First goat's milk batch

[spenny92]

I've just whipped up my first batch of goat's milk soap. I froze the goats milk in an ice cube tray first and then weighed the cubes in grams before using. I've just read a tutorial and it said to weigh the milk first in ml before freezing it and feeling like I've made a bit of a mistake now! Any thoughts?

I used milled pumice for a scrubby bar and added it in at light trace along with EOs. My next issue is insulation. As it's a milk soap, I didn't want it to overheat so I left it uncovered on the kitchen bench but I've since read that I should put it in the freezer immediately, so I've popped it in now. I'll probably still get partial gel, but as long as it doesn't volcano then I'm not too fussed.

I got more supplies so I'm experimenting with a different recipe than my first 2 batches and I've used castor @ 9%, coconut @ 20%, pomace olive oil @ 21%, sweet almond @ 15%, cocoa butter @ 5% and palm @ 30%. I'm trying to source some lard so I can make a palm oil free version, too.

2 questions, I guess! Should I measure the milk in mls or grams - before or after freezing it? And how much pumice makes a nice scrubby bar, but not too scratchy? I'm thinking this will be more of a kitchen/gardener's soap, to be specially rested on my farmer boyfriend whose hands are always grubby! I used 2 tbsp for a 800g loaf, and I feel like it might be a wee bit too much...

Thanks.

 

[Obsidian]

When I use frozen liquids, I weight after freezing. Use grams or ounces but not ml. I have fine ground pumice and use it at 1/4 cup for a 2 lb batch. Its is really, really fine though.
Another option for a good hand scrubby soap is coffee grounds. I use about 2 Tbs PPO. This is way too scratchy for the body but is awesome for hands or even feet.

 

[spenny92]

Awesome - thanks for that. I've been measuring everything in grams, so I'll keep it that way.

Coffee is next on my list! I need to find a plunger first, I guess.

 

[Obsidian]

plunger?

 

[spenny92]

plunger?

Coffee plunger..? Or do I just use them dry?

 

[Obsidian]

Hmm, never heard of a coffee plunger, I shall have to google that. I use the grounds dry and I don't use liquid coffee in the recipe, just water.

 

[boyago]

I think Spenny is talking about a french press. But how someone can type or breath without owning a coffee maker of any sort is beyond me.

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Plenty of people don't own coffee makers! Like my tea-only friends. The only reason I sort-of have a coffee maker is because Dad and his gf drink it--I don't touch the maker or the finished drink. (And the only reason I touch coffee at work is because it's part of my job description to make sure there's coffee available.)

 

[spenny92]

I think Spenny is talking about a french press. But how someone can type or breath without owning a coffee maker of any sort is beyond me.

That's it! I knew there as another word for it.

Hah, I had one at home in Scotland, but recently moved to New Zealand and we're lacking in all sorts of homewares at the moment. :sad:

On another note, I just made another goats milk loaf. It's my day off work and I just feel like I want to make as much as I can! I tried to do my first swirl, and I have a feeling it'll turn out horrifically but hey. It's goats milk and honey with a coffee swirl, so cocoa to colour and some ground coffee - no plunger required! The first one was unmoulded after 4 hours in the freezer, going to leave it out overnight then cut in morning. It smells lovely and looks really creamy!

I'm addicted. My boyfriend is off work today too, and he seems a bit miffed that all I've done today is read, read and read some more about soap in between actually making the soap hah. Whoops!

 

[TeresaT]

I think Spenny is talking about a french press. But how someone can type or breath without owning a coffee maker of any sort is beyond me.

Don't know many Mormons, do ya? We have something called "The Word do Wisdom" that is a guide to healthy living. Abstaining from alcohol, tea and coffee is part of it. It's strange being in a Mormon house. No coffee pot. No tea kettle. No wine for cooking.

I, however, am a terrible Mormon. I love my coffee. I have several tea pots and a French press. I even have a bottle of kahlua for making chocolate cheese cake.

 

[spenny92]

One more question... How long should I wait to cut it? I had it in the freezer for 3-4 hours, then I unmoulded and set on freezer paper. Tried to cut it once it was at room temp, but it crumbled around the edges. Shall I leave it at room temp overnight and cut the next day maybe? Or is it best to actually leave it in fridge/freezer in mould for 24 hours, then let it sit at room temp then cut?

ETA: I did some googling, and I definitely took it out too early. I'm not sure what's best to do now as they're already out of their moulds. Shall I pop them back into the freezer as they are (only have 1 loaf mould so can't put them back in it!), or just leave them out at room temp overnight?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

If it isn't overheating, you didn't take it out too early. Unless you want no gel at all, in which case if it isn't getting ho,t then you didn't take it out too early. As for cutting - when it is ready! Because every recipe in every house made by everyone is different, guidelines are all that can be given. My advice- keep an eye on it and learn how your soap behaves in your situation.

