Silicone molds...bubbles!?

[sustainabar]

20191006_212336

• GML
• Oct 6, 2019

These are not bad for whipped re-batched.

Not at all! I'm impressed. Was the soap rather fluid when you pressed it into the molds?

 

[n6561echo]

Thank you everyone for chiming in. After reading a tip in this forum, I put the molds into the oven at 170 degrees for 15 or so minutes, just until the soaps gelled, and then pulled them out. A few hours later, when I popped them out of the molds, they looked great! (BUT -- they feel a little oily for some reason - is that normal? Orange is the one I cooked at 170 for 2 hours; pink I cooked at 170 for 15 minutes -- just until it gelled.). View attachment 44330

They look like they were over heated/cooked. I suggest that you double check your actual oven temperature (top and bottom) with additional oven temperature thermometers, also check the outside temp of your mold (while it's in the oven) with your laser temp gun.

 

[GML]

Not at all! I'm impressed. Was the soap rather fluid when you pressed it into the molds?

It's was more fluffy, than fluid. I put the molds on a sheet pan, fill the molds and then firmly tap the trays to release any air bubbles and level out the soap. I will soap around 36% liquid if I am going to use the flower molds and use the usual SL and yogurt along with coconut milk. The molds are usually keep in hot water until I am ready to pour to keep the soap from seizing.

Here is soap that I made on Monday, I did not warm the molds first and there are more air pockets than usual (there is also limited heat in the dungeon and it was cold earlier this week.

20200307_115744

• GML
• Mar 7, 2020

75% Olive Oil HP soap.

 

[penelopejane]

Thank you everyone for chiming in. After reading a tip in this forum, I put the molds into the oven at 170 degrees for 15 or so minutes, just until the soaps gelled, and then pulled them out. A few hours later, when I popped them out of the molds, they looked great! (BUT -- they feel a little oily for some reason - is that normal? Orange is the one I cooked at 170 for 2 hours; pink I cooked at 170 for 15 minutes -- just until it gelled.).

I have not seen

Unfortunately 170 degrees is the lowest setting on my oven.

get a thermometer.
or preheat your oven for ten mins. Turn it off and wait till it reaches hand warmth and put your covered soap in and leave it for 12 hours without opening the oven.
The last bit is important. you are not cooking your soap. You are trying to provide a warm little cocoon for your soap to do its own thing.

 

[Pamela Carver]

Thank you everyone for chiming in. After reading a tip in this forum, I put the molds into the oven at 170 degrees for 15 or so minutes, just until the soaps gelled, and then pulled them out. A few hours later, when I popped them out of the molds, they looked great! (BUT -- they feel a little oily for some reason - is that normal? Orange is the one I cooked at 170 for 2 hours; pink I cooked at 170 for 15 minutes -- just until it gelled.). View attachment 44330

I use these molds but do not think I have ever tired to cpop them. I will just place them on a half sheet set over a

 

[Pamela Carver]

I use these molds but do not think I have ever needed to cpop them. I will just place them on a half sheet set over a heating pad on high all wrapped up in a towel.
Most ovens only go down to 170. Try warming the oven and shut it off before soaping so it is not so hot. These molds are thin and will overheat quickly. I place mine on a sheet and wrap in a think towel

Unless I am going to babysit this process (checking every 5-10 minutes) I do not put soap in when the oven is still on because ovens don't have the consistent temperature you may think they do. They heat above the temp and then shut off. Each time they click back on they will go above the target temperature before shutting off again. When you can see them start to jell you can take out and leave wrapped in a warm towel, they will finish gelling on their own.

Less mass (small cavity molds) will over heat quicker than a larger loaf of batter
So many factors to consider, don't give up on the flowers, my customers love the size of those bars and they sell well

 

[TheGecko]

From my understanding HP and CPOP do NOT have to cure as long as CP. That's what I've been reading for a long time. Would love to hear if others concur.

Soap...regardless of whether it is made via HP, CP or CPOP needs a MINIMUM of 4 weeks to cure. The differences in the different processes is on the front end...the saponification process. With HP, you are speeding up saponification to by apply additional heat. Same with the oven process...which is especially helpful with soaping during the winter. With CP...you’re allowing for the natural process of saponification...which can take 18 to 24 hours depending on recipe.

But once saponification is complete, whatever the ‘process’ used, you still have a wet/soft bar of soap that needs to dry and harden to be a long lasting bar of soap.

 

[n6561echo]

I use these molds but do not think I have ever needed to cpop them. I will just place them on a half sheet set over a heating pad on high all wrapped up in a towel.
Most ovens only go down to 170. Try warming the oven and shut it off before soaping so it is not so hot. These molds are thin and will overheat quickly. I place mine on a sheet and wrap in a think towel

Unless I am going to babysit this process (checking every 5-10 minutes) I do not put soap in when the oven is still on because ovens don't have the consistent temperature you may think they do. They heat above the temp and then shut off. Each time they click back on they will go above the target temperature before shutting off again. When you can see them start to jell you can take out and leave wrapped in a warm towel, they will finish gelling on their own.

