Daniel Ashworth
Why Beeswax Wraps Earn Their Place in the Kitchen
There is something quietly satisfying about pulling a sheet of cotton over a bowl of leftovers instead of wrestling with a roll of cling film. Beeswax wraps are one of those rare makes that pay you back daily: they mould around a bowl with the warmth of your hands, they keep a cut cheese from drying out, and they can be rinsed, reused and re-waxed for a year or more. They also smell faintly of honey, which is no bad thing in a kitchen.
The premise is simple. Cotton fabric is soaked with a blend of beeswax and a little jojoba oil, which makes it pliable, slightly tacky and water-resistant. Once cool, it holds a fold. This tutorial makes a set of three or four wraps in under an hour, using equipment you almost certainly already own.
What You Will Need
- Cotton fabric — tight-weave quilting cotton, poplin or old cotton sheeting. Avoid stretchy jersey, polyester blends and anything with a loose weave; the wax will not hold.
- Beeswax — about 10g per 25cm square wrap. Pellets are easiest, but a block grated on a cheese grater works perfectly. Buy from beekeepers, health food shops or craft suppliers.
- Jojoba oil — roughly 2g per wrap. It keeps the wraps supple so they do not crack. Olive oil can go rancid; jojoba does not.
- Pinking shears — to cut the fabric with a zigzag edge that resists fraying.
- A baking tray lined with baking parchment, plus a second sheet of parchment.
- A pastry brush kept for craft use, and a clean jam jar for melting.
- An iron and ironing board, if you prefer the iron method.
Choosing and Cutting Your Fabric
Start by washing and drying your fabric. Cotton shrinks, and you want that shrinkage out of the way before the wax goes on. Press it flat while it is still slightly damp — you will get a crisper finish and the wax will spread more evenly.
Cut a sensible range of sizes. Small 15cm squares are ideal for the cut end of a cucumber or half a lemon. Medium 25cm squares wrap a sandwich, a block of cheese or a bowl of leftovers. Large 35cm squares cover a mixing bowl or a loaf of bread. Cut with pinking shears rather than straight scissors; a zigzag edge frays far less over months of washing.
If you are using patterned fabric, check the print side is the one you want facing outwards, and lay pieces face down on the parchment before you begin.
Melting the Wax: The Oven Method
Heat the oven to 100°C (fan 90°C). Lay one piece of fabric flat on the lined tray. Scatter over roughly 10g of beeswax pellets or grated wax and 2g of jojoba oil — about half a teaspoon. Do not worry about spreading it evenly; the heat will do that for you.
Slide the tray into the oven for five to eight minutes, until the wax has melted to a clear sheen. Pull it out and immediately brush the liquid wax outwards to the edges with your pastry brush, working quickly. Any dry patches will stay stiff and crack, so check the corners carefully.
Lift the wrap with tongs and hang it over a chair back or a clothes airer for two or three minutes. It will be tacky at first and firm up as it cools. Repeat for the remaining pieces, adding a little more wax if the tray looks dry.
Prefer the iron? Sandwich a piece of fabric between two sheets of baking parchment and press with a medium-hot iron, no steam, until the wax melts and spreads. It is quicker for small wraps, though slightly messier.
If you want extra grip, add 5g of pine resin to the mix. It makes wraps noticeably stickier, but it is fiddly to melt and harder to find, so it is optional rather than essential.
Using and Looking After Your Wraps
- Warm them with your hands before wrapping. Body heat is enough to soften the wax and let it hold a fold.
- Use them for cheese, bread, sandwiches, fruit and vegetables, and covering bowls and jugs in the fridge.
- Keep them away from raw meat and fish, hot food straight from the pan, and anything going in the microwave or oven.
- Wash in cool water with a drop of mild washing-up liquid and a soft cloth. Hot water melts the wax away; a dishwasher will destroy the wrap entirely.
- Air dry over the draining board or a tea towel, then store folded in a drawer.
With reasonable care, a wrap will last around a year. When it starts to look tired, crack, or lose its stickiness, do not bin it. Lay it back on the parchment, add a light scatter of wax, and melt it again for five minutes. It will come up like new.
When Things Go Wrong
Uneven, patchy wraps usually mean too little wax or a tray that was not quite flat. Melt again with a small extra pinch of wax and brush thoroughly. Wraps that feel greasy and flaky have too much wax; press them between clean parchment with a warm iron to lift the excess. If your wrap has gone stiff and brittle, it needs jojoba rather than beeswax — a few drops melted in will restore the flexibility.
Make a set for yourself, then make another for a friend who is forever losing the end of the cling film roll. It is a genuinely useful gift, and a far pleasanter thing to keep in the kitchen drawer.
