A new thing for me here, this fondant idea. It looks neat, but I had heard it wasn’t so tasty. Oh well, it’s a medium I hadn’t tried and you know how I like to experiment with this cake decorating stuff. I’m not any good at it, but I sure do have fun with it. Even though I often get myself on the brink of a breakdown. hehe
Anyway, here it is. The recipe can be found all over online, I’m not sure of the address. So, my apologies for not giving direct credit, but, well, it’s not an original recipe or anything. The same thing was found on multiple sites.
1 – 16oz package mini marshmallows
2 lbs powdered sugar
2 – 5 tbsp water
1/2 butter (ok, the recipe called for shortening, blech, boo, hiss..no WONDER folks say the stuff tastes less than wonderful, butter makes it better, right?)
First, melt your marshmallows with a couple tablespoons of water. The recipes said 2-5 tablespoons and to add 2 to the marshmallows, but never said what to do about the other 3 ‘if needed’. So, I just figured that part out on my own. Anyway, 2 tbsp water and marshmallows … you can either melt this at 30 second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each, or do it over a double boiler. I have done it both ways. Microwave is faster. The results do not vary.

Marshmallows and water, microwaved for one minute. Remember to stir after every 30 seconds. To melt completely this may take a couple of minutes, depending on your microwave.
Once fully melted, dump 3/4 of the powdered sugar on top of the melted mallows.

Yep. Just dump it on there.
Now get that stick of butter. You want to keep that out on the counter, handy. Literally! Cover your hands with it. REALLY well. Palms, tops, between your fingers. Grease ‘em up really well now. Trust me. You’ll be dipping back into this frequently.
Then, dig in.

Just like you are mixing bread dough. Get in there and start working things around. I start in a kind of pinching motion. The mix is so light at this point, it feels pretty funky. :p

Keep mixing, until all of that initial additon of sugar is incorporated. There will likely still be some stuck to the sides, don’t sweat that. Just get as much as you can in there, all that loose stuff. Just keep mixing and kneading. Remember to butter your hands again as needed.
Once you’ve done that, butter up your counter. Yes, you heard me. Slather the counter, and your hands again, with more butter. Dump the now more dough like mass onto the buttered counter and commence to kneading in more powdered sugar.

Aaah, look at those glistening hands.

Just keep kneading, kneading, kneading…
Now, the recipes simply say ‘incorporate the remaining powdered sugar’ However, if you do that, you then have none left when it comes time to roll the stuff out. AND, I didn’t find the dough needed *all* of it. I probably added another cup ?? It varies. It will depend on the temperature and humidity in your home.
What you want is a nice workable consistency. You don’t want sticky, like when you first started this endeavor nor even when you first plopped it onto the counter. But you want to be careful that it doesn’t get too dry. Dry fondant = cracking fondant. That is NOT what we want.
This is where I assumed the extra water came into play ?? Sometimes the mix just seems a bit dry, yet, like it could take more sugar. So, I would stretch a piece out and sprinkle on a tablespoon of water then knead it all in again.

Keep kneading.

Stretching and kneading. Bread bakers should do well with this part. Even if the fondant is a bit stiffer than your bread dough.

Doesn’t it look pretty?
Then there you go. That’s it. You’re done! You’ve made fondant!! Woohoo!
You can color it before storing or after. Whatever. For that, just work in some gel coloring. If you are going to use one color for the whole mass, you could add this in as you are adding in the remaining powdered sugar, to make it a tad easier. I’ve added it in after the fondant was the consistency I needed because I was using different colors.
Now, butter it up and double wrap it in plastic wrap. You can store it out on the counter overnight. If it will be more than a day before you use it, you should refrigerate. Then just let it come to room temperature again before trying to work with it.
When ready to use, dust your surface with powder sugar. A sifter is nice here. Nothing like having to work with sugar lumps when trying to roll your fondant nice and smooth and flaw free! I use a small seive, personally.
Be patient. This stuff doesn’t roll easily. This isn’t sugar cookie dough! This is going to take a little more time. Just keep rolling, and turning, and dusting. Remember to periodically lift the fondant and dust under it as you turn it, otherwise you will get a spot stuck smack in the middle. And that won’t be pretty. Trust me.
Before you know it, things will be easing up and it doesn’t seem so difficult to roll anymore. You will want it to be about 1/8″ thick to cover your cake. Be careful…OVERestimate the size you need. It’s easy to cut it down, but you can’t add to it so well. You’ll have to reroll the whole thing. Or try to piece things together which doesn’t look pretty now does it?
Once you have that rolled out, give your cake a thin coat of icing. It doesn’t matter if it’s homemade butter cream or canned stuff. Just give it a little smear so the fondant has something to stick to.
Then, ease the sheet of fondant over your cake. It’s not that difficult, really, it’s not, trust me! I just make sure nothing is stuck to the counter. Remember…turn and dust frequently
Then I just reach my arms up under the sheet, supporting well, but letting it drape a bit. Center the sheet over your cake and lower it down, draping gently. Now you will go back and put in any creases, forming it to your cake shape, nice and close.
Voila! You’ve just fondanted a cake! (Yes, that’s my new word ‘fondanted’)
Now you can try making something like….

Nice and simple.