 

[Xazo]

I've done the same thing-except it wasn't a milk soap. One of my very first batches of soap, I popped my silicone molded soap into the freezer to assist in unmolding. I forgot about it until the next day. It was a flippin BRICK when I took it out. I simply let it sit out room temp to "unfreeze" and was able to cut without issue in a few hours. Good luck! Post us pictures!

 

[grayterisk]

One more question... How long should I wait to cut it? I had it in the freezer for 3-4 hours, then I unmoulded and set on freezer paper. Tried to cut it once it was at room temp, but it crumbled around the edges. Shall I leave it at room temp overnight and cut the next day maybe? Or is it best to actually leave it in fridge/freezer in mould for 24 hours, then let it sit at room temp then cut?

ETA: I did some googling, and I definitely took it out too early. I'm not sure what's best to do now as they're already out of their moulds. Shall I pop them back into the freezer as they are (only have 1 loaf mould so can't put them back in it!), or just leave them out at room temp overnight?

I've never heard of anyone else doing this, but mine are usually so hard and cool that I take them out of the mold just a few hours after I make it. But I CPOP, put it in the fridge for 2-3 hours, if its still warm I put it in the freezer for 30mins and then its usually time to unmold. Then cut right away, test the ph, and its usually about 7. I let it cure for a few days and its usually a rock hard bar. I think the milk makes it harder, since I don't like to use palm oil. I've never had a crumbly bar with cold process or CPOP, but i have with hot process. I think the fridge would make it dry out and crumble more. Maybe rebatch if it doesn't get better after curing?

 

[spenny92]

Thanks everyone. I left it in the pantry, which is nice and cool, overnight and cut this morning with no crumbling. I think my knife had something to do with it too, just a regular kitchen knife and it seems to drag a lot. I used a wire cheese cutter instead and it made for a much smoother cut. Lots of soda ash on the brown coffee part but I just wiped it off.

Top 2 photos are goat's milk with honey and cedarwood in the cream part and coffee grounds and cocoa in the brown part. The swirl didn't turn out great, in fact I wouldn't even call it a swirl! But it was my first attempt at colouring soap so I'm happy with the way it turned out. Bottom 2 photos are goat's milk with lemongrass and bergamot - smells yum! They both look and feel really creamy and I'm happy that I got them ungelled rather than a partial gel which I was worried about!

My loaf mould is a funny shape as it's a bog standard silicone baking mould, so the edges aren't straight. I'm going to buy a proper soap mould this week so I get nice straight edges! Next on the list is a green tea and lemongrass GM combo, I think. Need to find something to colour the green tea part green, and maybe I'll attempt a proper swirl!

ETA: There are shadows on the photos, not discolouration!

 

[biarine]

I am a newbie I just want to know if I can use goat's milk or other type of milks in Hot process soap?

 

[Judiraz]

I started with goat milk soaps, too. Be careful.....soaping is addictive
It's a lot of fun to experiment with your recipes and play with colors & designs. So many things I still want to try.

 

[grayterisk]

I am a newbie I just want to know if I can use goat's milk or other type of milks in Hot process soap?

Yes, you can. look it up on youtube, there are loads of vids teaching you how. You just have to keep it at the lowest temp and have a stick blender handy because it will try to seperate and make "buttermilk". I've done it with Cpop and hot process and it turns out great every time. You might want to invest in a candy thermometer though.

 

[Dorymae]

Then cut right away, test the ph, and its usually about 7.

I hate to bring this up again, but there is no soap (that is not made of detergent) that is even near a PH of 7. Testing strips and drops are useless in testing soap. Not because they are useless but because of what you would have to do in order to get an accurate rating. Most soaps are between PH 9-11 and are perfectly fine at that PH. I believe it is around a PH of 8.5 that soap begins to break down, back into oils and a gloppy mess. (I could be off, it might be nearer to 8, but still not under 8 ) So it is impossible that your soap is a PH of 7.

This is just the nature of soap.

 

[grayterisk]

I hate to bring this up again, but there is no soap (that is not made of detergent) that is even near a PH of 7. Testing strips and drops are useless in testing soap. Not because they are useless but because of what you would have to do in order to get an accurate rating. Most soaps are between PH 9-11 and are perfectly fine at that PH. I believe it is around a PH of 8.5 that soap begins to break down, back into oils and a gloppy mess. (I could be off, it might be nearer to 8, but still not under 8 ) So it is impossible that your soap is a PH of 7.

This is just the nature of soap.

okay. It was about 7. the ph test strip said between 7 and 8. A woman who had a soapmaking shop taught me how to test this and what strips to use. I was just assuming that was the correct way, since I know that many other soapmakers do it also. I have had soaps that were 9. My soap is indeed soap. Maybe its the type of strips and the guide I use that causes this misconception. The ph guide goes from 4-10 and its a standard ph test for pool water. I'm sorry I assumed incorrectly.