Cooked Fondant Recipes

ROLLED FONDANT

Steps:

• In a large bowl (do not use metal), sift the sugar and make a well in the center. In a small saucepan, add the water and sprinkle the gelatin on top to soften for about 5 minutes. Begin to heat the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is dissolved and clear. Do not boil. Turn off the heat and add the glucose and glycerine, stirring until well blended. Add the flavoring. Pour into the well of sugar, and mix until all of the sugar is blended. Use hands to knead icing until it becomes stiff. Add small amounts of confectioner's sugar if the mixture is sticky.
• Form the mixture into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place in an airtight container. This icing works best if allowed to rest at room temperature for about eight hours before using, particularly if the weather is humid. Do not refrigerate.
• To cover a cake with fondant: Dust a clean pastry cloth, or a smooth, clean surface, with cornstarch and roll the fondant with a rolling pin until it is approximately 1/4 inch thick. Make sure that the fondant is large enough to fit over the top and sides of the cake. Slide both hands under the fondant and carefully center it on top of a cake that has been freshly iced with buttercream. (The icing makes the fondant adhere to the cake.)
• Dust your hands with cornstarch and smooth the fondant, starting at the top and working down the sides until the entire surface is even and flat. Cut off the excess icing around the bottom of the cake with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Decorate the cake with buttercream or royal icing. This fondant keeps a cake fresh for two days at room temperature. Do not refrigerate a cake with fondant icing.

FONDANT

Steps:

• In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage, between 234 and 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour the mixture over a dampened marble slab. Sprinkle it with a little water to prevent a crust from forming and leave to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a triangular scraper work the sugar syrup scraping it from the slab and turning the sides to the center. Alternatively, work the fondant in an electric mixer with a dough hook. Work vigorously particularly when the fondant starts to thicken and become creamy. After 3 to 5 minutes it will suddenly become stiff. Break off one piece of fondant at a time and work it by pinching it hard in your fingers until pliable and smooth. Press all the pieces of pliable fondant together and knead in any flavoring or coloring. Pack into an airtight container and leave in the refrigerator or a cool place at least 1 hour, preferably 1 day to mellow.

COOKED FONDANT RECIPE

Steps:

• 1. Sprinkle marble slab lightly with water. 2. Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then cover the pan and allow the sugar syrup to boil for 2-3 minutes. 3. Remove the lid, and continue to cook the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches 240 degrees. 4. Pour the sugar syrup onto the prepared baking sheet. Allow it to sit at room temperature for several minutes. After 2-3 minutes, lightly touch the syrup with a fingertip. When it is warm but not hot, it is ready to be worked. 5. Dampen a metal spatula or dough scraper with water, and use the scraper to push the syrup into a pile in the middle of the sheet. 6. Using a dampened plastic spatula or wooden spoon, begin to "cream," or work, the fondant in a figure-8 pattern. Continually scrape the fondant into the center, draw a figure-8, then scrape it together again. At first the fondant will be very clear and fluid, but it will gradually become more opaque and creamy. After 5-10 minutes, the fondant will become very stiff, crumbly, and hard to manipulate. 7. Once the fondant reaches this state, moisten your hands and begin kneading it into a ball like bread dough. As you knead, the fondant will begin to come together and will get softer and smoother. Stop kneading once your fondant is a smooth ball without lumps. 8. At this point, your fondant can be used for melting and pouring. If you want to make flavored fondant candies, it is best to "ripen" your fondant for at least 12 hours to obtain the best flavor and texture. To ripen the fondant, place it in an airtight plastic container, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the fondant, and seal the lid on tightly. Ripen the fondant at room temperature, or if it is hot, in the refrigerator. After ripening, the fondant can be flavored, rolled, and shaped in whatever manner you wish. If it is stiff, you can always knead it by hand on a surface dusted with powdered sugar, until it is easy to manage. This recipe produces about 3/4 lb fondant.