Getting started with Fondant Part 1

Ok...I know what some of you are thinking. FONDANT...yuck. If you have had a bad experience with the taste of fondant, I'm sorry, but there are some really good fondants out there. The issue is to find them, or make your own. From what I have read, there are some really strong favorites that you can buy pre-made or make yourself. Some of these would include:

SatinIce

Fondarific

MichelleFosterFondant

Pettinice

just to name a few.

I started out using Marshmallow Fondant, and I will tell you this, the chocolate marshmallow fondant tastes like tootsie rolls. Yum. There are many good recipes out there for marshmallow fondant. You could start with this one:

MarshmallowFondant

and just add the flavoring you want to it (raspberry, lemon, almond, vanilla, strawberry). If you are making chocolate, simply add your cocoa (about 1/2 cup) to you melted marshmallows and use less powdered sugar. Another issue with marshmallow fondant that you might accidently experience is buying the wrong ounces of marshmallows. Some bags contain 10 ounces while others contain 16. Watch the ounces, believe me, it makes a difference. I know this by personal experience. Also, marshmallow fondant works best if you leave it set overnight to cure after you make it.

Some tools you may want to get to work with fondant include a rolling pin, plastic wrap, gallon-sized food storage bags, shortening (for rolling out your fondant) a food-safe vinyl mat (you can purchase these online), you might want to try

TheMat

(this isn't absolutely necessary, but it could become your favorite fondant working tool), a fondant smoother, a pizza cutter, cookie cutters for various decorations (circles, stars, squares, etc.), fondant embossers, paint brushes (for brush embroidery), food-safe wire, food-safe "popsicle" sticks and sucker sticks (for standing dry pieces up), rice krispie treats for forming 3-D figures.

Edited to add: You will also need a ruler or yardstick to measure your fondant size.

You can watch all kinds of tutorials online (check out youtube) to help you get started smoothing out fondant.

This should help you get started. If I think of anything else I'll be sure to edit this post.

hth