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Culinary

What are Candle Tarts?

By S. McNesby
Updated May 17, 2024
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Candle tarts are small wick-free candles designed to be melted in a burner or over a heat source. The term "candle tart" comes from the shape of the candle before it is melted; it resembles an edible pastry tart. These types of home fragrance tarts are small in size and easy to use. A single candle tart made from scented wax can add fragrance to an entire room.

Candle tarts can be used with electric or battery powered diffusers or with tea light burners to gently scent a room. No matter what power source is used, a candle tart is heated until it melts, releasing the fragrance. Tea light burners melt candle tarts in minutes and cast a gentle glow of candle light, but should not be used in homes with curious pets or small children. Electric and battery powered diffusers melt candle tarts almost as quickly, but without the safety risk. Decorative vessels for melting candle tarts can be purchased wherever the tarts are sold.

Using a candle tart is simple. All paper should be removed from the tart before use. Then the tart should be placed in the basin of a diffuser or tea light burner. After the diffuser is turned on or the tea light lit, the candle tart will start to melt and release its fragrance. Melted wax should never be left unattended, and the burner should be turned off or the light blown out once the scented wax is gone.

Candle tarts are available in a wide range of scents, so choosing the right fragrance is easy. Candle melts made from potpourri wax offer pleasing, mid-strength fragrant blends that are ideal for most homes. Citrus, vanilla, and floral blends are popular potpourri scents for regular use, while pine, gingerbread, and cinnamon are great holiday choices. Aromatherapy candle tarts feature essential oil blends designed to relax or invigorate, depending on the oils used to make the tart. Essential oils like lavender and chamomile are relaxing, while mint and rosemary are considered invigorating.

Candle melts are easy to make at home. Beeswax, candle wax, scented wax chips, or old candles can be used to create new candle tarts with custom blended scents. The easiest molds to use are actual metal tart molds from a restaurant or baking store. Homemade candle melts can be made in bulk and used in commercial tea light burners or diffusers.

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Discussion Comments

By Lostnfound — On Feb 19, 2014

I like candle tarts. They are so easy to use, and don't need a fancy holder. Anything that is heat proof or heat resistant will work for them -- even the metal lid of a jar.

Because they are wider at the base, they are hard to tip over, thereby reducing the risk of fire, and they tend to simply burn themselves out. Of course, a burning candle should never be left unattended, or burning in a room where you're sleeping, but a candle tart is less likely to catch something else on fire than another kind of candle. Most places carry a nice selection of scented candle tarts. Plus, they can be decorative.

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