Making Yogurt

Making yogurt is not a matter of assembling, preparing and combining the correct ingredients as it is a matter of propagating an existing organism: to make yogurt, you need to have yogurt. By and large, the organism manages itself, you just have to take away all excuses for the organism to do otherwise.

Tools:

1. Thermometer.
   A candy or meat thermometer will do, so long as it will read quickly and accurately.
2. Heat source.
   Some people do this in a crock pot. I've never tried, so satisfied am I with the stove. You can even use a microwave if you want to. I have. It turned out fine, I just have a vendetta against my microwave.
3. Pot or pan or bowl in which the milk will be heated.
4. Jars with lids or sealed containers of the appropriate size to contain and incubate the treated milk.
5. A method of incubation.
   I personally use quart jars in a small cooler and periodically pour warm water into it. Some combine the sealed container with the incubator and use a thermos. Some will heat their oven, turn it off before loading the yogurt and use that as their incubator. You want something that can maintain a steady, warm-but-not-hot temperature for hours at a time. Yogurt can even be incubated by putting it in a sunny window or a warm place for a few hours, I haven't tried that. I have too many control issues to try that.
6. Yogurt starter.
   Again, to make yogurt, you need yogurt. You can get just the bacterial cultures from online sources, or you can start with a little leftover yogurt from a previous batch. A few times, I have discovered to my deep shame that my yogurt had gone awry before I could use it. On those occasions, I just ran to the store and bought a little cup of single-serve yogurt.
7. Strainers. (Optional)
   Commercial yogurts will often use pectin to thicken their yogurt. This isn't Greek yogurt, it's just a cosmetic decision, and a good one, too. Thick yogurt is more pleasant than runny yogurt. The thickness of your yogurt is affected by how long you hold the milk at the 180 degree temperature and how long you incubate it. But if you want Greek yogurt, put down the bag of tricks, you all out need a strainer to do the job. Greek yogurt strainers exist and I love mine, but if you haven't got that by some terrible twist of fate, you can accomplish the task by laying down layers of cheese cloth over a strainer, setting that in a bowl and then pouring in your yogurt.

The basic method:

1. In a pot, heat the milk to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
   This is not a question of sterilization, though I'm sure that's an added benefit, it's preparing the proteins in the milk for the cultures they need. If you maintain the milk at this heat for a longer period of time, say, half an hour, the result will be naturally thicker yogurt. I'm lazy and impatient. I don't do that, I just use a strainer.
   The milk will of course develop a skin which can be stirred right back into the pot.
2. Allow the milk to cool down to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
   Walk away for a while. Put the dish in an ice bath, whatever. If you add the cultures before it cools down, you'll kill the cultures.
3. Mix in the cultures.
   Rule of thumbs are nice. I haven't yet found a specific one for how much culture to how much milk and tend to go with “However much culture I set aside last time I made yogurt” and “however much milk I've decided to use this time” and haven't disappointed myself yet. But that isn't very encouraging for someone who's never done this and isn't sure they know what they are doing. So let's say this: You should use probably 2 tablespoons of yogurt to 1 quart of milk.
   Here's the best way I've found to mix it: dump the yogurt into a resealable jar, ladle out about a cup of the warm milk onto the yogurt, seal the jar and shake it vigorously. Pour the mixture back into the rest of the milk and stir well.
4. Incubate the cultures.
   Pour the mixture into whatever method you've chosen to incubate them. When I do it, I pour them into quart sized glass jars, stick them into my cooler, pour some warm water into the bottom of the cooler and walk away. If you're using the oven, heat the oven to 115 BEFORE you get to this stage and turn it off.
5. Let set.
   Leave the mixture alone, utterly alone, for 2 hours. Once you've set the cooler down/closed the oven door, poured it into the thermos, don't jostle it.
   It is still not done, not even after 2 hours, but it's okay to examine after that. It's okay to pop the oven open, or pull a jar out of the cooler and stare at it speculatively. If it's still liquid at this time, the cultures failed and nothing more is going to happen, but you can reheat it and add new cultures. I've only had this happen to me once, and it was because I had frozen the cultures beforehand, misled into thinking that would be okay. Apparently it wasn't.
   You should keep letting it incubate for at least 6 hours. It'll be fine to leave alone overnight. The longer it sets, the thicker it gets, and the stronger the flavor as well.
6. Cool.
   Stick the yogurt, for yogurt it now is, in the fridge. You can eat some of it now, but to stop the incubation process, put it in the fridge. If you prefer to strain your yogurt to make Greek yogurt, put it in the strainer, THEN put it in the fridge
   If you plan to gobble it up as is, set aside a portion of your work into a separate container. This is your starter for next time. Make it clear that this is not to be devoured, put it in a reserved part of the fridge, mark it, repeatedly lecture the other members of the household on the subject, whatever it takes. 'Course, if they eat it, you can just go out and buy a single serving for a buck.
7. Strain (optional)
   Your Greek yogurt strainer has the mosey on this. Strain out a third of the milk volume's worth of whey, and then you've got Greek yogurt. This usually takes 6-8 hours. If you strain TOO long (18 hours, for example) you're headed toward yogurt cheese, which is fantastic, but not necessarily what you want. After you strain, don't forget to set aside your starter.

