There are always alot of questions related to fondant on CC. I thought a thread where everyone posts their best tip for working with fondant would be helpful. Example: best way to roll out, best way to transfer to cake, best way to repair tears (MOST IMPORTANT FOR SOME OF US), favorite tools, best way to color, etc......

Some of us may say our best tip is to avoid it!

Thanks! Have a great cake day!

Well, I'll be looking forward to seeing these tips, since I avoid fondant like the plague.
One tip I have picked up, though is if you need an entire batch of MMF one color, add your color to the melted marshmallows before you add the sugar. It's much easier than kneading it in!

Okies I will add one that seems to come up a lot! When making MMF, do not use all the powdered sugar right away. Add half of it first, then work in the powdered sugar until the right consistency. I have read many times where people put all the p.sugar in and end up with hard fondant. On a side note...I have never had to use all the p.sugar to get the right consistency. Jen

I prefer to use crisco instead of cornstarch on my board and rolling pin.
I think it works so much easier and does not stick as bad.

Also if you go to use your fondant and it seems a little hard pop it in the microwave. I do it 10 seconds at a time until I get it where I need it.


Happy Baking!!!

I haven't worked too much with fondant but have like using it. I bought a Play dough fun factory and it is great for making ropes as well as hair. Much cheaper than actual fondant tools as well. I want to try Rhonda's Ultimate recipe next!

I'm no expert, but have one thing that works well for me when I am colouring fondant: take a small amount, add your colour, then gradually work your white into your colour rather than the other way around. Colours more evenly, and much easier!

I love this thread! I am very new to fondant but I have recently learned the microwave is my saving grace from hard fondant. I am still pretty slow and have microwaved the fondant like 5 times and it works great. But do be careful not to burn your hands!!!

My best tip is to....buy it. LOL LOL No okay, I'll be serious. I do agree with using Crisco instead of cornstarch when rolling....on my counter and my rolling pin. I have nooooooo problems. My way of repairing tears is to creatively cover it up. A flower, scrolls, grass...I hardly ever take it back off the cake.(and I use fondant quite often). Oh yeah, I nuke mines too and sometimes refrigerate it 'cause I've had so much of it to dry out by re-wrapping it....despite how well I've wrapped (well in the past). NOW, my BEST way of storing has been to put it in a pastry bag, twist the end and tie a rubber band on the end to secure. (get all the air out and this depends on how much you have left but it can be divided). I can reuse the pastry bags and my fondant stays fresh. Anyone else got tips on storage?

Wow, thanks to all for posting!! I was soooo thrilled to see I had a topic on the home page!! I called DH in to show him - how silly is that?? This is wonderful. If you can't cover a tear, what do you do?? Any more ideas out there??

Well, I guess fondant is like choice of birth control, not everything is going to work for everyone, it is very personal.

I prefer cornstarch, I have tried crisco and it turned into a gooey mess.

MY BEST TIP: Knead, Knead, knead. Start with less PS and work it in as you go.

my only tip based on my limited experience is to NOT eat wilton's fondant. Totally unedible IMHO. expensive here and HORRiD tasting.
going to make mmf next time.

mekaclayton there is a way I store my fondant that I think works well.
I wrap the ball of fondant in Reynolds plastic wrap. Then I put it inside of a freezer zip lock bag pushing out the air when closing. Then I put the bag of fondant in a tupperware container. I make sure that I push all the air out when I put the lid on the container.
I know it seems like alot of steps but it seems to work for me.

Also I forgot to mention another tip. Sometimes when making my fondant I add a tablespoon of crisco to it. I live in Tennessee and we have high humidity and I think it helps with the moisture of the fondant.

I use Satin Ice...i've had some wonderful experiences with it as well as some very challenging experiences. My advise...stock up on a good wine and after you have finished covering and decorating the cake, sit back and have a glass!! Cheers!!!

If I have a small tear in my fondant, I put a little Crisco on my finger and gently rub it over and over again on the tear. It takes some time, but the heat from your finger and the Crisco help you fix the problem.

Once I discovered the microwave was my best friend when working with fondant, I was a whole lot happier. My arms were getting a Gold's-Gym-worthy workout until I read somewhere about popping it in the micro for about 10 seconds to soften......

