Butter boards? No thanks, we’re making butter candles now

If last year’s butter board trend wasn’t enough for you, then this year’s butter candle will be. 2022 saw many of us smearing Lurpak onto chopping boards and calling it a snack. This year, the butter trend has evolved and has us moulding butter into edible candles to dunk our crusty breads in…

Dipping bread into a melted butter candle doesn’t sound nearly as appearing as it really is, trust me. I know because I’ve already made several candles. Plain butter candles, garlic and herb butter candles and pesto butter candles – this one was a real winner!

Garnering over 7 million views on TikTok over the holidays, the butter candle quickly became a centrepiece for dinner tables around the map.

A user named @sooziethefoodie was one of the first to share her recipe for a butter candle on TikTok. Inspired by ancient candles made out of animal fat, Soozie sculpts an evolved version of the ‘tallow candle’ using softened butter.

@sooziethefoodie My favorite thing to make is hands down butter candles #candle #butter #nye ♬ TO THE MOON – Jnr Choi & Sam Tompkins

The good news is, if you’re a butter fiend who wants to hop on the trend, butter candles are really simple to make. All you need is your butter of choice (has to be real butter, not margarine or a spread), garlic, black pepper, hemp wick/edible beeswax wick/cotton kitchen twine, and a good loaf of crusty bread. I love a fresh sourdough!

There are two ways to make a butter candle.

1. Sculpting with softened butter.
2. Pouring into a mould.

Here’s how to make a butter candle:

Sculpting from softened butter

@eatbooksg extra romantic xmas dinners are w butter candles 🥰 #butter #buttercandle #butterrecipes #shotoniphone #viralhack #christmas2022 #festiverecipes #christmasrecipe #buttercandle ♬ It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas – Michael Bublé

1. If you’re going with Soozie’s sculpting method, first let your butter soften to make it malleable. Then, cover the butter with cling wrap and press the butter down flat and even with your hands.
2. Once you’ve done so, open up your cling wrap and pop a piece of edible wick down the middle of your flattened butter. When the wick is secure down the middle, close up the cling wrap and mould the butter into a cylindrical shape around the wick.
3. Then, chill in fridge (a firmer candle works better for slow burning).
4. Once firm, hollow out a loaf of fresh, crusty bread to the size of your candle and pop in. Bob’s your uncle.

Make a poured butter candle

@soyummy Garlic girls need garlic butter candles to go with their bread 🧄🧄🧄 #garlicgirl ♬ original sound – YDEN

1. Step one is to melt your butter (with your choice of add-ons, like garlic, sage or other herbs) and pour it into your vessel. Paper cups and tins work well because you can cut through them to remove your candle once set, but a ramekin works too. Just remember to pop your ramekin into hot water for 10 seconds after chilling to help your butter candle ease out of the mold without any damage.
2. Once you’ve poured your butter into its mold, insert an edible wick. I like to use beeswax wick, but hemp or kitchen twine works too.
3. Leave about 5-7cm of wick free above the candle, place a chopstick on top of the ridge of your mould and wrap the wick around the chopstick to secure it from sinking into the butter.
4. Once the butter has hardened in the fridge, pop the ramekin into hot water for 10 seconds to soften the edges, place upside down on a chopping board and tap gently to release your candle.
5. Hollow out a loaf of fresh, crusty bread to the size of your candle and pop it in. Voila.

Butter candle safety and etiquette

• Make sure you’re using an edible wick!
• It takes a few minutes for the wick to melt the butter, be patient.
• Don’t leave the candle unattended at any time.
• Keep your pets and kids at a safe distance away.

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Feature Image: TikTok / @kroger