Soap making

Cold process procedure.
Note: all measurements are by weight, not by volume. A digital scale set to ounces is the most effective, for the lye measurements must be precise.

1. Prepare the lye.
   Using a lye calculator, which can be found on the internet, learn how much lye and water will be needed for the recipe. Weigh the correct amount of water in a container that will never be used for any other purpose and gently pour the lye into the water. Stir the solution until all lye is dissolved. Lye is caustic, so here is my list of don'ts:
   Do not pour the water into the lye, the resulting chemical reaction is a little lye volcano.
   Do not let the mixture splash. Gentle. Be gentle.
   Do not let yourself get interrupted during this step.
   The chemical reaction will cause the water to heat above 200 degrees. Set aside to cool.
2. Prepare the fats.
   Continue to consult the lye calculator.
   In a pan, (which can still be used for other purposes afterwards) heat the solid fats first, allowing them to liquify, then add the liquid fats.
3. Allow the fats and the lye to come to the same temperature.
   This is a matter of preference or recipe instructions. Around 100 degrees is a good rule-of-thumb for the goal temperature. Plant-based fats can be lower, animal-based fats can be higher. The oils or the lye can be reheated if one has cooled too much to combine with the other, or cooled by placing the container in a tub of cold water.
4. Combine.
   When the two substances are at the same temperature, slowly pour the lye into the oils.
   Stir the mixture constantly, do not allow yourself to be interrupted during this process, and continue stirring until a trace is reached.
   A trace is reached when the solution has a pudding-like consistency, so that when the spoon or stick blender is pulled out of the mixture, the drippings leave an impression on the surface of the mixture.
5. At this point, stir in any additives that you were planning on using.
6. Pour the soap into the mold or molds.
   Cover them with a lid or a sheet of cardboard. Insulate the molds by wrapping them in 3 or 4 towels. Store the molds in a moderately warm place for about 24 hours.
7. Let cure.
   Remove the soap from the molds after about a day. If you used a loaf mold, cut the soap into smaller pieces. Lay the soap upright on a piece of cardboard or a drying rack – good airflow is the goal. Place somewhere where it will not be disturbed and let finish curing – 4 weeks unless the recipe says otherwise. For good circulation, you may wish to flip the soap every week or so. After the appropriate time, the soap is ready for use.

Tip: In some cases, a white residue may form on your soap. Brush this off before use.
Measure your additives before you combine the lye mixture with the oils.
Sometimes the soaps reach their trace and begin to harden sooner than the maker is ready, and using additives is no longer possible. The batch is not lost. Allow the soap to set for a day, then see the instructions for milling soap. 