My arms are not nearly as toned as before but the obscenities I utter while working with fondant have been greatly reduced

I agree with mekaclayton - buy it!

I use Crisco and cornstarch - depending on my mood I guess. You can also knead in Crisco if your fondant is a little to hard to work with.

For cracks you can also mix up some RI that is the same color as the fondant and "spackle" the crack. Just be careful if you are airbrushing or painting over it afterwards, the RI will take the color differently.

Storage - mine stays great in the big plastic buckets it comes in - I keep an extra bucket for my colored leftover pieces, wrap them very tightly in fresh plastic wrap each time you put it away and drop it into the bucket and click the lid on tight.

I recently started using Satin Ice and I love it!! I too have tried crisco and did not like it -- I use powdered sugar. I also store it in the tubs it comes in and have never had any problems.

My tip -- I love my cheap pasta machine that I bought at Michaels. It is so much quicker than rolling out fondant when I just need it for decorations, bows, etc. and it is the perfect thickness.

I only use Fondx or Satin Ice. My favourite is now the Fondx. I also would use just a tiny bit of Crisco on my finger to repair a tear, but be very gentle. I find Fondx or satin Ice really wonderful to work with & I always add a flavour to it & put a really good flavoured BC underneath. Both of these are lovely & stretchy & I can roll them really quite thin.
Don't use Wiltons, it tastes nasty & can put you off fondant forever. I keep wanting to try & make my own, but have not yet got around to it.

My tip is to leave it 1/4 of an inch thick when rolling it out, to be able to the cover cake. It doesn't pleat on you.

Hi all, Id rather work with fondant so Im glad this was posted.For storage I have a Seal-a-meal and i put it in there.It sucks all the air out and seals it too. I used to roll it out on the clear slipcover plastic,you can get it at Joannes fabric or sometimes at WalMart.Now I love my fondant rings,If you have to save up for anything fondant related it would be those rings!!.If the tears or holes are quarter size I put a medallion over it.If its small, I sometimes use RI.(like DUFF does!!!)then smooth it with a putty knife.For sheets of fondant,they have an attachment for your KA mixer that makes pasta sheets and strips.Easy. Thats the second thing Id save up for .1st-rings 2nd-pasta attachment.Hope some of these help.

foots2 what are the fondant rings?
I guess I live under a rock because I have never heard of them.

oooh fondant rings! soo jealous!

how large of a cake can you cover with yours? Diameter and height?

I WANT SOME!!

I skip the cornstarch and powdered sugar and just roll my fondant out on sheets of parchment paper - works like a charm! No stick and easy to lift, flip, and continue rolling or just pick it up to cover a large cake and peel off.

Add 1 T glycrine to MMF to make it more pliable - covering corners is a cinch.

I add my color to the marshmallows just after melting - it is much easier to stir it in than to knead it in. But don't stir too vigorously, as doing so makes too many bubbles!

Stacie

Fondant rings are acrylic rings that fit in each other .you put them all together and roll your fondant on them and lift the outer ring with the fondant and place it on the cake. I can cover up to an 18".I have a pic of the 18" base wedding cake in my photos. Im going to look into a sheeter soon. If you have a company that makes acrylic products,I wonder if they can make the rings too??I got mine from someone on CC.

Sweetresults- I love your bottles.Im trying some soon ,any tips????

I don't make my own fondant, because in OZ we have a couple of excellent brands for sale - I use Bakel's because it's easy to work with.
If the fondant is kneaded REALLY well before rolling out, it shouldn't tear - I always roll it very thinly (less than 1/4") and don't usually have too much of a problem. I also roll it out on PS, not cornstarch, but don't use too much or it will dry out (CS will actually dry it out more quickly - you need to work fast) But the biggest thing is kneadng well

My tip: I use a big pizza cutter to cut out the excess after covering a cake in fondant.

Here's the link to fondant rings/lifters: http://www.bakingshop.com/bc/item/fon-lifter.htm

this has been great! sooooo many tips! I dont use crisco or corn starch, i just use P.sugar and it works great! and when i make MMF I never add all my Psugar at once it makes it much easier to work! (the playdough machine, BRILLIANT!!!)