I'm assuming you've received the preamble posts regarding the handling of lye and rendering tallow. If not, click here!
This size recipe can be mixed with the electric mixer. The recipe can be doubled and mixed by hand with a wooden paddle. Have ready an electric mixer and 2 large bowls, stainless or glass (not plastic).
Mold: Can use styrofoam or an old cake pan. Have a piece of cloth ready to put on top of the soap and a lid to put on top of the cloth. Can be wrapped with a blanket or towels for insulation. (note from steve: I use glass casserole dishes well greased with vaseline. Don't try to grease with oil, as it will saponify! Clear plastic candy molds make nice little soaps, too.)
Fat: 1.5 lb melted fat (tallow, lard, tallow/lard mixture. Lard can be purchased in 1lb boxes.) Clarified fat, mixed pork and beef. If the fat has burned particles in it or is rancid, it can be clarified by boiling it up in a large pan with about a quart of water an then cooling it and scooping the clean fat off the top. The impurities settle to the bottom in the water. (note from steve: see the tallow making post for more information.)
Measure 1/2 can lye (6.5 ounces). Handle with great care. Pour into a paper cup. Make sure the lid is securely back on the lye can. Put 3 cups goat milk in stainless steel mixer bowl. Pour the lye in slowly, running the mixer on low. It will get hot and the milk turns golden as the chemical reaction takes place. Cool until about 85 degrees. May use dairy thermometer.
2 tsp Borax
1 cup baby oatmeal
2 ounces glycerine
This can be stirred in while the lye and milk mixture is cooling. It is not necessary to stir the whole time. Watch the temperature of 1.5 pounds of fat. Fat should also be at about 85 or 90 degrees. If you have to heat it to melt, make sure it has cooled again. Run the mixer on low for about 15 minutes, then turn off and let soap rest 5 minutes; run 5 minutes and rest 5 minutes. Repeat this and watch closely because soap will suddenly take consistency and must be poured into the mold. Pour when ready; smooth top surface and keep mold at even temperature for about 24 hours. Cloth can then be peeled off and bars can be cut with a serrated knife or scored and broken.
Aging: Age the soap for at least a month, unwrapped. It is better if it ages 2 or 3 months. Failures sometimes occur. Sometimes melting the soap on a very low heat and stirring it some more is all that is necessary to make it set.
A few suggestions: I always double the recipe so that I can use the whole can of lye and I can also buy 3 pound block of lard. I mix the lye and milk. Then I put in the block of lard and stir until it has melted. I powder regular oatmeal in the blender. I add it some baking soda and glycerine to the mixture. I stir about 5 or 10 minutes. I stick my thermometer in. It is usually about 120 degrees. I go about my business for an hour or so and then come back. When it is around 90 degrees I stir for 15 minutes, rest 5, stir 5 and so on. When the spoon can stand up in the middle of the bowl by itself I start spooning it in the molds.
13 cups rendered fat (6.5 pounds)
1 small can red Devil lye
1/2 cup honey
4 cups goat milk
1 cup hot water
Into a large stainless steel or enamel container, dissolve the honey into the hot water. Add the 4 cups goat milk, stir to mix well and slowly add the lye to the milk/honey mixture. This will get very hot. Let it set until it cools down to 75 degrees. This could take an hour or more. When the lye mixture reaches 75 degrees, warm the lard to 85 degrees and pour in a slow steady stream into the lye/milk mixture. Stir constantly until the mixture reaches the consistency of honey. This will take 20 or 30 minutes.
When thick as honey pour into prepared molds. Allow to set for 24 to 48 hours. Un-mold and cut into bars. Air-dry the soap for 4-5 weeks to cure it.
Carefully mix the milk and lye in a stainless container. Allow to cool to 85 degrees. Stir in the refined oatmeal and honey. Mix well. Warm lard to 85 degrees and slowly add to milk mixture. Mix for 15 minutes, let stand 5 minutes. Mix again for 5 minutes. Watch closely as soap takes shape suddenly. When thick like honey pour into prepared molds. Let set 24-48 hours until set. Cut into bars and air cure for 3 to 4 weeks.
I made the above one over the weekend. I used my regular recipe(doubled) and added about 3/4 cup of honey. I did it the way I normally do. I left it to set and checked on it about every 15 minutes. The last time I checked it it had almost hardened in the bowl. It did do okay though and I managed to pour it into a large pan.
42 oz olive oil
28 oz coconut oil
18 oz palm oil
12.7 oz Red Devil Lye
33 oz goat milk (or buttermilk can be used too )
1 cup ground oatmeal
4 Tbsp. raw honey
fats and oil temp: 92 degrees
lye/milk temp: 92 degrees
cure for 4-6 weeks
Even with no FO added, this soap still smells like honey and oatmeal 4 weeks later. Enjoy!
I think a most interesting insight is that buttermilk can be substituted! ---steve
Beef tallow = 130 degrees Lye = 95 degrees
Pure Lard = 85 degrees Lye = 75 degrees
1/2 Beef & 1/2 Lard = 110 degrees Lye = 85 degrees