Marshmallow Fondant

When I took Wilton's cake decorating classes two years back, I took 'Fondant and Gumpaste' class also. I bought wilton fondant for the first class. Everyone in the class was talking about how bad it tastes and no one really wants to eat the fondant and all that stuff. I started wondering why am I even here in the class if this is the case with fondant. Then I came to know about 'Marshmallow Fondant' which many people seem to like since it taste like as the name says 'Marshmallows'.  Another reason why I started making this at home was the cost. It costs $11 for a pack of 3 lbs of wilton fondant even when you use coupons (I might be wrong with the price, this was 2 years back). It costs 3 dollars to make the same at home and it takes one bowl, one spatula and 15 minutes or less. (I usually make my husband help me knead this and it gets done within 5 minutes)

I have never eaten marshmallows because of the presence of 'Gelatin' in it. I have, however taken vitamins which has gelatin in it and have eaten yogurt when in the hospital which has gelatin too. This is the only exception where I use Marshmallows in the house for making fondant. I usually don't cover the cake with fondant since many people do not like the chewy texture of it. I make decorations out of this (which I dry and take it out before serving the cake) and I needed some to make my kid's cake next week. This is not my recipe, but you can find it in many places on the internet. If you google 'Marshmallow Fondant', you probably will get at least 10 hits with the same kind of recipe with little changes.

Ingredients:

• Mini Marshmallows - 1 bag of 16 Oz (Make sure it is 16 Oz and not 10.5 Oz and do not buy jet puffed brand)
• Confectioner's sugar - 2 lb bag. (You may not need all of it)
• Water - 2 TBSP
• Glycerine - 1 TBSP (You can get this in Michaels, A.C Moore in cake isle. If you can't get it, leave it out. It helps in pliability)
• Butter extract - 1 tsp or more Use clear extract. You can use vanilla or almond or a combination
• Food color - Optional (I leave mine white since I can color them later)
• salt - 1 tsp (Grind them fine)
• Shortening - 1/4 cup (You'll not need all of it)

Method:
Take a microwave safe bowl large enough to hold marshmallows. Grease it well with shortening or vegetable oil spray. Spray a strong wooden spoon with vegetable oil spray and set aside. To the 2 TBSP water, add salt and let it dissolve. Add this water, glycerine, flavorings to the marshmallows. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir and the marshmallows should have melted. If not repeat for 10 seconds and not more.

Now, stir very well and add half of the confectioner's sugar from the bag. Stir with wooden spoon. Add more if you can stir.

When you can no longer stir with the wooden spoon, remove the wooden spoon and grease your hands very well with shortening. Make sure you have greased between the fingers and removed all your jewellery. Start kneading like you knead the bread dough or chapathi dough. Add more sugar, knead. If it sticks, coat your hands with more shortening. Fondant is ready when it is no longer sticky. You might be left with some sugar in the bag or if you dumped all and started kneading, in the bowl. Don't try to knead too much as it causes dry fondant.

It'll still be soft and will get hard like play-dough once it has set for 24 hours. Coat the fondant generously with shortening and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. I usually wrap in cling wrap and then the next layer will be a press and seal and then it goes into a ziploc bag.

This lasts for a month at room temperature and can be frozen up to 6 months. I needed very less fondant for making decorations and that is the reason I divided them into one big and one small ball. Big ball will go to the freezer and the small ball will get used within next week.

Always make this at least 24 hours before using. 
Stay tuned for the decorations using this. Those who do not want to use this since it has gelatin, don't worry. I do have another recipe that I need to convert to using Agar-Agar. I'll post that recipe later.

Have a good weekend!! Pin It