Labels

00 flour 7-spice 8-ball squash açaí acorn squash afternoon tea agar ale alfalfa allspice almond butter almond essence almond meal almonds alphabet amchoor american anise seed apple apple cheese apple juice apple sauce apricots artichoke asiers asparagus aubergine autumn avocado balls balsamic vinegar banana banana skin bannock barberries barley basil bath bomb batter bay BBQ sauce bean burger bean pasta beans beansprouts beauty beer beeswax beet greens beetroot belize beluga lentils berbere berry bicarbonate of soda birch syrup birthday biscuits black beans black eyed beans black garlic black pepper black trumpet blackberry blewit blue cheese blueberry bok choi borlotti beans borscht boston bran brandy brazil nut brazilian bread bread flour breadcrumbs breadsticks breakfast brezeln british broad beans broccoli broccolini brown lentils brown rice brown sugar brownies brussels sprouts buckwheat bulghur wheat buns butter buttermilk butternut squash cabbage cacao cajun spice cake camping canada candied peel candles cannelini beans capers caramel caraway cardamom caribbean carob molasses carrot greens carrots cashew cauliflower cayenne celeriac celery celery seed ceps cereal champagne chanterelle chard cheese cheese rind cherry chervil Chestnut chia chia seeds chicken of the woods chickpea chickpea flour chickpea miso chickpeas child-friendly chilli chips chives chocolate christmas chutney cider cider vinegar cinnamon citric acid clapshot cloves coarse salt cocoa coconut coconut kefir coconut milk coconut oil coconut sugar coconut vinegar coffee collard greens compote cookies copenhagen cordial coriander coriander seed cornbread cornflour cornmeal cornstarch cottage cheese courgette courgette flowers couscous crabapple crackers cranberries cranberry cranberry sauce cream cream cheese cream of tartar creme de cassis crumble cucumber cumin cupuaçu curd currants curry curry leaves curry paste custard dal dandelion-ramp miso danish date date molasses dehydrator demerara sugar digestive biscuits dill dinosaur dip donuts dosa dragonfish dressing dried fruit drink dry tofu dukkah dulce de leche easter edamame egg egg yolk elderberry elderflower elephant english epsom salts essential oil evaporated milk fake milk fennel fennel seed fenugreek feta fiddleheads fig filo fire cooking firm tofu flan flapjack flatbread flour flowers focaccia food colouring football freekeh fresh yeast frittata fritters galangal galette garam masala garlic garlic scapes gazpacho german gin ginger ginger wine gingerbread glass noodles gluten-free glutinous rice flour gnocchi goat's cheese golden beets golden raisins golden syrup gooseberry gorgonzola graham flour granola grape grape molasses grapefruit greek green beans green pepper green plantain green tea green tomato haggis haricot beans harissa hazelnut hedgehog mushroom hemp seeds holy basil hominy honey horseradish hot cross buns hummus ice lollies iceland icing icing sugar indian injera irish italy jackfruit jam jamaican japanese jelly jicama kahlua kale kale chips kalonji kefir ketchup kohlrabi koji kombucha lasagne latkes lavender lebkuchen leek leek flowers lemon lemongrass lentils lettuce lime lime leaves linseed lion's mane mushroom liquorice powder lovage lunch macadamia nuts mace mahlab maitake mango maple syrup marble marigold marmalade marzipan masa harina mascarpone mash melon membrillo mexican milk millet mince pies mincemeat mint mirin miso mixed spice mochi moghrabieh molasses morel mousse mozzarella muesli muffins mulberry mulberry molasses mung beans mushroom mushroom powder mushroom stock mustard mustard oil naan nasturtium new york no-bake cake noodles not food nut butter nut roast nutella nutmeg nutritional yeast oat yoghurt oatmeal oats okara okra olive oil olives onion onion skins onions orange orange blossom orange juice oregano oyster mushroom package pancakes panch phoran papaya papaya seeds paprika parkin parmesan parsley parsnips pasta pastry peach peanut peanut butter pear peas pecan pecan pie pecorino pepper pesto petersilienwurzel philadelphia physalis pickle picnic pie pine nuts pineapple pistachio pizza plantain plum polenta pomegranate pomegranate molasses ponzu popcorn poppy seeds porridge potato potluck preserve pretzels prune psyllium seed husk pudding pumpkin pumpkin seed butter pumpkin seeds purple carrots purple noodles purple potato puy lentils pyo quince quinoa radicchio radish radish greens rainbow cake raisins raita ramps ras el hanout raspberry ratatouille ravioli red cabbage red kidney beans red lentils red onion red wine red wine vinegar redcurrant jelly redcurrants relish restaurant reykjavik rhubarb rice rice flour rice pudding rice vinegar ricotta risotto rocket rolls root veg chips rose rose harissa rosemary rugbrød rum runner beans rye saffron sage sake salad salsify salt sauce sauerkraut scones scottish sea buckthorn seaweed seeds semolina sesame oil sesame seeds sesame tofu seville orange shepherd's pie shiso silken tofu skyr slaw sloe snacks snow soba noodles socca soda bread sodium hydroxide soup sour cherries south american soy sauce soybean spaghetti spaghetti squash spätzle spelt spelt berries spinach spread spring spring onion sprouts squash st. george's mushroom star anise stew stout strawberry sugar sultana sumac summer sunchoke sundried tomato sunflower seed butter sunflower seeds super firm tofu sweet sweet potato sweetcorn tacos tahini tamale tamari tamarind tapioca flour tarragon tart tea tealoaf teff tempeh thai thyme tinned peaches tkemali toast tofu tofu scramble tomatillo tomato tomato puree tonka bean toronto tortillas tray bake treacle truck truffle turmeric turnip turnip greens tyttebær udon umeboshi vanilla vanilla bean vegetable stock veggie burger vermouth vine leaves vinegar walnut oil walnuts wasabi watermelon watermelon radish wax wheat berries whisky white balsamic vinegar white beans white chocolate white pepper white spelt flour white wine wholemeal wild garlic winter wood ear xanthan gum yeast yellow beans yellow split peas yoghurt za'atar zimtsterne