Less mass (small cavity molds) will over heat quicker than a larger loaf of batter
So many factors to consider, don't give up on the flowers, my customers love the size of those bars and they sell well

HAVE NO FEAR,PRESTO IS HERE!!! No Oven Needed! Presto is the brand of electric skillet that I use instead of my oven, and it works like a dream. It's 16" x 10" with a glass lid. Very precise temperature control, will hold 9-12 average size single molds, large muti-cavity molds, and two 10"-12" loaf
molds. I place a piece thin cardboard on the bottom, so that my molds are not in direct contact with the metal bottom, and set the infinite temp control dial to give me an exact temperature between 120 - 140 F. I never have to worry about over hearting. If you want to go 170F, that's no problem, but I don't recommend it.
I also tested the PRESTO open face electric griddle. It also worked like a charm. It has the same heating element, and infinite temperature control
switch. I also used a piece of thin cardboard as a buffer on the surface of the griddle, and cut down a carboard box until it measured 14"x 10" x 4" to use as a cover, and just for good measure, covered the whole thing with a double folded towel. It held my desired temperature, of 130F, with no trouble.
You can get either of these from Amazon to WalMart, for about $35.00-$40.00 for the glass covered skillet, to about $20.00 for the griddle. No More Worries!

 

[cmzaha]

Soap...regardless of whether it is made via HP, CP or CPOP needs a MINIMUM of 4 weeks to cure. With CP...you’re allowing for the natural process of saponification...which can take 18 to 24 hours depending on recipe.
But once saponification is complete, whatever the ‘process’ used, you still have a wet/soft bar of soap that needs to dry and harden to be a long lasting bar of soap.

Actually Saponification can take up to 72 hrs to complete especially if soap batter is poured when it just reaches emulsification or very thin trace.

 

[TheGecko]

Actually Saponification can take up to 72 hrs to complete especially if soap batter is poured when it just reaches emulsification or very thin trace.

True, but I'm keep it to what is 'average' and what is simple.

 

[sustainabar]

It's was more fluffy, than fluid. I put the molds on a sheet pan, fill the molds and then firmly tap the trays to release any air bubbles and level out the soap. I will soap around 36% liquid if I am going to use the flower molds and use the usual SL and yogurt along with coconut milk. The molds are usually keep in hot water until I am ready to pour to keep the soap from seizing.

Here is soap that I made on Monday, I did not warm the molds first and there are more air pockets than usual (there is also limited heat in the dungeon and it was cold earlier this week.

20200307_115744

• GML
• Mar 7, 2020

75% Olive Oil HP soap.

These look great!!! Would you be willing to share your recipe?

 

[sustainabar]

I use these molds but do not think I have ever needed to cpop them. I will just place them on a half sheet set over a heating pad on high all wrapped up in a towel.
Most ovens only go down to 170. Try warming the oven and shut it off before soaping so it is not so hot. These molds are thin and will overheat quickly. I place mine on a sheet and wrap in a think towel

Unless I am going to babysit this process (checking every 5-10 minutes) I do not put soap in when the oven is still on because ovens don't have the consistent temperature you may think they do. They heat above the temp and then shut off. Each time they click back on they will go above the target temperature before shutting off again. When you can see them start to jell you can take out and leave wrapped in a warm towel, they will finish gelling on their own.

Less mass (small cavity molds) will over heat quicker than a larger loaf of batter
So many factors to consider, don't give up on the flowers, my customers love the size of those bars and they sell well

Thank you! I think they're adorable as well, especially with mica!

 

[sustainabar]

HAVE NO FEAR,PRESTO IS HERE!!! No Oven Needed! Presto is the brand of electric skillet that I use instead of my oven, and it works like a dream. It's 16" x 10" with a glass lid. Very precise temperature control, will hold 9-12 average size single molds, large muti-cavity molds, and two 10"-12" loaf
molds. I place a piece thin cardboard on the bottom, so that my molds are not in direct contact with the metal bottom, and set the infinite temp control dial to give me an exact temperature between 120 - 140 F. I never have to worry about over hearting. If you want to go 170F, that's no problem, but I don't recommend it.
I also tested the PRESTO open face electric griddle. It also worked like a charm. It has the same heating element, and infinite temperature control
switch. I also used a piece of thin cardboard as a buffer on the surface of the griddle, and cut down a carboard box until it measured 14"x 10" x 4" to use as a cover, and just for good measure, covered the whole thing with a double folded towel. It held my desired temperature, of 130F, with no trouble.
You can get either of these from Amazon to WalMart, for about $35.00-$40.00 for the glass covered skillet, to about $20.00 for the griddle. No More Worries!

So smart! I think I have an electric griddle stored in my garage somewhere...I'll have to look for it. Terrific idea.

 

[sustainabar]

So I did my first CP in these molds with 100% CO (20%SF) to see if the hardness of the CO would help retain the shape of the flowers. It did! I didn't heat my molds first, as some suggested (next time I will), but I'm very pleased with these. I made them

yesterday afternoon.