How to Make Homemade Fondant
Fondant is a confection made primarily from sugar that is most often used to decorate cakes. There are a number of different recipes for fondant which vary from thin enough to pour over cupcakes or petits fours to sturdy enough to sculpt. The most common type has a clay-like consistency and is rolled out in a thin sheet or shaped for cake decorating. Fondant can be purchased online or in cake decorating shops, but it is far more economical to make your own. You can easily add flavorings or color to fondant. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 2 pounds sifted confectioner's sugar
- 1 tablespoon plain gelatin
- 1/2 cup white corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
- 1 tablespoon food-grade glycerin
- 1/4 cup cold water
- Food colors or cocoa (optional)
- Small bowl
- Small saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sifter or sieve
- Large mixing bowl
Instructions
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1
Sift the confectioner's sugar, also called powdered sugar, through a sifter or through a wire mesh sieve.
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2
Pour 1/4 cup of cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle a tablespoon of unflavored gelatin over the top. Let is sit a few minutes to soften. Gelatin come in small packets of 1 tablespoon each, or you can purchase it in bulk.
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3
Put about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of a small saucepan and allow it to come to a boil on the stove. Set the bowl with the gelatin in the pan over the hot water, but not touching it. When the gelatin melts, turn off the heat, but leave the bowl over the warm water.
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4
Add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, 1/2 cup of white corn syrup and 1 tablespoon of food-grade glycerin to the gelatin and mix well.
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5
Pour 3 cups of the sifted confectioner's sugar into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the gelatin mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon. The mixture will be runny. Add another cup of sugar and mix it well. Then continue adding sugar in 1/2-cup increments until the confection reaches a soft, pliable stage.
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6
Dust the counter surface with sifted confectioner's sugar and pour out the fondant onto it. Knead the mixture, adding confectioner's sugar as needed until it is no longer sticky, but remains soft and pliable. It should be the consistency of modeling clay. Wrap the cooled fondant in plastic wrap. Then place it in a zip-lock bag and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
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Tips & Warnings
Spread a thin layer of oil or shortening on your hands before kneading the warm fondant to prevent it from sticking to your hands.
Fondant can be rolled out like sugar cookie dough and cut into strips or shapes to decorate cakes. It can be also be rolled flat and used to encase the entire cake.
References
Resources
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