see how it feels.
MullersLaneFarm
Well-Known Member
It is the case though, gloopygloop .... CP soap, especially if it has gone through the gel stage, is just as safe to use as HP soap. CP soap that has had gel ******** by placing the mold in a cold area to prevent gel will take a couple days to reach full saponification and be safe to use.
HP definitely requires the 4-6 weeks (and many time 6-8 weeks) 'cure' time to obtain the crystalline structure needed for a long lasting, well lathering bar of soap. Many CP soap makers discount the liquid in their lye solution reducing the time needed even more.
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