Fondant seems to be an ingredient that strikes fear into a lot of beginner bakers. I know it’s scary, but it can really make one of your recipes go from plain to over the top. Once you feel comfortable with fondant, the sky truly is your limit. That’s why I want to go back to basics, and hit some of the FAQs about fondant.
With store bought fondant, the first thing you’re going to want to do is knead your fondant for about 2 minutes. The temperature warms up the fondant, and softens it. It also makes it smooth and crack free.
You want to sprinkle corn flour/corn starch or icing sugar/powdered sugar to your surface. Then you’ll be ready to roll out your fondant with a rolling pin.
Important: roll your fondant out so that it’s thin! Nothing worse than a thick chunk of fondant on a cake.
Fondant dries out when it’s exposed to the air. For store bought fondant, I recommend wrapping it in plastic wrap, and placing it in a snap seal bag. Put it back in the container it was purchased it and keep it at room temperature! It should last about 12 months!
Marshmallow fondant does not hold as long. It needs to be kept in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for 2-4 weeks.
Moisture is the enemy! Water eats into fondant and breaks it down. The only time you want to use water with fondant is if you want to stick your fondant to something. Just a small amount of water on fondant will act like a glue.
Fondant normally takes 12-24 hours to dry out. To speed up the process so that it drys out in 6 hours, I recommend the product Tylos or C.M.C. Add this firming agent to your fondant.
For a dessert that calls for fondant, I recommend that you make them 3 days-2 weeks before you plan on making your recipe. Once set, you can store in an airtight container and it will hold for 6-12 months.
Breaking it down, though, you can colour your fondant 3 different ways: colour paste, powder colour, or liquid for colouring. I don’t recommend the liquid food colouring, but I’m here to tell you that it is an option to use it. It just changes the consistency of your fondant. Color all fondant at least one day before.
When dying your own fondant, let colors sit overnight. This makes the color really set so that they appear darker.
If you want black, red, or green fondant, you have to go ahead and buy them pre-colored. It’ll take too much coloring to achieve the desired color.
Small and circular cakes at home are perfect for homemade marshmallow fondant. However, large square cakes are my go to for store bought fondant.
The climate can actually have an affect on the outcome of your fondant. If you live in a warmer climate, I recommend a firmer fondant. If you live in a cooler climate, I recommend a softer fondant.
If you live in a very humid climate, store your fondant in dehumidifying tub in a cupboard.
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