gm soap recipes

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

I am interested in your very favorite goat milk soap recipes...(I will take *any* soap recipe though! :o) ) ~thanks~

-- Tammy~Gladheart Acres (heritage@mtaonline.net), October 18, 2000

Answers

Hi Tammy, This recipe has produced 100's of bars of soap for me and has never failed, be very exact with your measurements; use a good kitchen scale, all measures (except liquid like water) are by weight, not volume. I'll assume you know basic soap-making skills, if not , e-mail me, and I'll be more thorough. 4 1/2 pounds of coconut oil and 2 ounces of beeswax, melt and then cool to 125 degrees. Add 11.6 ounces of lye to 3 cups water with 1/2 cup borax (Twenty Mule Team brand is fine), in it, use at 180 degrees. You can heat up lye/water VERY carefully in microwave, if necessary. When fat and lye/water are at the right temperatures, pour lye/water slowly into fat, stirring constantly, start timing, keep stirring slowly the whole while. At about 13 minutes, add 1 cup of 180 degree water, add slowly, stirring more vigorously now, it should be getting thicker now, when still very pourable (no more than a few more minuets), add your essential oil to scent it, add no more than 1 tablespoon to this size batch. Pour into molds ( I like using small soap shaped Rubbermaid food storage containers because the soap pops right out) and let set for a day or two. Freeze overnight, and then pop out of the molds. Let set and air and cure for a month before using, wrap with plastic wrap or store air tight to avoid scent loss. Substitute 3 cups of goat milk for the 3 cups of water you add the lye to for goat's milk soap, warning, the goat's milk will turn a very ugly shade of "yuck", makes an odd colored bar, but is normal for goat's milk soap. The most requested scents (use real essential oils only, fragrance oils will ruin your soap, make it curdle, etc.) are anise, a favorite of hunters and fishermen , sassafras, lemongrass, lavender, sandalwood, and peppermint. Good luck, Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), October 18, 2000.

Annie, I thank you too for the recipe. I have heard that when you add the lye to the goats milk, if the milk is very cold, almost slushy, there will not be such a color change. Have you tried this? I am going to try it on my next batch and see if it helps. I saw some gm soaps made this way and they were nearly white. I have to wait to do my next batch until I find some coconut oil. I can't afford to have it shipped, and it is sure hard to find. Thanks again!! Clare

-- Clare (qk65327@navix.net), October 24, 2000.

Hi Clare, I haven't tried using very cold goat's milk , will be interesting to try though. Try an Asian grocery store for the coconut oil, or ask at the local theater where they get their coconut oil, they usually use it to pop popcorn in. I get mine from a popcorn supply company, about 1 dollar a pound, including shipping, cheapest oil I've found to use to make soap! Makes the best lathering soap also. Good luck, Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), October 25, 2000.

Do you have an address..email or snail mail for the oil popcorn place? or a phone number? I'd be interested also!

thanks!

Idaho Cher (originally from Northeast Ohio...hi Buckeye!)

-- Cher Rovang (fullcircle@nidlink.com), October 25, 2000.


Annie, I've located coconut popcorn popping oil. Only problem is that it has beta-carotene added to it which colors it bright orange. Is that what you are using? Does the color affect the soap or does the lye change or neutralize it? I'd hate to imagine a soft lavender scented soap that is bright orange..YUK. This is available locally but I've been seaching for the clear coconut oil. If the color does not make a difference or affect the soap, my search will be over!!!!! Hooray. BTW, I started making GM soap so I would not waste so much milk from my childrens 4-H milkers...so I use about 6 cups once every other week or so on a soap batch!! LOL but now I am hopelessly addicted!!! Thanks for your help.

-- Clare (qk65327@navix.net), October 25, 2000.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