does everyone stick blend?

[Lottee]

I have only made 6loaves of soap and following the instructions, i hand mixed with a whisk. I keep reading more and more of people stick blending. Am i missing a trick? The hand whisk has worked for me so far. However if it is better/easier to stick blend then maybe i shoul? I do have a never used one in the kitchen.

 

[Miz Jenny]

The immersion blender is the only way to go IMO. Unfortunately, I appropriated mine for soaping & need to get a new one for the kitchen!

 

[CosmoGirl]

Life is much too short to hand stir, and whisking gets too many air bubbles in for my liking! Stick blenders are a blessing.

 

[deb8907]

Stick blender is definitely the way to go. Faster and probably better to ensure that your batter is well blended.

 

[Chay]

Stick blending is much more efficient.

 

[booboo]

Yep sure do, give it a go, you wont look back

 

[Seifenblasen]

One little trick that I found helpful with the stick blender, should you decide to try switching form hand to stick:

http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body- ... les-in-cp/

 

[AngelMomma]

Before I started soaping (which hasn't been THAT long) I started browsing the flea market for supplies that I would need. I wanted to get them cheap, in case soaping wasn't my thing. It WAS! But anyway I found a stick blender for like 6 bucks. I am SO glad I did!!! I blend with it, then stir with it. I guess it may take it a bit longer to get to trace not blending constantly, but its a little gentler, alternating back and forth. I can't even imagine not having one.

 

[Lottee]

Its pretty unanimous then! So i have a stick blender, but having run the recipe i have been using through soap calc i realise there is way too much water in it (i think this was a safety thing as i saw it on a tv program) so i'm wondering whether to use it again with less water AND a stick blender, don't like the idea of changing two things at once!

 

[IrishLass]

Adding less water will definitely help to shorten the time it takes to reach trace, so you could try going without it at first to get a feel for how things will go.

I love my stickblender, but I don't use it for every batch I make, and during those times that I do use it, I only stickblend intermittently (a few second on, stir with it off, a few seconds on, stir with it off, repeat). The times that I don't use my stickblender are the times when I'm soaping an ornery FO that moves quite fast. For those batches, I alternate using my stainless slotted spoon or my whisk, and my rubber spatula.


IrishLass

 

[thefarmerdaughter]

Well, I gonna go against the grain and say I prefer hand string with a whisk :Kitten Love: ! lol

 

[Lottee]

Thanks all. I have so many things i want to try i don't know where to start !! Less water in the recipe, adding a bit of castor oil, some cocoa (or some other) butter, stick blending. A different recipe altogether maybe??!" i think i will start by changing the recipe then try the stick blender......

 

[judymoody]

I do the on-and-off method that Irishlass uses.

You can get used stick blenders really cheaply on ebay and in thrift stores.

 

[ClaraSuds]

Depends on what your recipe is. I tossed the stick blender because I use up to 70% tallow in my recipes and a stick blender is unnecessary with a high percentage of hard oils. Just basic stirring with a whisk works well for me without causing me to go into a flap because OMG! I've reached trace in 30 secs! If you work with a lot of soft oils though I imagine hand whisking would be a royal pain.

 

[Relle]

I definately use a SB each and every time (my best purchase), wouldn't be without it. My oils come to trace very quick but I still use it and as Judy said she does the on, off method like Irish Lass.
When I first made soap (in the dark ages), nothing was ever mentioned about stick blenders in books because it just wasn't done and my first batch nearly became my last after stirring by hand for 2 1/2 yrs :shock: to get trace.

 

[Pamela]

I do like Irish Lass and the others...SB, stir, SB & stir. But I will say not all SB are created equal...my first one was a cheap one from Walmart...air bubbles! Decided to dump that one and buy a Cuisinart and what a difference..it's the only one I will use from now on.

 

[retmcp]

I hand stirred in the old days because it was not recommended you use any electrial beaters for fear of splashing. Who ever first used the stick blender is a LEGEND IMO You certainly can splash, but you just keep it under the surface and whizz bang it's done.

I agree with Pamela, cheap ones are exactly that...cheap, I have a middle priced one and love it.

 

[Pepsi Girl]

I definately use a SB each and every time (my best purchase), wouldn't be without it. My oils come to trace very quick but I still use it and as Judy said she does the on, off method like Irish Lass.
When I first made soap (in the dark ages), nothing was ever mentioned about stick blenders in books because it just wasn't done and my first batch nearly became my last after stirring by hand for 2 1/2 yrs :shock: to get trace.

This was my experience also!! And then along came my hero the stick blender!!

 

[ClaraSuds]

But I will say not all SB are created equal...my first one was a cheap one from Walmart...air bubbles! Decided to dump that one and buy a Cuisinart and what a difference..it's the only one I will use from now on.

I quite agree, nothing beats a quality machine. Don't use a Bamix though, the foot is polished aluminum not stainless. I found this out when I used mine and the caustic took the finish off the footguard. :shock: $40 for a new footguard later and I'm afraid the Bamix is just for food. Good thing I don't love castille soap...

 

[green soap]

I use a stick blender, but some of the faster tracing blends, or some containing accelerating FOs only get a fast whirl and then hand mixed. Making a castile soap without a stick blender would discourage me from any soap making though.