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Beeswax candles

I have been hoarding beeswax for a while - edges and pieces and cappings from when harvesting honey. So it's not pure - still contains unevenness and odd bits of honey or bee, although I usually rinse it (honey vodka aka honning syppe!), drain it and air dry it as well as I can... and then was thinking about what to do with it... I decided to try to make candles this time - and to try putting them into jars instead of moulds. Sooo this is what I did.

For the moulds and wick:
2 clean small (c 100 ml volume) jars with lids
thick (c. 2-3 mm) braided cotton string for wick
2 x 2 DKK coins (to use as wick weights)
tape and 2 toothpicks to keep wick in place

For the wax:
175 g beeswax
41 g coconut oil
(this should be good proportions of wax:oil to give a candle that burns well)
large jar for use in double boiler

First, estimate how much wax you have - weigh it. And how much you can fit into each jar - weigh volume of water that fits into each. Then make sure you prep an appropriate number of jars.

Next, prepare the moulds. Take a piece of wick, put one end of it through the hole in the middle of the coin and tie a knot to stop it slipping back through. Melt a little wax and use it to stick the coin+knot to the bottom of the jar in the middle. Bring the other end of the wick to the middle of the top of the jar, gently taut, and fix in place by taping to a toothpick (or similar) balanced and taped across the middle of the mouth of the jar. Cut the wick at the top of the jar for now. Prepare all moulds like this. They are now ready to fill.

I like to use a large jar that I do not need and can go in the recycling afterwards as the bowl of a double boiler (as the wax is a bit tricky to clean off thoroughly - don't put it down the drain). Melt beeswax and coconut oil together in the jar over nearly-boiling water. It takes a while, be patient and keep stirring. I did half the quantity (ie one mould's worth), then the other half. When the wax is melted, pour carefully into the prepared mould, up to approx the top of the straight sides, around 2 cm from the top, and let sit until solid. Repeat for the other wax and moulds. Let them sit, undisturbed, for a day or two to cure.

When ready to finish, remove the tape and toothpicks and trim the wick with small sharp scissors so it sits just inside the jar top. Put the lids on and decorate the jar as you wish. The candles are now ready to burn.


Note: you could add scent via essential oils, but I preferred the idea of just having a gentle coconutty / beeswax-y smell.
Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)