How to Use Fondant Icing
There is something of wonder in a fondant-covered cake, perhaps the air of professionalism that the average person believes he could never achieve. Though as fondant becomes more haute couture in the pastry industry, cakes for occasions other than weddings are appearing more commonly clothed in the sweet stuff. Why? Because fondant really is not as difficult as it appears. Amateur pastry chefs can use the three fondant types--rolled, poured and sculpted--to create smooth, shiny and professional-looking cakes with practice and attention to detail. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Rolled Fondant
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1
Prepare your cake for the fondant by applying a thin crumb coat; this can either be a buttercream frosting or a syrup-based jam. The purpose of the coating is to ensure that the cake will look smooth under the fondant and stick to the fondant when it is applied.
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2
Work your fondant into a rollable consistency. Knead the fondant as if you were kneading bread dough; the amount of time needed will depend on the age and temperature of your fondant. Do not use fondant that is still hot from its creation; room-temperature fondant is best. If you are going to add colored dyes to your fondant, work them in at this stage.
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3
Cover your work surface and rolling pin with confectioners sugar. Roll the fondant flat to the desired width while maintaining a 1/4-inch thickness. Begin rolling in the middle and work outward. The faster the motion, the rounder the fondant will stay.
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4
Place the rolling pin in the center of the fondant and flip one side over the pin to help carry transfer it to the cake. Carefully hold over the cake, and lay one side down while slowly moving the pin away in a horizontal escape until the fondant is resting on the cake.
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5
Press the fondant down to stick. Do not use individual fingers for this, but rather the palm of your hand or a cake trowel. Once the cake is smooth, trim the excess fondant with scissors or a pizza cutter.
Liquid or Poured Fondant
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6
Crumb-coat the cake as done in Step 1 for rolled fondant above.
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7
Pour the fondant on the center of the cake. It should be viscous enough to completely coat the entire cake by itself. If it is slightly thick or too cool, use a spatula to smooth it out.
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8
Resist the urge to decorate the cake until the poured fondant is completely dry, or it will be sticky.
Fondant Details and Sculpting
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9
Use cake sculpting fondant (or gum paste) as you would modeling clay to create shapes, images or details such as leaves, ribbons or bows.
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10
Incorporate dyes into sculpting fondant as you would in rolled fondant.
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11
Make ribbons and bows out of fondant by rolling into strips and cutting with a knife or pizza cutter to achieve sharp lines. Attach the strips to the cake using a tacky icing or pastry glue. (For instructions on how to create a fondant bow, refer to the Resources section below for a link to a tutorial.)
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Mallory Ferland
