Fondant recipe and some tips

This is a pretty easy recipe to make and it tastes yummy too! The only thing I have to advise is that you WILL be a sticky mess. Another good tip: This recipe isn't so good for making decorations and letting dry out for a couple days to harden. I learned that the hard way. I use a totally different fondant recipe for making decorations. Also good to know, don't try to half this recipe. I learned that the hard way too! If you notice on Ethan's Birthday cake the black two is a little lumpy (yep that's the fondant I tried to make a half recipe of. Bad idea). I used it anyways because I didn't have time to go out and buy new stuff. I still think his cake was perfect though :)

Marshmallow fondant recipe (recipe from whatscookingamerica.net )

MM (Marshmallow) Fondant Icing Recipe  

Ingredients:

16 ounces white mini-marshmallows(use a good quality brand)

2 to 5 tablespoons water

2 pounds icing sugar (please use C&H Cane Powdered Sugar for the best results)

1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

Directions:

NOTE:  Please be careful, this first stage can get hot.

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler. To microwave, place the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes total. 

Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.

Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle. (By the way, this recipe is also good for your hands. When I’m done, they are baby soft.)
 

Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands. If you have children in the room they will either laugh at you or look at you with a questioning expression. You might even hear a muttered, “What are you doing?” 

Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time and then knead it in). It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake.

It is best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.  

Prepare the fondant icing for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic-type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible.  

Here are a couple pics of Ethan's birthday cake and also his baptism cake to show you how lovely fondant can make a cake look:

 

Michelle

  

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