The start of the local soaps! FIRST BATCH MADE!!!

[Lil Outlaws]

The kids and I went for a nature walk today - I gathered water from the local creek and some cactus for round 1. As soon as my Prickly Pear FO gets here I'll start on that. Here's the current plan, LMK what you guys think:


1. Hill Country Prickly Pear
- macerated/juiced cactus and cactus fruit
- local creek water
- Prickly Pear FO

2. Medina Orchard Apple
- Apple juice or cider from local orchard
- cinnamon swirl
- Apple Orchard FO


3. Blanco Lavender Fields
- Local River Water
- local ground lavender buds
- lavender EO


4. Fredericksburg Peaches & Cream
- Local peach nectar from the orchard's store
- local cream or milk
- Peaches & Cream FO

5. The Oaks of Bandera
- Local river water
- Vanilla Oak FO or maybe Oakmoss FO

6. Poteet Strawberry Festival
- local strawberry juice (from the patch in Poteet) and maybe pulp
- Strawberry Ice FO

7. Cabernet Blend (from one of the local wineries, depends on who's cooperative)

- wine or juice from the local winery/vineyard
- Cabernet FO
- maybe some pulp




Those are what I've come up with so far - any thoughts???


When the kids go down for a nap, I'm going to yank the spines out of the cacti I brought home, and then I'll figure out how to juice it.. maybe I'll steam it and collect the juice like when we make grape juice.. I'll do a photo diary of it though, however I wind up doing it! LOL



ETA:
I made the first batch yesterday! I decided to start with the Fredericksburg Peaches & Cream - I haven't brought myself to attempt the prickly pear maceration yet LOL but maybe today.

I did the Peaches with 70% EVOO and 30% coconut plus castor for superfatting (5%). I used peach nectar and local river water for the lye liquid, with the addition of 2oz (deducted from the other liquids) of local harvest peach/cream yogurt at trace. Used 1oz Peaches & Cream FO and just unmolded this morning. Smells yummy!
This is the first time I haven't even attempted a swirl - the whole loaf is a peachy orange and I think it'll turn out yummy. I sliced it up and it's on the closet rack drying a bit. I'll try to get some pics tonight!

I need to work on some dryer balls for a couple of customers and I have some orders for bath crayons and soaps and detergents to fill but if I can be productive and get those done I'm going to start on either Poteet strawberry (I found some frozen Poteet ones, luckily, since it's not berry season yet) or maybe the Prickly Pear.. we'll see
Pics coming soon!!

 

[topcat]

You are so adventurous! They all sound wonderful and the names you have are also excellent....

I can comment that strawberry pulp puree is great in soap and adds to the lather because of its sugar content.. It doesn't seem to change the base colour in the cured soap, though the seeds are visible, which is a nice light speckly look. Of course it all depends on how much you put in Also be aware fruit and dairy lend themselves to heating of the batter in the mould if you CP....HP probably no worries....?

Tanya

 

[Lil Outlaws]

Thanks Tanya! I'm very excited about them - the bad part is that I will have to wait on some of it to be in season, obviously, so it'll be a year-long quest LOL but I'll collect stuff as it comes into season and work with whatever's available then.

Cactus first, then probably the Oak one since there's no fruit/flower to wait on.. then we'll see Maybe wineries afterward..


Oh and thanks for the tip on the berries - I wondered if it caused heating. (if anyone has any input as to HOW much extra heat or how to account for that, I'd appreciate it!)

 

[wonderland]

i'm very curious to see a pic of bar #4 when it's done. i might just have to purchase one from you.

 

[Lil Outlaws]

Ohhhh I think it'll be delish! Now I just need to figure out when they're in season (or if they sell nectar all year, I know they bottle it)..

I'm picturing a gentle peach colored swirl in a milky base - peaches & cream, of course

ETA: I checked online and they're in season March-July but there are several of the general stores and roadside markets still open for sundries and dry goods, including bottled nectars and jellies I have to pass by there to go to my Mom's so I'll probably grab some next time I do...

 

[wonderland]

I'm picturing a gentle peach colored swirl in a milky base - peaches & cream, of course

me too but i'm seeing a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

 

[topcat]

Oh and thanks for the tip on the berries - I wondered if it caused heating. (if anyone has any input as to HOW much extra heat or how to account for that, I'd appreciate it!)

I am sure other more experienced soapers will happen along so until then I can give you what I have learned so far ......

