Couple HP ?'s

[Buttsmom]

#1: What temp do you have your crock pot on when you make it? I've been making mine on low and it seems to take forever and it never folds over on itself.

#2 In the last batch I made I used a vanilla (can't remember which one) and it turned my soap a dark brown color, I'm perfectly fine with that, but it leaves the dark brown color on the shelf in my shower too. Is that normal when a vanilla darkens the soap?

[cindym]

I do HP in the oven at 170 degrees.

Yes! Vanillas will turn your soap brown. Yuck! lol

[pixie]

Yes its normal, unfortunately. Vanilla will turn your soap brown and it will leave your soap dish or shower shelf brown. Ive learned to just accept it as I love all kinds of vanillas but cosmetically it doesn't look very appealing.

[Faerywren]

I do my HP on low and never discount water in my recipe. Don't take the lid off your crock while it's cooking to keep the temp constant and to keep the moisture in. It makes the finished product a much nicer consistency to work with when molding.

My HP doesn't always get the "wave", but once I get the puddle of glycerin in the center and my soap looks like warmed

Vaseline, I know it's done. I put a bit of soap on the back of a spoon and do a 'zap test' for good measure sometimes, but mostly I eyeball it.

[Buttsmom]

Thanks everyone. I will keep doing it on low. And just live with the brown, because vanilla is my favorite.

[Chefmom]

I always have my crock pot on low when I mix the lye and oils, then I turn it onto high to cook. I've watched some videos and read some tutorials and some people cook for several hours, but mine always takes about 1 hour for a medium to large batch.

My thoughts are that every crock pot is a little different, and if you have a round or oval that would make it a little different as well. I cook mine, small batches (3 pounds) to large batches (max 7 pounds) in my large oval pot. When I make the largest size I sometimes have to stir about twice during the cook because it does like to lift the lid a little. But I have never had any spill over.

I recently purchased a cute little pot for small 1 pound test batches, but I've not gotten around to using it, I have used my large one (8qt or so) for 10 years now and I love it.

[Kitn]

I turn my crock on high and add the oils and butters, when they have melted I add the lye water, I stir the mix with a spatula off and on for about 20 minutes and zap test, it is usually done at this point, makes for a nice smooth HP. This is done with a 3 pound batch.

[Faerywren]

Yeah, my crock is pretty hot even on low. A 4 lb batch is done in about 45 minutes

[Buttsmom]

I have a batch in right now that has been in for an hr and half, think next batch I will try it on high.

[blue]

I turn my crock on high and add the oils and butters, when they have melted I add the lye water, I stir the mix with a spatula off and on for about 20 minutes and zap test, it is usually done at this point, makes for a nice smooth HP. This is done with a 3 pound batch.

At what point do you start stirring?