I roll my fondant out on my smooth worktop (slate) using plenty of icing sugar to dust it with. I really am using a lot of icing sugar, that can't be the problem, but invariably a bit of it sticks, usually in the middle and I end up having to scrape it off. It's driving me potty. I tried using vegetable fat and it all just got greasy and messy. I have heard some people mentioning a non-stick mat that they use - what is this? How big do they get? Do they really work? I guess I'd need one at least 16" round square. Any links to sites which sell them gratefully received! please help me before I swear any more in front of the dog, her ears are turning blue.

Hi! I haven't tried this, but I have read that you can purchase a yard of clear vinyl at the fabric store to roll the fondant out on. Roll it out and then turn the whole thing over onto the cake.

Once I dust with icing sugar I use my hand and rub the icing sugar into the work surface. Also turn the fondant regularly as you roll it out

I LOVE using spray PAM...it works perfectly!!!! Just a light coating on your work surface -- turn the MMF occasionally when rolling it out.

Spray PAM? I'm in the UK so you have to provide translations!!

I don't think they have Pam in the UK. It's basically a vegtable oil spray. I use cornflour instead of powdered sugar, I was told that powdered sugar is more likely to stick. I also use the fondant cutting mat from Wilton, I just lift the whole thing up, center the fondant , place on cake and pull off the mat. Works perfectly every time. Knock on wood. My friend just had a yard of shirtboard laminated and its basically the same thing, just no measurements on it.

I don;t use sugar, I use cornstarch to roll my fondant on. although I use a fondant mat. I don't know how cornstarch would work for you, but give it a try!

I'm just starting to play with fondant - and loving it!

What I did (because I too, was sick of it sticking) was roll it out between 2 sheets of wax paper. I taped 2 sheets together to get a piece wide enough for my cake, then covered it with 2 more sheets to roll out. Worked fine. Just have to be careful to avoid wrinkles.

This works especially well for smaller pieces when you want to use cookie cutters (I don't yet have a pasta machine).

Think I'm going to try the vinyl method atkin600 mentioned.

Elfie, what is the shirtboard you mentioned?

I just finished a fondant class. Some people had the full size Silpat mats - I believe they are 16 x 24. Others had vinyl sheets purchased from a fabric store-the vinyl is cut to size (I think 20 x 30...they are pretty big!) and we were told to use cornstarch. I'm thinking if the professionals use cornstarch, I should too. The fondant is rolled onto the cornstarch covered mat, then flipped onto the cake.

My instructor had us make a puff of 50/50 powdered sugar & cornstarch to dust the mat with and it works great. Cut a handi wipe in half and fill with mixture then close with a twisty. Dust the mat every so often and no sticking at all. Also be sure to turn your fondant often. HTH

emmascakes--

I have read somewhere here on CC that slate /granite tend to pull the moisture out of the fondant so maybe that is why it is sticking. I use the vinyl mat from the fabric store and usually don't have to do anything other than occasionally lifting the fondant as I'm rolling it out to keep it from sticking.

Then once it's rolled out, I pick up the entire piece of vinyl with the fondant on it and flip it over onto the cake. Keeps it from tearing.

I use cornstarch to roll mine out on ... others use Crisco (vegetable shortening) ... the rule with fondant is to lift it a lot and check to make sure it's not sticking as you roll it out... nothing more frustrating then rolling out all the fondant and having it stick/tear... so lift, turn, lift turn and dust under it a little as you go! Hope this helps

I use the vinyl. I put just a tiny amount of vegetable shortening on the vinyl. Then I sprinkle on cornstarch. The important thing I have found is as you roll out the fondant don't flip it over. Just keep lifting it up off the surface and give it a little turn. This keeps down the need to add more corn starch which could result in dry fondant.

I use a vinyl sheet - and it never sticks. It has to be a heavy duty gauge, to support the fondant. You roll it out, and lift the whole thing up and over the top of the cake. Once it's on the cake, you peel it away. When I'm doing smaller cakes or small pieces of fondant, I use cornstarch.

So glad you asked this question. I made a fondant cake yesterday. When I roll it out in corn starch it compromises the color. For example, in my pictures, the train cake has white dots on the black wheels and so does the red stripes that I couldn't cut even. lol. Also my fondant seemed to dry out as I was working with it. It got lots of little tiny cracks, but only in the shaped pieces. Any advice would be appreciated. .

In reading these posts, you have all helped me so much, because I was having major sticking problems and thought it was me, so thank you all very much. One question - because I have just started using MMF, when rolling out the fondant, how much pressure do you put on the rolling pin - heavy, medium, light - I am never quite sure and think that some of my sticking problems is because I am putting too much pressure while rolling my fondant.

I didn't read all the replies, but I love using Crisco or vegetable shortening on my hands and on the counter.

It works wonderful and I even like it better than using extra powdered sugar. It also gives a nice subtle shiny surface to the cake.

I also use the little bit of Crisco on the mat and on the rolling pin or my hands. Just a tiny bit - but once I get some on my mat, I usually don't have to reapply for a little while. - Like I could use it the next day w/out a problem. I have the Wilton roll & cut mat.

I also have the Wilton mat and try to use it on my kitchen counter top surface but the mat moves around and i have to tape it down - do you do that as well?

I use the Wilton mat, taped to the counter with corn starch on it. So far so good that way for me

I got a yard of vinyl from Walmart. It was under $4.00. I cut it into a large piece for the top of my table and two smaller sizes to transfer fondant onto cakes. I use the no-slip shelf liner (not exactly sure what this is called exactly) under the vinyl to keep it from sliding around. i just rub a little bit of shortening on the mat, my hands and the fondant. It's been working out really well lately. HTH

Wow - Walmart - i guess i would go to the sewing section to get the vinyl??

I did the vinyl sheet last week and I had an awful time!! I got the thickest gauge I could find at the fabric store. I used alot of powdered sugar - and kept adding it. I didn't do the "lift and turn" method, but it would stick with every roll, so I don't think this would have mattered. I think my fondant was just too sticky, I just kept adding sugar to it. I finally got it rolled out, but it didn't look as good as I wanted. (I don't have the pics developed yet to post, but I will.) Does it matter what recipe of fondant you use? I used MMF.

I but a sheet of heavy gauge vinyl from the fabric Dept. at Walmart, apply a bit of Crisco to the surface size I'm going to roll out and flip onto the cake when it is the right size and thickness. If you are covering a large base 18" - 20" cake that is 4" high, best to have another set of hands to help with the flip as it gets heavy. I found the bigger base cakes were actually much easier to work with and easier to smooth the edges of the cake. then I through the vinyl away at the end of the project! Don't let them fold the vinyl up as it makes wrinkles that can mark the cake.

You throw away the vinyl? Why - can't it be used again?

The vinyl is awesome! I got it in the fabric department at Hobby Lobby. I cut out two round cirlcles, the same size as the mat we get in our course III class. Roll out the fondant in between the two pieces. It is like magic. Since I have been using it I haven't had any fondant stick. I just wash it in hot soapy water, hang it to dry and use it over and over.

I just roll my vinyl mat up and put it back in its Wilton box. Of course I clean it first.