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Rebatch can be used as soon as it's melted and cooled off, but it's better if you can wait a week or so, so any extra water has a chance to evaporate. Here is how I do rebatch.
This is in grams, since we have international readers here.
Add no more than 2 teaspoons (10 mls) of liquid per 100 g of soap base. (If the soap is new, don't add any extra liquid.) Larger amounts of liquid may change the appearance of the resulting soaps. Liquids can be milk (cow's milk, goat's milk, coconut milk etc.), distilled water or herbal teas. Keep in mind that milk or tea might discolor with heat. If you're planning to add colors (such as cosmetic grade oxides or ultramarines), adding milk or tea may affect the final results.
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 mls) of extra oils per 100 g of soap base. If you wish to color your soaps, you can use this extra oil for dissolving powdered colors.
Oils or butters can be added at the beginning of the cook to obtain a smoother, easier to mold consistency.
Add your fragrance or essential oils when the cooked soap has cooled down a bit.
I like this method because you are less likely to "burn" the soap.
Instructions:
1. Place a 3-quart pot of water on the stovetop and bring to a boil.
2. Grate your soap base or cut the soap into very small cubes. Salad Shooter is great for this.
3. Place the grated soap into an oven bag. Oven bags can be found at your local grocery store near the zip lock bags or baking supplies.
4. Close the open end of the bag with a rubber band (or a clothes pin). I also thought of using the plastic clamp that people use the keep bags of chips fresh, but haven't tried it yet.
5. Fold over the top of the bag and tie with another rubber band (or use another clothes pin).
6. Place the bag into a boiling pot of water.
7. Boil for 1 hour untouched. Check occassionally that the rubber band or clothes pins are holding and no extra water is getting into the bag.
8. Carefully remove the bag from the water. Using oven mitts to protect your hands, place the bag of soap on a counter and knead well.
9. The soap will turn to a thick mushy consistency. If at this point you have not reached this consistency, return to the bag of soap to the boiling water for 30 minutes. Repeat if needed.
10. Add your skin safe fragrance and cosmetic grade color to the soap base. It is important to use cosmetic grade because these additives have been tested for skin contact. The last thing you want to do is make a beautiful soap to only have someone develop a reaction from a non-approved additive.
11. Twist the bag and close with another rubber band.
12. Knead the bag completely to mix the additives.
13. Snip the corner of the bag.
14. Have your your soap mold lined and spray with a light coating of PAM or the oil of choice.
15. Squeeze the soap out of the bag into the molds. Like the technique that pastry cooks use to decorate cakes.
16. Smooth the top of the soap as needed.
17. Let the soap sit until firm. My soap sat approximately 3 hours. Unmold.
18. Often the bottom of the bar of soap is irregular or uneven. You can use a knife or a soap planer to shave off the uneven surface or bumps.
19.Let the soap cure until fully hard. This will take anywhere from hours to a week. The length of time depends on the room temperature, humidity and the amount of fluid you added.
20. Package and enjoy!
_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.
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