OK,I'm in the middle of rolling out my fondant at the moment and it has all gone horribly wrong :( I started rolling my fondant after adding my colour and made a mistake, rolled again, made another mistake (I'm not a professional but I have decorated plenty of times) and so on a few times.  By then, my icing was cracking at the edges as it was quite dry so I added a bit of water to and kneeded it in to make it more moist.  It worked so I rolled again but I was still having issues so I added some lard.  I wouldn't normally but this is just to cover the drum so I'm not bothered about how good it tastes.  Anyway, it then was nice and moist but was cracking EVEN more!  so I added icing sugar and it seemed to get a lot better, but every time I roll it cracks a bit or gets tiny holes in the middle and I end up having to rub the cracks together so that they go smooth again.  When it gets to the right thickness to put on the board it just all breaks up, despite it being quite moist (but I wouldn't say overly so. :(  Not sure I should add more icing sugar though as I think it will make it crack even more???  Or maybe more water / lard???  Not sure.

a) What have I done wrong?
b) Is it rescuable or do I just need to get new fondant?

c)  What can I do to sort it?

Thanks in advance for your help

:)

ASounds like you may have worked the fondant too much--- it may be lost.

I have never added water to my fondant-- so I don't know what kind of effect that has on it--

Next time I would add Glycerine- it really helps with dry/cracking fondant- the shortening was a good call too-

After adding the glycerine and / or the shortening let the fondant rest a few minutes- wrapped well in plastic wrap--

That is the only advice I can think of-- except if the fondant hardens while resting - be sure to work the fondant as if you were kneading bread (limits the air that gets captured) and it it is really hard- pop in the microwave for a few seconds- -- not too long or it will burn!

Good luck

Mo

Hiya Mo

Thanks for your reply :)  You are almost definitely right about it having been over worked I'm afraid.  As a last resort I have followed your advice in the hope that it works.  I dont have any gelatine but have added some more lard, wrapped it and it is now resting.  I'll give it a go in a bit again but if not it will have to wait until tomorrow when I can get to the cake shop!

Thanks ever so much :)