Hot process soap procedure

Note: all measurements are by weight, not by volume. A digital scale set to ounces is the most effective, for the lye measurements must be precise.

1. Prepare the lye.
   Using a lye calculator, which can be found on the internet, learn how much lye and water will be needed for the recipe. Weigh the correct amount of water in a container that will never be used for any other purpose and gently pour the lye into the water while stirring the water. Keep stirring the solution until all lye is dissolved. Lye is caustic, so here is my list of don'ts:
   Do not pour the water into the lye, the resulting chemical reaction is a little lye volcano.
   Do not let the mixture splash. Gentle. Be gentle.
   Do not let yourself get interrupted during this step.
   The chemical reaction will cause the water to heat above 200 degrees. Set aside to cool.
2. Prepare the fats.
   Continue to consult the lye calculator. Weigh your oils and fats and place in an active crock pot. Begin with the solids and allow them to melt before adding the liquids.
3. Combine.
   It is not necessary for the lye and the fats to be the same temperature when they are combined. Slowly add the lye water to the crock pot, stirring constantly. Do not allow yourself to be interrupted during this process, and continue stirring until a trace is reached.
   A trace is reached when the solution has a pudding-like consistency, so that when the spoon or stick blender is pulled out of the mixture, the drippings leave an impression on the surface of the mixture.
4. Heat.
   Cover the crock pot, set it to low and be vigilant over it. Make sure that it does not bubble over as it cures: stir it gently if it does, it is otherwise not necessary to disturb the mixture.
5. Test the batch
   The mix will begin to take on a clear Vaseline like look after about an hour. Once the whole mix has this look, test it to see if it is done. Take a small sample of the soap and rub it between your fingers. It should have a waxy feel. Test the soap by touching it to your tongue, if it 'zaps' like a nine volt battery, it's not done. Keep cooking until it no longer 'zaps'.
6. Additives
   Turn off the crock pot and mix your additives, waiting until the batch has cooled slightly before adding your essential oils - if the batch is hotter than the flash point of your oils, the oils will vaporize, fun!
7. Add to molds

Unlike cold process soap, hot process soap is a gelatinous mass. Scoop it into the molds and then tap the molds against a hard surface to let any air bubbles escape. Allow 1-2 days for the soap to harden before removing from the molds. Cut the soap immediately after removal if using a larger mold. Soap is ready for use.

Tip: This soap has a more rustic look and softer texture than cold process. Some recipes will lend themselves better to the hardness and smoothness of cold process. In the hot process soap, you can add fragrances that would be too sensitive to the alkaline still present in the cold process soap.
Soaps like floating soap and whipped soap need to be done with the cold process.

Milled Soap process.

1. Prep soap
   Grate the soap down into small pieces, this can be done with just a cheese grater, anything electronic like a food processor tends to get gummed up after a few minutes. It is important that the soap be reduced to little pieces, for it can be difficult to melt.
   Add liquid to the soap when you go to melt it. The liquid can be milk or tea or water, a general rule of thumb is 2-3 ounces of liquid per pound of soap. Newer soap will require less, older soap will require more. If you add too much, the soap will take a long time to dry or harden after the process.
2. Melt soap
   Begin with a completed bar of soap. If the soap is cold process and has not yet cured, take steps to protect yourself from the alkaline still in the soap.
   Grate the soap and melt it in the microwave, in a double boiler, in a crock pot, or in a boil bag. It is important that the soap be heated without being scorched, the which purpose can be messy and complicated.
   If you decide to use the microwave to melt the soap, microwave it in a safe bowl in 1 minute increments and stir as you go.
   If you decide to use the crock pot or double boiler, patience is key. The author of this guide does not have enough to have successfully used the technique.
   If you decide to use a boil bag, set a pot of water to boil, put the soap shavings in a heat safe freezer bag and seal it. Put that bag in another bag and seal it, drop the bag into the boiling water, try to avoid it touching the sides of the pot and let it boil for 40 minutes. If it has not yet melted, add a tablespoon of liquid and let it continue to boil for another 20 minutes. Please wear heat safe gloves.
   The melted soap will have a gummy, mashed potato-like texture, or can be comparable to vaseline.
3. Pour in the additives.
   Once the soap has liquified, add in any dyes, substances or fragrances. Mix the soap as much as necessary to distribute the substances.
   Pour the milled soaps into their molds and allow them to harden. This can take up to 48 hours. Leave the molds where they will be dry and undisturbed. Use your judgment if the hardening seems to take even longer.
4. Remove the soap from the molds.
   If you used one large mold, cut them now.
   If you used a cold process base that was not fully cured, let the soap air dry as you would an uncured cold process soap. Otherwise, they are ready to use as long as they are hardened.

