Tallow soap!

[Dharlee]

I made my first tallow soap over the weekend! It's a bit too soft to cut today , but I have to say WOW it's pretty! I don't mean any colors or swirls as I am not very good at that yet, but the whiteness of the bar is amazing. I have a question. (Please don't shoot me for asking too many!)

This was my recipe:

Castor Oil 5%
Coconut Oil (76 Degrees) 20%
Olive Oil 25%
Tallow (Beef) 50%
full water (not comfortable enough to change that yet)
SF 8%

I did the heat transfer method, melting the coconut oil enough to pour it out of the bag only, then the tallow was melted with the lye water. Because of this I soaped about 98 degrees. Wow it took a while to reach a trace. Is that normal? Was it because of the tallow or the coolness (or both?)

Thanks!

 

[Obsidian]

Tallow does trace slow, lard even slower. The temps slowed it down too. Thats the same recipe I use often except I use lard instead of tallow, its a nice soap.

 

[cmzaha]

Tallow does trace slow, lard even slower. The temps slowed it down too. Thats the same recipe I use often except I use lard instead of tallow, its a nice soap.

Interesting, I find that tallow does not slow trace, maybe it is my lye concentration

 

[Dharlee]

Thank you so much!

 

[doriettefarm]

My experience is similar to Carolyn's. Same amount of tallow vs lard seems to trace quicker for me and I always figured the higher stearic to be a factor.

 

[aprice522]

full water (not comfortable enough to change that yet)
SF 8%

I WISH I had not waited to do this!!! Do a 30% concentration of lye and you will LOVE it. I made about 15 batches of soap before I thought I was comfortable, but I WISH I had not waited!

If you will be doing complicated swirls and stuff, or fast moving additives or oils, go full water...

Take the plunge!!! Makes a huge difference. I loved the un-molding faster. Not so soft at 24 hrs. :clap:

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

If I remember from another thread, you don't use a stick blender, do you? If not, that will really drag out the process with cooler/tallow batches

 

[Dharlee]

If I remember from another thread, you don't use a stick blender, do you? If not, that will really drag out the process with cooler/tallow batches

No, I always use a stick blender. I do remember someone recently saying they did not, but not me. I wouldn't have the strength not to! lol! I honestly felt tired with the SB!!:lolno::smile:

I WISH I had not waited to do this!!! Do a 30% concentration of lye and you will LOVE it. I made about 15 batches of soap before I thought I was comfortable, but I WISH I had not waited!

If you will be doing complicated swirls and stuff, or fast moving additives or oils, go full water...

Take the plunge!!! Makes a huge difference. I loved the un-molding faster. Not so soft at 24 hrs. :clap:

I will try that on my next batch! Thank you!!

 

[dillsandwitch]

i use pretty much the same recipe also. I use a 33% lye concentration and I find that I can unmould and cut in about 3-4 hours.