Make your own Rolled Fondant

"Making your own fondant has never been this easy!"

Using rolled fondant is fun but it can be temperamental at times. If it becomes too stiff to handle, try nuking it in the microwave just for a few seconds to make it soft. You can also knead in a bit of shortening.

Dust the work surface with a bit of cornstarch so that the fondant won't stick. Some people prefer to use oil or shortening to grease the work surface. And always cover it in plastic wrap or zipper bag so it won't dry out.

There's a couple of ways (that I know) to make rolled fondant of which I' m going to provide recipes for both. There is the classic way of making fondant which includes a lot of icing sugar, glucose and gelatin as ingredients. And the other way of making it still includes a lot of powdered sugar and marshmallows.

For both recipes, it is always best to let the sugar dough rest for a few hours or even overnight before using it.

To color the fondant, you can either knead the color in or add the color with the liquid. The latter method is best if you are using large quantities of the same color. It is also easier to get a dark color such as black with this method.

CLASSIC ROLLED FONDANT

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp. gelatin
1/4 cup of water*
1/2 cup of glucose*
1 tbsp. glycerine
2 tbsp. white shortening
8 cups of icing sugar
1 tsp. of lemon,orange or almond extract (optional)

*you can also use 1/4 cup of corn syrup but use 3 tbsp. of water instead of 1/4 cup

METHOD

Place water in metal bowl or glass measuring cup. Sprinkle gelatin on top and let it sit for about 5 minutes or so until the gelatin "blooms". Set the metal bowl over simmering water until the gelatin melts. Be careful to not make it too hot as it will alter the quality of the gelatin. You can also melt the gelatin by placing the glass measure in the microwave for a few seconds.

Mix in the glucose and glycerine. Add in the shortening until it is melted. (You can add color and/or flavor at this point if you wish to.)

In a big bowl, place the icing sugar in and make a well in the center. Add the gelatin mixture and mix with a wooden spoon that was greased with shortening. Mix until it comes together.

Then finish mixing it using your hands. Transfer the dough to a work surface that was also greased with shortening. Knead until smooth. Wrap in plastic cling wrap or plastic zipper bags. Store in room temperature.

You can also use a stand up mixer using either the paddle or the bread attachment. But always finish kneading it by hand because it is the only way to make it smooth.

MARSHMALLOW FONDANT

INGREDIENTS

1 (454 gm) bag of mini marshmallows
2 tbsp. water
5-6 cups of icing sugar
1 tsp. of lemon,orange or almond extract (optional)

METHOD

Place the mini marshmallows in a large bowl. Add water. Microwave it for one minute. Let it sit for about a minute and microwave it again for another minute.

Stir with a wooden spoon that is coated with shortening. Stir until all melted and smooth. (You can add color and/or flavor at this point if you wish to.)

Sift icing sugar over the melted marshmallows and stir with the spoon until blended.

Now, use hands to finish kneading the dough, scraping the bowl to incorporate bits and pieces.

Knead until smooth. You can transfer the dough unto a greased work surface. Wrap in plastic cling wrap or plastic zipper bags. Store in room temperature.