HERB - one bar recipe for soap

[sunshinegirl]

 _Back to Basics_, by Reader's Digest  (a wonderful "how to" book,) has
some
 soap recipies.  It states that "According to Roman legend, soap was
 discovered after a heavy rain fell on the slopes of Mount Sapo (the name
 means "Mount Soap" in Latin).  The hill was the site of an important
 sacrificial altar, and the rainwater mixed with the mingled ashes and
 animal fat around the altar's base.  As a result..., the three key
 components of soap were brought together:  water, fat, and lye (postash
 leached from the ashes)."
 
 Although, by definition, every soap is made by the saponification
(chimecal
 combination) of lye, water, and fat, one soap will differ from the next
 depending on the kind of fat, the kind of lye, and how much of each is
 used.  Traditionally, soapmaking for the year was done in Autumn, when the
 annual butchering of animals took place and fat was available.  Lye was
 produced by filling a hkopper with hardwood ashes, and running water
 through the ashes.  Once this was done, the water was sent through again,
 until it would float an egg.  If the egg sank to the bottom, it was too
 weak.  If it floated at the top, it was too strong.  If it floated in
 suspension, in the middle, it was just right.
 
 Ingredients for soap are
 fat - any kind of pure animal or vegetable fat, from reclaimed kitchen
 grease to castor oil; tallow, lard, olive oil, crisco vegetable shortning,
 etc.
 lye - Available in many supermarkets or hardware stores in dry crystal -
 sodium hydroxide.  My personal choice is Red Devil Lye, found in the drain
 cleaner sections.
 water - soft.  Clean rainwater is nice.  Add some borax if in a hard water
 area.
 
 Recipie for single bar experimentation
 
 1/2 cup cold soft water
 2 heaping tbsp. commercial lye
 1 cup melted beef tallow
 Gloves (unless you want to live dangerously and risk a lye burn...)

 Slowly add the lye to the water, then bring both lye solution and tallow
to
 about body temperature.  Do not touch the lye water - it will burn.  In
fact, be very careful with the lye.
 Combine lye water and tallow in a glass bowl and mix slowly and steadily
 with an egg beater (I use a fork with the small quantities) until the
 consistency is that of sour cream.  Pour mixture into mold and age
 according to standard procedure - i.e. remove soap from mold after 24
 hours, leave in the open for 2-3 weeks, turning over daily.  If it stays
too soft after a couple of days, then place it over low heat until it
melts, and then stir until ready to pour into molds.
 
 A standard batch recipe calls for on 13 oz can of commerical lye, 2 1/2
 pints of water, and 6 pounds of fat.  about 9 punds of soap result,
enought
 to make 36 bars of toilet soap.
 
 Adding the lye to the water will generate temperatures in excess of 200 F,
 so plan on enough time for it to cool.  
 
 If adding a scent, don't add the oil until just before molding.  Or make
an
 infusion, strain, and use that instead of plain water.  Don't use alchohal
 based scents - it can interfere with saponification.    Use the single bar
 recipie and experiment with different fats, scents, and additives.  I
 haven't bought commercial soap in years - I'd rather make my own!!
 
 Have fun, and if anyone has any questions, I'll be happy to answer them to
 my best ability.  If anyone else has a different one bar recipie, I'd love
to have it.
 
 Melandra of the Woods
 


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