If you prefer your soap to gel then cover and wait until full gel achieved, then uncover and place under a fan if at all possible. Depending on your amount of high sugar ingredients and/or your ambient room temp you may need to place in fridge now. May I recommend not putting too much pureed fruit in - in a 900 gram oil batch I used 2 tablespoons of puree and had no overheating issues after reaching gel. It also depends on the size/shape of the mould you use. I used a 12 bar divided tray mould with no worries, however a repeat of a very similar recipe (also added yoghurt....) in an upright milk carton mould overheated and nearly exploded! Needed to rebatch that one :shock: :wink:

Tanya

 

[Lil Outlaws]

Stupid cactus is giving me hell.. have to think about it some (have it in the freezer so it doesn't get icky in the meantime)..

I can get the big spines out easily but at the base of each of them is a clump of "furry looking" spines.. the kind that get in your skin and are near impossible to get out (like fiberglass).. so I certainly don't want any of THOSE in my soap!! (eeeek!)

Trying to devise some kind of... something. Maybe a steamer basket or something lined with cheesecloth and steamed over the pot.. ?? let the cactus juice sweat out through some slices in the skin but have the cloth to catch the pokeys??

Hmmm...

 

[topcat]

Can you maybe slice/peel the skin off (carefully!!!) and pulp or squeeze the inside flesh to get your juice?

This link may help:-

http://www.clearwhitelight.org/hatter/freshpedro.htm

Tanya

 

[Lindy]

Quite the recipe Tanya! :?

 

[topcat]

OOps!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

I just read further down the page.....I had only read the first bit which seemed like a great idea for how to prepare a cactus for juicing.... (tears streaming down my face now...)

Lil Outlaws, just read the top bit, okay.... :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

Tanya

 

[Lindy]

Oh Tanya that was so worth the read....

 

[Lil Outlaws]

ROFLMAO I just spit Dr. Pepper at the screen.. thanks for the laugh!

I think the spines on my cactus may be different than that one but certainly something to check out.. I think I'm going to cut the longer spines off so it'll lay down and then do like I said with the cheesecloth and strainer basket.. I'll just get what I can out of them and make up for it with water. Also I need to find one that is fruiting (I think there's one in the garden) because I need the purple fruit/juice for a swirl. And if I remember correctly, there are minimal (easily removed) spines on the fruits as opposed to the green fleshy parts..

Will update as soon as anything changes (either cactus wise or FO coming or.. something. )

Thanks again for the funny recipe!! :shock:

 

[ChrissyB]

That was funny!!
Gee the things you find out on the internet!!

 

[Lil Outlaws]

UPDATE in first post:




ETA:
I made the first batch yesterday! I decided to start with the Fredericksburg Peaches & Cream - I haven't brought myself to attempt the prickly pear maceration yet LOL but maybe today.

I did the Peaches with 70% EVOO and 30% coconut plus castor for superfatting (5%). I used peach nectar and local river water for the lye liquid, with the addition of 2oz (deducted from the other liquids) of local harvest peach/cream yogurt at trace. Used 1oz Peaches & Cream FO and just unmolded this morning. Smells yummy!
This is the first time I haven't even attempted a swirl - the whole loaf is a peachy orange and I think it'll turn out yummy. I sliced it up and it's on the closet rack drying a bit. I'll try to get some pics tonight!

I need to work on some dryer balls for a couple of customers and I have some orders for bath crayons and soaps and detergents to fill but if I can be productive and get those done I'm going to start on either Poteet strawberry (I found some frozen Poteet ones, luckily, since it's not berry season yet) or maybe the Prickly Pear.. we'll see
Pics coming soon!!

 

[topcat]

So looking forward to pics! Especially of the prickly pear when you do get to it ).......

Tanya

 

[digit]

OOps!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

I just read further down the page.....I had only read the first bit which seemed like a great idea for how to prepare a cactus for juicing....

Me, too. Then I had to go back and what the rest was............... Lil Outlaws.............don't forget the pics! They sound so wonderful!!!!

Digit

 

[Lil Outlaws]

Pic of the Fredericksburg Peaches & Cream:

It's just solid colored, for the first time LOL but smells heavenly! Nothing much exciting to look at though

 

[Lindy]

Very nice! It looks so creamy....now where is that scratch & sniff monitor I order months ago....hmmmmmm

 

[digit]

Mmmmmmm....... .............dreamy!!!!

Digit