Is candle wax and cheese wax the same thing?
I hope to preserve the cheese I make in wax alla Gouda but the books keep talking about cheese wax. Is this a special kind of wax and if so what is the difference between it and regular wax?
Also is it a rule that you have to brine your cheese if you wish to wax it?
Best Answer
Candle wax and cheese wax are quite different.
Candle wax is very stiff. If it were flexible, you'd get bendy candles.
Cheese wax has additional ingredients to keep it pliable and prevent it from becoming brittle:
This wax is pliable and will not become brittle as will pure paraffin wax.
It also has food-grade dyes. Remember that candle wax is generally not designed to touch food.
As to brining.
The instructions on the About Waxing tab mentions that it's important to clean cheese before waxing to prevent mold growth:
Before the cheese can be waxed, the mold needs to be removed. This can be done with a brine wash or vinegar wash. Both high acid and high salt will discourage mold from growing. I prefer the brine wash with ~ 1 tsp salt to a cup of cool water. As you can see in the photos, the mold wipes away easily. Photo at left shows the clean cheese ready for waxing. The cheese will dry and be ready for waxing in an hour or two.
Pictures about "Is candle wax and cheese wax the same thing?"
Quick Answer about "Is candle wax and cheese wax the same thing?"
Candle wax is very stiff. If it were flexible, you'd get bendy candles. Cheese wax has additional ingredients to keep it pliable and prevent it from becoming brittle: This wax is pliable and will not become brittle as will pure paraffin wax.Can you use candle wax for cheese?
Things You'll Need This cheese wax recycles broken crayons and melted unscented candle stubs to produce a cheese coating for aging. Without these around your home, use paraffin wax sold in craft stores for candle making instead. While non-toxic, you should still remove the wax before consuming the cheese.What kind of wax is cheese wax?
Cheese wax is a special kind of wax specifically intended for preserving cheeses. It works as a seal, locking mold and bacteria out while keeping the cheese inside fresh. While cheese wax is paraffin-based, it's better suited to preserving cheese than regular paraffin wax.Can you make candles out of Babybel cheese wax?
This wax cannot be made into a candle but it does have other uses that make it reusable.What is the difference between candle and candle wax?
As nouns the difference between wax and candle is that wax is beeswax or wax can be (rare) the process of growing or wax can be (dated|colloquial) an outburst of anger while candle is a light source consisting of a wick embedded in a solid, flammable substance such as wax, tallow, or paraffin.Can You Make a Candle Out of Babybel Cheese Wrappers?
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: nahifimsi, Castorly Stock, Anna Shvets, Lisa