Spiral Candles

How to Make

1. To make a candle with 3 colours twisted together, break off 6 wax squares for each colour then knead the wax into 3 balls.
2. Squeeze the wax until each piece is about 8cm long, then carefully roll each piece on a work surface to make it smooth. Continue rolling the wax pieces until they are thinner at one end and 12cm in length. Place the wax pieces next to each other to check they are all the same length.
3. Cut a wick 15 in length. Press 2 rolled wax pieces together then place the wick it along the join where they meet. The wick should be positioned along the full length of the wax with any extra wick overhanging at the thinner ends. Press the remaining piece of rolled wax over the top, with the wick in the middle of the 3 pieces.
4. Gently press the wax so there are no gaps between the 3 pieces then very carefully twist the wax into a spiral, starting at the thin end. Keep turning the colours until you have a twisted them all the way down.
5. Press the base of the candle on your work surface to flatten it then check it is stable and stands upright. Bend the top if it needs straightening. Press the wax at the top of the candle so the 3 colours are pushed together then trim the wick.

Experiment with different thicknesses and sizes of rolled wax for making twisted candles. Variations can be made in the same way with 4 or 5 wax strips around the wick. Always check the base is wide enough to keep the candle stable and standing upright.

Top Tip

To make the wax easier to knead and shape, leave it in a warm place for 10-15 minutes to soften, or gently warm the wax on both sides for 15-20 seconds with a hairdryer. To apply more pressure when kneading, hold the wax between your thumb and forefinger with the other hand over the top so the thumbs and fingers are crossing each other. Squeeze the thumb and fingers on top so they press the fingers underneath holding the wax. Shape wax on a piece of greaseproof paper to stop it sticking to your work surface.