While visiting a honey stand at the farmers' market, we discovered an interesting use for beeswax in the kitchen. Can you guess what it is? (Hint: it's not for eating!)
Pure natural beeswax, we learned, can be used to grease cookie sheets and baking molds!
If you have a block of wax, such as the one pictured here, you can simply rub it over your pans and use it in place of butter or oil. (Beeswax is edible so this is perfectly safe.) It works best if you warm the sheet a bit first. You can also melt the wax and apply it that way. Although we haven't had extended experience with this yet, apparently over time the pan will take on a permanent coat of wax, eliminating the need to grease every time. Beeswax is also traditionally used in making canelés, giving them their characteristic crispness and a slight honey flavor.
Have you ever used beeswax in this way?
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Haven't done this, but I like the idea! Very green if buying the beeswax from a local farmer-- even greener than using compostable parchment paper.
I use beeswax on dresser drawers that stick, it works!
it also works to lube up sticky (metal) zippers. the dry cleaner where i worked in college kept beeswax "crayons" as giveaways.
It's also used to lubricate a tap, when tapping holes in cast iron. (Normal cutting oil doesn't work well). It's an old-school trick but works really well.
(This is what happens when a toolmaker, who cooks, reads your blog ;-) )
Not at all surprising for anyone who loves canelés (which I know you mentioned).
I really love this idea!! And as another poster mentioned, if you're buying local, you're buying green! I will have to look into this.
My mom used to do this for certain Christmas cookies around the holidays. It might also be because her brother is a beekeeper... I love the smell of beeswax.
How cool! I started keeping bees this spring, so I will keep this in mind when I harvest in the fall.
wow! brilliant idea!
I love this idea! I can't wait to get my hands on some beeswax to try it out :)
What?? This is an amazing idea. Can you imagine almond cookies baked on a beeswaxed sheet? Or bread?
My only question is - how do you clean it?
I love this idea !!!! I'll ask my bee-keeper & honey seller at the market next time.
You can buy beeswax in a plastic holder at the fabric store and also at arts & crafts stores like Michaels.
I tried making hand creams with beeswax. Word of warning--it will NOT wash off any tools or utensil--EVER. A thin layer on a cookie sheet won't be such a problem. Worst case scenario you scrub it with cleanser or something.
I imagine a thin layer of wax will remain otherwise. That might be a good thing. Just don't use your best bakewear expecting to get is perfectly clean afterwards.
I always found beeswax to be indispensable when greasing a waffle iron. Over time the bar develops little ridges that follow the channels of the iron allowing promoting an even coat.
TRU LEIGH is correct about it being hard to remove; after I used it to make lip balm, I had to use Goo Gone on all my utensils to clean them. You'd think the dishwasher water would be hot enough to clean everything, but nope.
It's also very expensive, much more expensive than cooking oil.