Tips. Generally, it makes more sense to insert any additives in your soap during the initial cure and avoid this process altogether, however, some soap recipes need to be made with cold process, some additives cannot be used during cold process due to their sensitivity to the alkaline. Occasionally, stupid happens, distraction takes place, spontaneous improvisation becomes necessary, whatever, so it is as well to know how to mill as not.
Be warned: using the milling process to save a batch of soap that has gone awry IS a gamble.

Tools
The soap making process is not necessarily one which requires complicated or specific tools. You need the following.

1. A scale.
   In this process, precision is key, particularly when it comes to measuring lye. An accurate scale is essential, a digital scale that measures ounces to the decimal is recommended.
2. A thermometer.
   During the cold process, it is necessary to combine the lye with the oils and fats while they are almost the same temperature, and a good thermometer is necessary. Even if you are doing the hot process, though, and choose to have essential oils, it is necessary to make sure your batch hasn't exceeded their flash points. A candy thermometer is great.
3. Other measuring implements.
   Measuring cups, spoons, plastic containers for weighing the fats. These will never come into contact with the pure lye, so you needn't worry about exclusive measuring implements unless you like things organized that way.
4. A heat source.
   You need a means to heat the oils and fats, and during the hot process, to cook the batch. A crock pot is specified, but you can also do your heating in the oven, at 170-190 degrees Fahrenheit. For the cold process, a pan on the stove will do the trick.
5. Two lye containers.
   A little one for weighing out the lye and a larger one for weighing the water and adding the lye – these containers should never be used for anything else. Lye is a very caustic substance which heats the water to 200 degrees, don't use glass or aluminum. Plastic will be fine.
6. A stirrer.
   To mix the batch, constant stirring is necessary. This can be done with a sturdy wooden spoon, or, recommended, a stick blender.
7. Molds
   You need containers into which to pour your soaps while they cure. These should be sturdy, somewhat flexible (if they are not, line them with plastic wrap before pouring). They can be decorative, they can be plain, they can be an old loaf pan that no one cares about. They can be silicone, they can be plastic, they can be rinsed out half-gallon milk cartons with the lid chopped off. Just make sure you know what you're going to do with your soap when you take it off the heat source.
   The writer of this guide prefers silicone because they are reusable and the soap pops out like a dream, but don't knock yourself out trying to find them.
8. Protective gear
   Lye is caustic, and without lye you can't make soap. As mentioned, lye heats up to 200 degrees when it reacts to water. When it mixes with water, it gives off fumes. Inhaling it or getting it on yourself is a legitimate concern, and a pair of gloves and goggles, and even a mask wouldn't go amiss. Indeed, it falls into the category of common sense.
   That said, the writer of this guide finds these implements cumbersome and does not use them. Whether you do or not, don't inhale the fumes and if lye splashes on you rush to the sink and flush the affected area. Do not apply vinegar, no matter who tells you it's a good idea. It isn't.
   
   Do not let the warnings about lye cripple your ability to do the task in front of you. Respect the substance, don't fear it. Store it in a sensible place, keep your head, wash it off if it gets on you. Unless you panic, you'll be fine...in fact, even IF you panic, you're probably fine. Flush the affected area with water.