Where do I start with fondant?!
Answers: I want to start decorating cakes with fondant. I don't know where to begin. Can anyone give me some helpful advice? Thanks
Fondant is a little tricky to start with and or first few cakes aren't going to be that good, but PLEASE don't get discouraged and stop. Just practice a little and you'll get it. Store bought fondant sucks...its gross and horrible to work with. When i first started i found a recipe for a marshmallow fondant, i thought it was going to be really hard to make but it wasn't it was very easy and i got it right on my first try. Here's the recipe
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)
Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)
OK take your marshmallows and put them into a large microwavable bowl, add a few tablespoons water (2-4TBLS) microwave for 30 seconds and stir well, microwave another 30 seconds and stir well again, repeat untill melted well (usually takes about 2-2 1/2 minutes total) make sure you stir every 30 seconds though. Pour about 3/4 of your powdered on top of your marshmallows and stir untill just blended. Now where your going to roll out your fondant you need nice clean work area, cover with a generous amount of crisco. grease your hands back, front in between fingers and be sure to grease your area well. (your going to look really goofy for a few minutes but thats okay,) pour your marshmallow and powdered sugar mixture onto the greased area and begin to knead, it is going to be very sticky right now and that also okay. after you have kneaded a few times, your area isn't going to be greased anymore, and you may begin to stick to the counter, regrese your hands and the work area under your fondant and around it also. Add the rest of your powdered sugar (don't worry about getting all the poweder sugar into the fondant ball, whats going to happen is that once you've added the rest of the powdered sugar most will be kneaded into the fondant but some will serve as a powdered sugar counter coat {like when you roll out bread on flour} this will help it not stick. If your ball is tearing very easily you may need to add a half a tablespoon of water at a time to moisten it.Just untill it stops tearing easily) You want your fondant to be very elastic, but not so moist it's still sticky. it will usually take about 8 minutes to get a good elastic ball that isn't going to tear with you apply it to the cake. once your done kneading you may have little areas of powdered sugar balls in your fondant thats ok. grease your ball of fondant and wrap in plastic wrap and place in a large zip lock baggie and let it set over night. Those little balls of powdered sugar should be gone by morning, if they aren't you'll need to knead the fondant untill they are.
now that you have your fondant made, bake your cakes and let them cool completely. layer them like you normally would with buttercream in the middle. Shape your cakes so that they are even on each side and if applicable shape into design you want. You need to add a thin layer of buttercream all over the outside of your cakes also to help the fondant stick to the cake. Now to roll your fondant you need a rolling pin (i use my normal wood rolling pin, you can by specialty pins to help you get the thickness right, but i just use a ruler and my eyes to do that) corn startch and a large area to work with again spead your corn startch all over the table and your rolling pin (do not use powdered sugar, it will make your fondant to dry please use cornstartch ) now you need to figur out who large you need to make your rolled out fondant, the easiest way to do that is take the size of your cakes, say your working with 8" round that is two layers tall using a ruler measure how tall your cakes are, say they are 4". 8 + 4 + 4 =16" (you double your height) add another inch just for good measure so you need a 17" circle of fondant ( for a rectangle it is a two step process say your have a 9x13" cake two layers high at 4" (4+4+9=17) and (4+4+13=21") add an inch to each for good measure so you need a 18"x22" rectangle on fondant. (if you are makeing a shape look at the overall shape of your design, is it square, rectange, circle, which ever it is use one of the two equations i gave you.)
Now to apply after you have measured and rolled out your fondant dust the top of your fondant with corn startch and easily roll up your fondant, like you would roll a map or a peice of paper, (DO NOT FOLD) from the shortest side leaving about3 inches not rolled. Place over your cakes with the side that isn't rolled hanging about 1/2-1 inch off the bottom of your cake and unroll slowly over the top of the cakes. Smooth sides and top untill you have it the way you want it.
If you have anymore question on this fill free to email me anytime i'd be happy to help
When I started with fondant I attempted to make it on my own. It didn't work well; I was too inexperienced.
So I headed over to my local Wal-Mart (or you could try Jo-Ann Fabrics or Michael's craft store... any place that carries Wilton brand cake decorating products) and bought a box of pre-made white fondant.
You roll the stuff out just like a pie crust and it can even be tinted with food coloring.
It's very easy to work with and the directions are right on the back of the box.
Simple as that! :)