I am starting to HATE MMF - Page 2

I used to use MMF for all my cakes until recently becuase my final product would never be consistent. I would use the same recipe every time & some times it would turn out great & other times it would be too soft & not enough elasticity. I have not switched to MFF (Michelle Fosters Fondant) & have NEVER had a problem. I think it tastes better as well because it just melts in your mouth & isn't sticky like MMF. The only time I now use MMF is if I need to color a large amount red or black to add candy melts.

I would try different marshmallow brands and make sure you add in the right amount of ps. Also the weather really affects how my MMF works for me.

The first few times I used MMF, it worked just fine. I follow the recipe exactly as it says. But now I notice that no matter how long I knead it, after I have left it sit over night, it is filled with hard little balls that will not smooth out. It is smooth when I wrap it in plastic wrap and seal it, but then these hard balls of gel form over night. I have no idea what I am doing wrong, but it's making me really frustrated!

I finally had to put MMF in the same category as bread: it's just something I don't do. You could brick a house with my bread and stick the loaves together with my MMF.

Do you use any crisco to coat the kneading surface or the wrap or anything? I've heard of this before, and it turned out to be the fat solidifying as it cooled, and made little hard balls in the fondant.

Hope it's not too late to comment but if your MMF is turning into silly putty, from my experience, too much shortening was used. I try to use no more than 3 tablespoon in total (from beginning to end) - to grease the bowl and spatula with to melt the marshmallows, to grease my hands with, to grease the countertop to knead on and to coat the ball of MMF before shrink wrapping it up to rest. No more! Shortening causes too many problems with MMF - it makes it really greasy, it causes it to not hold it's shape and just sags and shrinks back into a blob...plus the MMF never gets dry and it starts to break down the MMF overtime.

If you want to make it more pliable, you can add a few drops of glycerine or light corn syrup instead.

Don't give up. Like Labarradulce mentioned, different brands of marshmallows give you different results and different shades of white too. I don't like Jet Puffed but some do. I prefer the generic brands of marshmallows, some brands work better than others...it's all trial and error. I've been using MMF since I started decorating 3 years ago and I love working with it.

The more liquid you add into the melted marshmallows (water, flavoring), the more PS you'll use. I drizzle about a teaspoon of water over the marshmallows before microwaving it and only use about 1 1/2 lbs of PS to a pound of marshmallows.

Best of luck and I hope you give MMF another try.

I always use store brand MM's and NEVER use shortening to coat the bowl, hands and spoon. I only use the shortening when working with the MMF and when storing I use a small amount to coat the MMF then saran wrap it. I have never had a consistency issue. Hope this helps.

I totally agree with AngelFood4, the amount of shortening you use can make or break your MMF. I got so sick of my inconsistent results! But alas, I decided to try again. I realized that if I used too much shortening I got the silly puddy effect, if I used to little it would just tear, no elasticity.

16 oz mm
2 tbs water
1 tbs corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
2 lbs powdered sugar

Melt mm with water in microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth. Stir in corn syrup and vanilla. Pour 3/4 of the powdered sugar in to the mm mixture and stir (or use a kneading hook and a stand mixer) until it is too thick. I DO NOT coat the bowl with shortening. Lightly cover your work area with shortening, as well as your hands and knead in the rest of the powdered sugar. I keep applying shortening to my hands like lotion until the mixture is not sticky. If it is tearing, or I need it softer I add corn syrup a few drops at a time.

After fondant has reached the desired consistency, work it into a ball. Smooth it over with some shortening. Tightly cover in saran wrap, seal in air tight container, and let set for several hours, or at least over night.

I have never been very good at following a recipe, I like to add and take away to my taste. MMF is not so easy to do that with. Now that I follow the recipe very strictly I love MMF!!