Dana said:
However, it DOES turn brown during the gel. I assume this is the sugars carmelizing?
If it's light color going into the mold and brown coming out, I don't see how there could be any other conclusion except for the sugars caramelizing.
Dana said:
I finally made a batch that stayed creamy white...the only way I could do so is to put it in the fridge to prevent gel.
I'm wondering what "no gel" does to the saponification reaction and the lye being completely consumed. From other discussions here at SMF we (the experts, not me!) concluded that saponification is barely started at trace. If you go into the fridge the cooling will fight the exothermism of the saponification. These exothermic reactions proceed at a speed determined by temperature, so cooling them slows them down. I wonder if that means the bars should be cured a longer time before use? Would be interesting to have a pH readout 1-2 days after pour.
Dana said:
Can the soap go through gel and still stay white? I'm thinking not but if possible I'd like to know.
Indeed that is *THE* question. Actually I sort of like the idea of brown soap although it probably limits your coloring options, but from what I read white GM soap is the holy grail of GMism.
Dana said:
Question: I've noticed the batches I have made have traced VERY fast. Is this common when doing milk soaps? I tried a few different recipes and they all traced super fast (no FO).
Would be interesting to know your oils. Some oils trace fast and some even catalyze the trace speed of the other oils/fats.
Dana said:
Question: For those who add gm powder at trace (or whenever) to make the liquid 100%gm........how much do you know to add?
IrishLass had a good explanation above on what to do, how to do it. However I think there's a method behind her madness
and without checking let me surmise.
You're going to add to your batch 1/3 part fresh GM to 2/3 part lye mixture (lye+water or lye+AVJ), but you want to have the 2/3 part of liquid matched (but not directly mixed) with an appropriate amount of GMP. So start out with your
lye calculator's amount of liquid, measure 1/3 that of GM and 2/3 that of H20 or AVJ. Look at your measuring cup with the H20/AVJ and determine how many fl. oz. it is, then read the GMP directions for reconstitution and use the suggested amount of GMP for the amount of liquid you have. Then add the GMP to the GM, and separately add the lye to the H20/AVJ. Now you have enough GMP added to the recipe to be equivalent to 100% GM but all the GM is in the GM container and the lye has nothing but H20 or AVJ. I'm almost sure that IrishLass just gave you the same directions but without the chemistry lesson.
Or explaining it another way, you want to add enough GMP to your recipe that had you added it to the H20/AVJ without the lye you would have made 100% reconstituted GM or GMAVJ (yuck!!!).
But instead of adding the GMP to the H20/AVJ you add it to the fresh GM instead, so that it never touches lye until after the lye is diluted in the oils/fats. There, that's clear, right?
Well actually it's probably white, not clear...
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Obviously I'm thinking of my own GM attempt, not that I have any idea what GM soap is like, but I guess one way to find out, right? My thoughts on the best way to get the job done, what I plan on is:
1. Mix the GM & GMP as directed above. I like the idea of doing this first and letting the GM warm a little bit from fridge temperature to room temperature but probably still below RT when used.
2. Mix the lye into the H20 or AVJ and let it cool to 80-100 degrees. (I'm going a bit cooler than my usual 120).
3. Heat the oil/fat to 80-100.
4. Add the lye to the fats/oils and hit it with the SB, then when blended immediately add the GM mixture and SB again. At this point if you're adding any fragrance, do it now. Skip the colorant, remembering that GM's holy grail is white or cream, not green, blue, red or purple.
5. As soon as you get light trace pour it into the mold and cover it.
one of the following:
6A. Put the mold where it won't be disturbed but at RT and skip wrapping it with blankets, leave overnight.
6B. Put the mold in the refrigerator overnight. This would be better as long as the "no gel" is guaranteed to eat up all the lye for certain. Putting it in the fridge would have the best chance of the saponification not caramelizing the milk sugars. If this is safe it's the best shot at getting white or light.
Hopefully the next day you'll have your creamy light GM soap.
My biggest reservation is doing the "no gel" thing. I'd really like to understand what the chemical reaction is doing to the NaOH while it isn't gelling.
And let me remind everybody, my steps above are NOT instructions. They are my proposed recipe for my attempt at GM soap. I'll appreciate suggestions and critique.
This is a good discussion that seems to have halted before any conclusion was reached. I hope everybody can get this rolling along again.
I've tried the ice cube method, the slushy method, etc, etc, etc.. and my GM would always turn orange, with the resulting soap turning tan/ brown. It was still good to use, by the way, but I was hoping for that elusive, lighter color that I happily have with the afforementioned method that I use now.
