Icing Sugar = Powdered Sugar

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/c/chemical_poisoning_paraffin_wax/intro.htm

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/c/chemical_poisoning_paraffin_wax/intro.htm

From this link you posted, I gather the worst thing that can happen by ingesting a small amount of paraffin wax infrequently is that it may cause some diarrhea (I still can't spell that word the English way ) Not that diarrhea is pleasant, mind you, but the other symptoms seem a bit extreme and seem to require chronic exposure to fumes and such. Still, putting wax in doesn't sound appetizing to me (although having eaten things like this in the US, I bet I have ingested some before!) I've been watching people make truffles and chocolates on the telly for the last few weeks, I can say that none of them needed the wax when dipping the truffles into chocolate, they set well in the fridge and didn't appear to be melty. I would just try it that way without the wax.

Hmmmm, I'm pretty sure I still wouldn't want to eat wax even in very small portions. 

I hope you don't eat M&M's, Skittles...or any other candy that has a hard shiny coating then.  Since this is made from shellac...which contains wax, tree bark, and bug parts.

I hope you don't eat M&M's, Skittles...or any other candy that has a hard shiny coating then.  Since this is made from shellac...which contains wax, tree bark, and bug parts.

Well, I probably won't be eating them now! 

Don't worry, Jewlz. You're safe!

I hope you don't eat M&M's, Skittles...or any other candy that has a hard shiny coating then.  Since this is made from shellac...which contains wax, tree bark, and bug parts.

This is yet another urban myth, I'm afraid. The coating on M&Ms is made from sugar and corn syrup.

I hope you don't eat M&M's, Skittles...or any other candy that has a hard shiny coating then.  Since this is made from shellac...which contains wax, tree bark, and bug parts.

I will def look at ingredients on candy (not that I eat all that much) more closely because being vegetarian, I wouldn't want to injest bug parts, either.

Most fruit, like apples, have wax on them to make them shiny.  Lemons do unless you buy unwaxed ones. 

I will def look at ingredients on candy (not that I eat all that much) more closely because being vegetarian, I wouldn't want to injest bug parts, either.

Yes shellac is not vegan so be careful.  It's also used to coat tablets (like aspiring, ibuprofen and prescription drugs).  Shellac may be generically referred to as either enteric coating, pharmaceutical glaze, confectioner's glaze, resinous glaze, pure food glaze or natural glaze.  So watch for those on the ingredients list.  I also wouldn't eat anything that is processed, packaged or manufactored in a warehouse...as a certain percentage of bug parts are FDA approved in warehouses (unless it is a Kosher certified warehouse).

I remove M&M's from the list but Skittles (only in the UK, in the US it is made with gelatin - which is made from animal skin and bones) and Junior Mints are examples of candies that are admittedly made with shellac. 

My point was that a trace amount of edible wax in a huge amount of candy is not as bad as one
might original think...when one doesn't put it in perspective to the things we eat everyday and what they contain (including candies from the store).  Do you know what artificial colors (which has been banned in several countries but is used in millions of US products) are made from?

Also, the link previously about paraffin being poisonous is in reference to the paraffin wax used to make candles...which is a different product than the edible Baker's wax.  Make sure to read the package and get the kind safe for ingestion. 

BUAS, have you ever tried to make them without the wax? As I said, I see celebrity chefs making lots of chocolates and truffles and stuff this time of year on tv, and they never use it, they just dip the candy in a good quality melted chocolate that is cooled and then chill them in the fridge to set. Just wondering if this method would work just as well with the PB balls. Also, do they sell the Baker's wax here? I've never seen any edible wax here in the baking aisles.

Bakers' wax is edible, but not easily digestible. It won't hurt you at all but, really, there's no need for it. It'll just mean that things won't look as shiny and the coating might melt faster. For most people, that's not a problem.

My recipe for peanut butter balls uses rice krispies in the center mixture as well and I love them.

Can you post a recipe for this? The crunchy rice krispies sounds really nice! 

Bakers' wax is edible, but not easily digestible.

My understanding is that it's not digestable at all...our bodies don't contain the proper enzymes to break it down and absorb it...it just passes straight through your system...like corn.

Yes, I think that's the case.

I have to say, this whole paraffin wax controversy sort of amuses me.  I guess I'm with BUAS in taking an 'all things in moderation' approach.  Besides, if I stopped to worry about all the things that are supposedly toxic, and all the stuff they'll decide next week is suddenly toxic, I'd never leave the house!  Which doesn't sound fun at all.  So, bring on the shiny, waxy chocolate! 

And, while you're at it, I'll have a handful of those little silver dragees.  I've been feeling rebellious since I read this: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/12/23/MNGS03SUEM1.DTL

Here is my Grandma's Recipe for Peanut Butter Balls

2 ounces butter -melted
8 ounces peanut butter
8 ounces powder sugar
1.5 cups rice krispie cereal

Mix butter, peanut butter and powder sugar together. Add rice krispie cereal and mix with hands until completely mixed. Form into balls and dip into melted almond bark. Place on grease proof paper to set up.

My tips:
The filling for these is quite dry, if you want it more moist increase butter.
Use two forks to dip the balls in the chocolate and cover your entire table because this process can be very messy (especially when I let my husband help.)
If you have children around that want to help wash their hands really well and let them mix in the cereal with their hands. When I was a kid that was my favorite part of making Christmas candy with my Grandma.

My understanding is that it's not digestable at all...our bodies don't contain the proper enzymes to break it down and absorb it...it just passes straight through your system...like corn.

You're not selling me on it, BUAS! 

Actually, corn is digestable - it's just the little 'shells' of each kernel that we can't digest. The corn inside isn't a problem.

I sort of agree with woadgrrl's 'all things in moderation' view ... but only when those things are enjoyable and necessary to my life. Like cheese! However, we've established that paraffin is completely unnecessary in making chocolate-coated things, so why add something that you don't need?