Making Mmf For First Time....any Helpful Hints?
Decorating By 1234me Updated 28 Jan 2007 , 6:30am by Jopalis
depending on how robust your mixer is, you may be able to start mixing with your mixer and then continue mixing by hand...
make sure to add crisco, and knead with crisco... it helps it to be a little more elastic and it ends up with a less "powdery" look.
also - if you have any glycerine kicking around, you can add a bit of that to make the MMF a little easier to work with.
HTH, have fun!
Jill
Hold back some of the powdered sugar, about 1/4 the total amount. Depending on the humidity, it may take a lot less than called for in the recipe.
Once you get the mass on your counter to knead it, you can always sift on a bit more sugar until it isn't sticky. Once it comes together, clean your work surface, smear on a bit of shortening, and knead it a bit till it is nice and smooth and no longer sticky.
make sure you grease up your hands & 1/2 arm really well. 
I have a kitchen aid, i usually do the whole process there. Once i see it's all together i don't even knead it. Just wrap it in plastic wrap and let it sit for a bit.
If you are using it for one color only, i've read to add the food coloring to the marshmellows while melting.
have fun!
be sure to keep the shortening close at hand to regrease your counter or hands. ad powdered sugar little bits at a time and when you finish with the MMF it should be smooth like a tumbled stone and when you drop it on the counter it should spread ever so slightly not a whole lot but just a little. good luck. Let us know how it goes!
also - if you have any glycerine kicking around, you can add a bit of that to make the MMF a little easier to work with.
HTH, have fun!
Jill
Just wondering how much glycerine would you add and how does it help the fondant??
I am MMF challeneged and apparantly do not know that much about marshmellows so my only words of advice from my first and only experience is:
MARSHMELLOWS EXPAND IN THE MICROWAVE!!! 
I think I am still picking Melted Marshmellow out of my microwave.
Good Luck!
bj
http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/Fondant.htm
I found this site to be my great teacher of fondant! 
It's wonderful! Best of luck.
I made it today for first time! I followed the mechanics of the tutorial on CC articles but used the recipe on CC called Alternative MMF. It adds 1/3 C Crisco right in..... I melted the mini marsh as directed w/2 T water and 2 t extract. 60 seconds then stir then 30, etc. til melted. Sifted 1 lb sugar into my greased KA mixer bowl. Made a well and poured in the melted marsh mixture... add Crisco. Use paddle til well mixed then swtich to dough hook to work in rest of sifted sugar.... I got in most of the rest of the remaining lb. If it got difficult to get in, I had a little bit of simmering water on the range and I could set the mixing bowl on and work it with my hands til it got more pliable... repeated til done. Then greased hands, counter well w/Crisco and kneaded well til nice and smooth. Kept adding Crisco to my hands. Wrapped in saran and put in ziplock w/as much air out as possible. I haven't rolled it out yet. crossing my fingers....
Hmm Carrie.... mine is like a heavy lump...smooth but I don't think it would spread..... yikes!
let me know how it goes, if it seems a bit to dry, which it might, don't worry just add a bit more hot water or crisco to loosen it up. I would probably go the crisco route. I am excited for you!!! If you drop it after you have let it rest for 24 hours it might not (probably will not) spread. The spreading occurs right after you have finished kneading it.
Look at the Ateco tutorial... he says with squares start with the corners first....
Just watched the tutorial! Thank you SO MUCH for that! I had no idea that was out there and I have crazy with wanting someone to SHOW me how to cover a cake properly. I have been doing it wrong! THANK YOU!!!!
I've only made MMF once myself and I made the easy kind with fluff (I have heard that this kind takes more sugar and kneading anyway). Some kind soul let me know what happened to my batches which made it so difficult. I made 2 batches and used bright colors in both. Apparently, if you use alot of gel paste colors to your fondant it is harder to work and it can make it look "glossy" like mine did. I think next time I will try less color and maybe the alternative version like you used.
just tried the mmf myself I used the tutorial on the site here and it was easy to make now what to do with it is another story still waiting for my classes.
Kelley
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