The stars of the winter season, gourmand candles reinvent the world of sweet treats to create a warm, cosy and decorative atmosphere. Inspired by desserts and winter drinks, they pair meticulous finishing touches with creamy textures to create one-of-a-kind handcrafted pieces.
In this article, you will discover how to make a gourmand candle that looks just like a cup of milk chocolate. This recipe is strictly for personal use, as it does not meet the requirements of Regulation 2023/988 on products that resemble foodstuffs.
As in our tutorial on the snowy Christmas tree candle, we will walk you through, step by step, how to get your wax whipped cream just right: it is the key to this realistic, mouth-watering effect.
Gourmand candles, the must-have winter trend
Gourmand candles have become one of the big winter trends, blending soft, comforting scents with a warm aesthetic. Inspired by desserts, hot drinks and much-loved sweet treats, they offer a genuine sensory experience and instantly transform the feel of a room. Their success reflects a growing appetite for cocooning, comforting decor and handcrafted creations that bring back the gentle moments of the cold season. Often associated with vanilla, chocolate, spices or milky notes, these candles are a perfect match for today's demand for enveloping fragrances and handmade decorative objects.
The limits of gourmand candles: a reminder of the regulations
However, while gourmand candles win people over with their realism, they are subject to strict regulations. Because they look so much like real food, they can cause confusion, especially among children, and create a risk of ingestion. The law states that it applies "to any non-food product whose shape, smell, colour, appearance or even packaging could lead people to believe it is food." Creations inspired by desserts, pastries or hot drinks are therefore particularly affected.
The gourmand hot chocolate Christmas candle, with its highly realistic wax whipped cream, is one of these sensitive designs. It should be kept for personal use only, because selling creations that look too much like food can pose risks to others, and to you too. If you make this kind of candle to give away, simply take a moment to let your loved ones know that it is a decorative object and not edible.
The hot chocolate candle
Ingredients and equipment
To make this gourmand candle, you will need:
- Container candle wax
- Milk chocolate gourmand fragrance oil
- Brown solid dye
- Thick glass container, ideally a mug (make sure the glass is thick enough to withstand the heat)
- Wick suited to the size of your container
- Self-adhesive wick pad
- Wick centring tool
To make the candle whipped cream:
- C3 soy wax (for the whipped cream)
- Piping bag and a nozzle in the size of your choice
- Mixing bowl for the whipped cream
- Bowl of cold water
- Beaker
- Hand whisk or electric whisk
How to make wax whipped cream for candles, step by step
Prepare the base
1. Start by preparing your container: stick the self-adhesive wick pad to the bottom, then set your wick in place, nicely centred. If needed, use a wick centring tool to hold it perfectly in position.
2. Melt your container wax. In this recipe, we use the same wax as for the whipped cream: C3 soy wax. Heat it gently to a maximum of 80°C.
3. Then add 10% fragrance oil and stir with circular movements until the mixture is perfectly even.
4. When the wax has cooled to around 75°C, add your solid dye and stir until it has completely dissolved. For a pastel shade: 0.1% to 0.2% (1 to 2 g per kg of wax). For a deeper shade: 0.3% to 0.5% (3 to 5 g per kg of wax).
5. Then pour your coloured wax straight into the container. Try to pour into the centre to limit air bubbles.
Tips:
To reduce the risk of wet spots, remember to preheat your glass to around 60°C. Two methods:
- With a heat gun: a few circular passes are enough
- In the oven: a few minutes until it reaches the right temperature
Leave the wax to harden before preparing the whipped cream.
Prepare the whipped cream
1. Melt your C3 wax, then pour it into a tall bowl to help it cool.
2. Place the bowl in a cold water bath to speed up setting.
3. When the wax is still fluid but lukewarm, add the fragrance oil and stir gently.
4. Start whisking lightly to incorporate air.
5. As soon as the surface turns white, whisk again.
6. Alternate: whisking → cooling → whisking until you get a firm, creamy whipped cream.
7. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe the whipped cream onto the hardened first layer of wax.
8. Your gourmand hot drink candle is ready!
Creativity and caution: the key takeaways
Gourmand candles win people over with their polished look and cosy, cocooning feel, especially in winter. With this milk chocolate-style creation, you have discovered how to play with textures, volume and wax whipped cream to achieve a realistic, decorative result.
It is essential to bear in mind that this type of candle can be mistaken for a dessert and therefore does not comply with Regulation 2023/988 on products that resemble foodstuffs. For this reason, it must be kept for personal use and not sold. If you give it as a gift, remember to tell your loved ones that it is a decorative object and not edible.
Discover another way to decorate your candles by adding wax melts: follow our next tutorial on making a spring candle, full of flowers and colour, perfect for bringing freshness and lightness to your creations.
