Gram's HomeMade Goat Milk Soap
Materials:
Protective mask and gloves
Stirring wood spoons
Candy thermometer
Electric hand blender
Spatula
Large bowl
Plastic Pitcher
Soap molds- I use an old set of bread loaf pans
Cookie racks
Wax paper
* 12 ounces partially frozen goats' milk
3 ounces lye
4 1/4 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces coconut oil (not coconut milk)
12 ounces vegetable shortening- hard Crisco- not oils
* You can use fresh goat's milk, canned goat's milk or even powdered goat's milk (mixed with water according to directions) however the fresher the goat's milk the better quality of soap. Prior to making the soap- place the goat's milk in a bowl and set in the freezer until it is partially frozen- sort of like a slushy.
Making Soap
1. Wearing a protective mask and gloves, place milk into large bowl and very slowly add lye a little bit at a time. Stirring as you go until the mixture is smooth and without lumps. The lye will interact with the fat molecules in the milk and should bring the mixture to between 95 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
* Never just dump in the entire lye or you will end up with a volcano effect- it's going to bubble up and go everywhere. Ditto on dumping the milk on top of the entire batch of lye. Not only is it dangerous but you'll be cleaning up the mess for hours and hours.
2. Melt the olive oil, coconut oil, and shortening together in one pot and bring to about 115 degrees. Use a candy thermometer or just gage that it's nice and hot without scorching or catching fire LOL
3. Add the oil mixture to the milk/lye mixture and use a hand blender to combine everything together until the mixture demonstrates "tracing" (drips from the blender leave a noticeable path in the mixture- kind of like how honey looks when spilt on the counter top). This will take anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes.
4. Using a spatula, fold the mixture to remove bubbles. Transfer to a pitcher and pour the mixture into wax paper lined soap molds. (The reason the pitcher is used is to keep air bubble out.)
* Again I use a set of old bread/loaf pans- but you can just as easily use paper milk or juice cartons- just be sure to rinse and dry well before using
5. After 24 hours, turn the soaps out of the molds onto cookie racks. Place in a dry location and allow to cure for 4- 6 weeks. (I personally use the top shelf of my linen closed to store my curing soap. It is dark, dry and I don't have to worry about something falling on it and ruining my hard work)
* If you have trouble peeling the wax paper from your soap simply put in the freezer for a few moments and it'll peel right away without problem.
* If you would like to cut the bars now you can or simply leave as is until curing process is complete and then cut. It's completely optional but I find it easier to cut into nice size square bars After it has cured- as the soap is firm to touch.
However if you would like to make soap balls or cut into shapes with a cookie cutter then it's best to do this now (before the curing process) while the soap is still somewhat pliable.
This is your basic no frills goat's milk soap!
If you would like scented soap- simply add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of your choice of scent to the mixture during step #4
If you want a soap that is extra moisturizing add 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of Quaker oats to step #4
Let me say that you have to use lye if you want to make soap. There is simply no getting around it. Every single bar of soap that was ever made- rather home made or store bought has lye in it. Though it sounds scary to use it really isn't anymore so that it is scary to add bleach to your laundry. You are careful when you add bleach right? If it makes you feel any better about it then let me say that those bags of pretzels that you enjoy eating so much was fried using a lye mixture. Lye is completely harmless once it heats itself up.
This is my Grams recipe for soap making and she got it from her Mother and so forth all the way back to who knows when. Certainly back before electricity when they made soap in a kettle out in the yard over a wood fire.
Sadly, today it is getting harder and harder to find lye because freaking meth heads use lye to cook up their drugs. Most stores have pulled it from the shelves but it you tell the manager that you need a can of lye for soap making then he'll have you sign a paper of intention and sell you all you want. You have to have a photo ID by the way.
You can also order it from a company called Camden-Grey online but you have to also print out a release form and mail it in.
http://www.camdengrey.com/
If the very idea of handling lye absolutely just gives you the willies then there are companies out there that will do the mixing for you and ship it off through the mail. But, be warned- it's a little on the pricey side:
http://myworld.ebay.com/homesteaders6/
just look for "goat's milk rebatching soap base"
* Basically with rebatched base all you have to do is add 1-2 ounces of hot water to every pound of the base and cook on the stove until melted. Add in whatever you want for scent, pour in your mold and set to cure for three days and cut.
All in all it makes a good soap in small batches. It doesn't have a really long shelf life- like the "cook your own recipe" method I have given you above (which does have a shelf life of zillions of years) but it's good stuff.
Personally I have been making soap for so long that I don't even really think about the lye anymore. I am also a little on the lazy side. I would much rather make enough soap at one time to last all year than to make a batch every couple of months. But that's just me.
Whichever route you decide to take- it's important to have all of your soap making supplies in a special marked box that is used only for that purpose. For example I bought an old electric hand mixture, pots, wood spoons and spatulas at the flea market for mere pennies and this is what I use for soap making- over and over and over. When not in use I keep my box of soap making supplies out in the shed. That way I don't ever have to worry about someone grabbing up the soap mixer to whip up mashed potatoes. Ewww!
Let's talk about scents for a moment.
I think it probably goes without saying that everyone like a nice smell coming off a bar of soap when you are scrubbing away in the bath or shower. You can of course use any of the essential oils that are on the market which will make you soap smell lovely but I have found don't really hold up all that well over the long haul if used in a rebatched base. It's great if you are only going to be making small batches of soap and use them all within half a year. But not so much beyond that.
Essential oils tend to break down after a period of time and will actually begin to mildew in your soap. Which doesn't hurt anything and you can most certainly still use it but it really isn't very pretty to look at (all those strange black and purple flecks are kind of creepy but again do not hurt anything).
However; in the "cook your own" method that I have given you; essential oils will hold up essentially forever in the soap.
I am a great fan of "whatever I happen to have on hand" when I am soap making. I have used everything to scent my soap from the syrup left over after I ate all of the maraschino cherries out of the jar. I have used that last little sip of leftover orange juice that doesn't quite make a glass full to drink but is too much to just throw out. Pineapple juice left in the can after I made a pineapple upside down cake. Even a half a cup of cold black coffee leftover in the pot from breakfast has gone into my soap- which smelled surprisingly good and even more surprisingly turned out to be the perfect soap to use during the warmer months when your skin tends to be a little more oily that normal.
And of course (being a perfume'holic) I will always use that last little dibble left in the perfume bottle to scent my soap. Nothing nicer than having your skin already scented with your home made perfumed soap before applying the matching perfume.
What's growing in your yard?
Here in the South you don't have to wander very far to find something wonderful to add to your soap making. Magnolia trees, Gardenia, Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Roses, Lavender, Rosemary are just a few. Prior to beginning my soap making ritual I wander around and see what is in bloom and then help myself to the petals. It doesn't take long before you have filled up a sack of petals to use in your soap making. Just be careful that you don't pick the blooms off of someone's prize rose bush lest you kick off the whole "hatfield & mccoy" thing all over again with your neighbor. That could be bad news.
Most people that have beautiful flowering trees or shrubs are more than willing to allow you to help yourself- especially if they end up being the recipient of a bar of your wonderful soap! Some can even be talked into saving the petals from their prize roses once the bloom is starting to go off. Don't be afraid to ask and don't be afraid to share your love of soap making. You could be starting a trend in your area! Wouldn't that be lovely?
The point is that whatever you want to try in your soap is fair game. If it smells good to your nose while it was still in the can or jar or bottle odds are that it will smell good in your soap. Don't be afraid to experiment.
So, there it is: Gram's homemade soap. Once you give it a try you'll never go back to that store bought junk.
Happy Soap Making!