Teach Soap

One of my best selling soaps has always been a goat's milk, oatmeal and honey. I pour it in a mould lined with bubble wrap, for that fakey but cute honeycomb look on the outside.

Oddly a week or so ago, I made my usual double batch, it gelled normally, looked great. Cut it the next day, and there was a massive tunnel throughout the middle of both loaves. But not a hollow tunnel - this one was filled with off white thick goo. It looked like what you get when you mix icing sugar with milk to glaze a cake.

I had no idea what had happened, I panicked, freaked out, and threw it all into the trash. (I know, I know)

I tried to decide if I didn't mix it enough, or maybe it didn't gel well enough. Didn't think it overheated because it had no top cracks or anything.
I made a very small, tester batch - makes only 5 bars, They came out completely perfectly. hmmm

So last night I made one full loaf - about 20 bars. Mixed extra long...the gel phase looked normal at first - then I got those telltale cracks on the top. Moved it to a ledge by a cool window. Looked fine this morning, so I cut it.

Another tunnel - much smaller than the first, but filled with the same goo. Odd - this one got hotter(cracks on top), yet smaller tunnel than the first batch.

This is an expensive batch to make, so I decided to try my first ever rebatch. I chopped it all up with a cleaver and put it in the crockpot on low. No extra water - since it was fresh and soft. I gave it just under 3 hours on low, stirred a couple of times, and it looked great - shiny and translucent, like I have read about. added a bit more FO, to compensate for the cook-off, then poured it into a mould. Yes, it was pourable, with a bit of help from DH, who has the day off and is home with me.

So far so good!!! I have read horror stories about rebatching, and how working with the soap in a crockpot is a PITA, but these was easy breezy!
I have been dancing around the house singing the theme song from Rocky.

Of course, I haven't cut it yet, but I am brimming with hope, and I think this is going to be the save of the century!! (at least in my little world)

I attempted a goat milk oatmeal and honey soap yesterday, I used evaporated GM and froze it and when I tried to mix my lye solution in an ice bath it turned into a thick paste, I threw it out and used half frozen milk and half ice instead and it came out really nice.
I also put it in my fridge and didn't allow it to gel. Do you think maybe the heat from gelling is breaking down the sugars in the honey and milk?

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Whatever doesn't kill you. Is gonna leave a scar.

That sounds like it it overheated, even though it didn't crack on top.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

It overheated. That has happened to me too with goat's milk soap.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.