Well...never had this happen before!!

[cdwinsby]

Today I decided to make a new recipe:

Coconut - 30%
Cocoa Butter - 15%
Olive - 30%
Castor - 5%
Crisco - 20%

Put it through Soapcalc and got my numbers. Decided to use up some infused olive oil (vanilla and carrot). I got everything set and was waiting to add the lye. Got a little impatient and started to mix the lye and oil at 100 - 105 degrees instead of my usual 95 - 100.

Everything went really black right away...weird...and then within 2 minutes (if that) I got this.......

After much swearing, I got the camera, took the picture and then started to mess around with it.

Wouldn't you know it but this disaster was already in gel stage (maybe 5 minutes later) and getting very hot.

So I thought what the heck...I put it on the stove with a little heat and added the rest of my ingredients. It's now in the mold and I'll just have to wait and see I guess.

I'm afraid I've just thrown some good ingredients into a bad pot! Anyone ever have that fast of a sieze? I hadn't put anything in other than the oils, lye water and my usual amount of GSE.

 

[Martin]

Is that your normal pot you mix in?

Sonja

 

[cdwinsby]

Yes, it's stainless steel. Same pot I always use. Every utensil was also. It is the second time I used Crisco in a recipe and the last time I got some of the black effect but like this time it went away so I wasn't too worried about that. But the trace .... so fast and so hard. I couldn't even get the spatula into it until it went to gel ... again...so fast.

 

[Laurie]

It wouldn't be the cocoa butter, would it?

Laurie

 

[cdwinsby]

It wouldn't be the cocoa butter, would it?

Laurie

Maybe, huh! I usually only use 10% but wanted a palm free all vegetable soap recipe that was as hard and conditioning as my usual ones.

Perhaps I shouldn't have used the Grapefruit Seed Extract with this one. Maybe the two combined caused the sieze. Not sure, but I feel I'm going to have to try this again with a few changes.

 

[Guest]

I had that happen when I used a high percentage of EVOO using HP method. I squished it down into my mold and it turned out allright. It made a very dense bar.

 

[Guest]

That looks like chicken filets cooking... Not good.

I'd be temptd to turn this into a hot processing batch, just keep on cooking maybe moderate the manner of applying heat, and just go ahead and coax it into full HP gelling, and then adjust your colorants, fragrance and superfats then, just before pouring.

 

[IanT]

Today I decided to make a new recipe:

Coconut - 30%
Cocoa Butter - 15%
Olive - 30%
Castor - 5%
Crisco - 20%

Put it through Soapcalc and got my numbers. Decided to use up some infused olive oil (vanilla and carrot). I got everything set and was waiting to add the lye. Got a little impatient and started to mix the lye and oil at 100 - 105 degrees instead of my usual 95 - 100.

Everything went really black right away...weird...and then within 2 minutes (if that) I got this.......

After much swearing, I got the camera, took the picture and then started to mess around with it.

Wouldn't you know it but this disaster was already in gel stage (maybe 5 minutes later) and getting very hot.

So I thought what the heck...I put it on the stove with a little heat and added the rest of my ingredients. It's now in the mold and I'll just have to wait and see I guess.

I'm afraid I've just thrown some good ingredients into a bad pot! Anyone ever have that fast of a sieze? I hadn't put anything in other than the oils, lye water and my usual amount of GSE.

I think your quick thinking definitely saved it it should be fine!!!...I doubt its the pot, or utensils like you suggested I bet its just a bad combo of some of the ingredients that didnt mesh well (or it may have got too hot and triggered the early gel) you should try the same recipe but put that bowl in an ice bath...see how it turns out then...knowledge is power and id use this as a learning experience to find what went wrong! I love playing detective ....Alright detective bubbles what shall it be today muahahhhahahah

 

[Guest]

Did you infuse your own oil? I have purchased infused oils with ingredients other than oil (I didn't read the label) and had this happen.

 

[cdwinsby]

Did you infuse your own oil? I have purchased infused oils with ingredients other than oil (I didn't read the label) and had this happen.

Marr,

I did infuse the oil myself so I don't think that's it. I think I had too much cocoa butter to be using GSE with. I just cut the bars and they are fine...not quite what I was going for (I wanted a two layered bar with the top having grated orange soap bits in it and the bottom being orange). Never did add the carrot powder in the end but it still is a peachy beige color and you can sort of see the bits.

They smell awesome though. Sandlewood - 10% dilution (2), patchouli(1), frankincense (2), clove bud (1/2), oakmoss (1/4), sweet orange (1) and vetiver (1/16). Very masculine. Can't wait to try it. I'll post pictures soon.

 

[cdwinsby]

Well, not quite what I was going for but I won't shed any tears since it's a decent bar and it does smell good. It actually looks far better than I had hoped.

I have to thank you guys for that since before using this forum I would never have thought to stick it on the stove to attempt a HP. Don't think I did it quite right yet but enough to save the batch. I think I might read up on HP a little more now!

Definately not putting this recipe on my site though! Far too scary. Back to the drawing board......

 

[IanT]

hey sometimes the harder the battle the sweeter the victory..might be one of your best recipes if you keep at it!!....

 

[Guest]

They don't look bad at all for what they went through! Great save!