Molded candles can be made in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There is the basic molded candle removed from the mold. You can make a container candle where the candle is left in the mold and the mold becomes part of the candle. A pretty tin can, a sea shell, a hollowed out tree branch, an egg shell or a glass dish are just a few of the containers you can use. See the note below these instructions to make a container candle.This recipe makes one 7 x 2 inch pillar.

You will need:

* A 9 inch length of #1 wick. If you did not buy a preprimed wick then you need to prime it before you start. You can do this by dipping the length of wick into melted paraffin wax for about 20 seconds. Lay it straight on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet to dry.
* 1/2 pound of bees wax or 1/2 pound of paraffin. If you use paraffin instead of bees wax you will also need 0.8 ounces of stearin. If you plan to scent or color the candle use the paraffin and add the scent (just a couple of drops) and or color to the melted stearin before adding the paraffin.
* One 7 x 2 inch mold.

To prepare the mold ensure that it is clean and dry. Spray a bit of silicon spray inside the mold to make it easier to unmold the candle. Thread the wick through the hole in the bottom of the mold and pull it up to the top. Tie the top of the wick to a wicking needle and rest it on top of the mold. This forms a "tie rod". Turn the mold over, center the wick, pull it taut, and secure it with plenty of mold seal. Seal up any cracks in the mold with mold seal.

In the top of a double boiler over medium heat, melt the bees wax and bring it to a temperature of 160° F. If you are using paraffin wax add the stearin first and bring to a temperature of 190° F. Remember that different mold materials call for different wax temperatures. If a different temperature is called for on the mold you are using go by that temperature. When the wax has become heated to the correct temperature, transfer it to a pouring pot. Be sure to have your mold at room temperature or warmer before pouring the wax into the mold. If the mold is cool it will cause the wax to harden unevenly.

To pour the wax hold the mold at an angle (this helps to prevent the formation of air bubbles) and as it fills gradually tip the mold back up. Fill to about a 1/2 inch from the top of the mold. Gently stir the wax in the mold with a narrow stick or wicking needle, scraping the sides of the mold. This will help to release any trapped air bubbles and ensures that the wax hardens more uniformly. Cool the candle for about an hour.

While the wax is cooling it may shrink causing a slight indent to form around the wick. To fix this take a wicking needle and make several pricks in the indent. Heat the wax to the temperature you used previously and refill the indent. This is called "topping off" Continue to let the candle cool for another 30 minutes to an hour. If needed top off the candle again until you achieve a level surface.

After the candle has cooled for 6 to 8 hours and has begun to pull away from the sides of the mold you can unmold it. Place the candle in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to shrink the wax. Remove the mold seal from the bottom of the mold, then using the tie rod pull the candle out of the mold. Remove the tie rod and turn the candle over. Cut the wick off just below the surface of the bottom of the candle. To level the bottom of the candle, heat a pan lined with foil until it is very hot. Place the candle on the hot foil and rotate for a few seconds until the base is even. Finally trim the wick to 1/4 inch and you are ready to light it.

NOTE: If you are making a container candle use a wire core wick and wick holder. Anchor it to the bottom of the container by pouring in enough wax to fill the first 1/2 inch of the container. When the wax has cooled wrap the end of the wick around a tie rod and rest the rod on the top of the container. Take up any slack in the wick and center it. Fill with wax and top off as directed above.