How to Make Fondant Pearls

Coat the Pearls in Luster?Dust

(c) 2009 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

1.When you are ready to finish you pearls, pour some luster dust into a container that can be sealed, like a Tupperware container.
2.Add a small amount of clear alcohol or alcohol-based extract, just enough to turn the luster dust into a shimmering liquid.
3. Stir until all of the dust has dissolved. Working in batches if necessary, add the pearls, being sure to leave plenty of room in the container.
4.Cover the container with a lid, and shake the pearls around until they’re coated with the luster dust. Pour the finished pearls onto a baking sheet covered with waxed paper or parchment, and repeat until all of the pearls are coated and shiny, adding more dust and liquid as needed.

More Cake Decorating Tutorials

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• How to Make Chocolate Roses
• How to Make Sugar Corkscrews

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Raspberry Fondant

Raspberry Fondant is made with fresh raspberries, so it packs plenty of flavor into these smooth raspberry creams. They’re delicious on their own, but these raspberry fondants are even better dipped in chocolate. Be sure to check out this photo tutorial showing how to make fondant if you have any questions about making old-fashioned fondant.

This recipe calls for citric acid, which adds a pleasant sourness. It can be found in many specialty baking stores and large grocery stores—I found mine in the bulk spices section of a nearby grocery store. It can be omitted, but the fondant might be missing a fruity “bite.”

1. Place the cream, corn syrup, sugar, salt, baking soda, and raspberries in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then brush down the sides of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Insert a candy thermometer.

2. Cook the candy without stirring until the thermometer reads 240 degrees F (115 C). Once it reaches the proper temperature, remove it from the heat and take out the thermometer.

3. Pour the candy onto a greased baking sheet and allow it to sit until it feels just warm to the touch. Depending on the temperature of the room, this might take 10-20 minutes.

4. Once warm but no longer hot, sprinkle the citric acid on top, and stir in the marshmallow cream and a few drops of pink or red food coloring. The food coloring is optional, but without it the candies are more of a dull reddish-pink.

5. Begin to stir everything together with a wooden spoon. This is called “creaming” the fondant and it works best if you move in a figure-8 pattern, scraping the fondant together, working it into an 8 shape, then scraping it back into the center.

6. As you cream the fondant, it will go from shiny and translucent to shiny and opaque and start to get thicker. Continue to work it, and it will eventually lose its shine and become more opaque and have a fudge-like texture and dull finish. This creaming process takes awhile, perhaps 20 minutes, so prepare yourself and alternate arms if necessary.

7. Once the fondant is thick and stiff, test it out by rolling a piece into a ball. If it holds its shape and doesn’t collapse, the fondant is ready. If it doesn’t, continue working it with the spoon until it is stiff enough. You can either wrap it in cling wrap and store it at room temperature, or roll it into balls right away for dipping.

8. If you have rolled it into balls, store them in the refrigerator to firm up while you melt the candy coating in the microwave.

9. Once the coating is melted, dip the raspberry fondant centers into the chocolate one at a time, and place the dipped centers on a foil- or waxed paper-lined baking sheet to set. Sprinkle the tops with any desired decorations while the chocolate is still wet.

10. Place the tray in the refrigerator to harden the chocolate for about 15 minutes. Store dipped Raspberry Fondant in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, and allow them to come to room temperature before serving for best taste and texture.

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Peanut Butter Fondant

(c) 2010 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Peanut Butter Fondant makes a smooth, rich peanut butter cream filling, perfect for dipping in chocolate. Dip your peanut butter fondants into chocolate and top them with crushed peanuts for a sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy treat. This is an old-fashioned fondant recipe that requires the fondant to be creamed after it is boiled. Be sure to check out this photo tutorial showing how to make fondant if you have any questions about the procedure!

Yield: about 24 fondant balls

Ingredients:

• 1.25 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup cream
• 1 tbsp light corn syrup
• ? tsp salt
• 1/3 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 12 oz chocolate candy coating
• ? cup salted peanuts, finely chopped

Preparation:

1. Place the sugar, cream, corn syrup, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then brush down the sides of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Insert a candy thermometer.

2. Cook the candy without stirring until the thermometer reads 238 degrees F (114 C). Once it reaches the proper temperature, remove it from the heat and take out the thermometer.

3. Add the miniature marshmallows, but don’t stir them in. Instead, pour the candy onto a greased baking sheet and allow it to sit until it feels just warm to the touch. Depending on the temperature of the room, this might take 10-20 minutes.

4. Once the pan is just warm, add the vanilla on top of the candy and begin to stir it with a wooden spoon. This is called “creaming” the fondant and it works best if you move in a figure-8 pattern, scraping the fondant together, working it into an 8 shape, then scraping it back into the center.

5. As you cream the fondant, it will go from shiny and translucent to shiny and opaque and start to get thicker. Continue to work it, and it will eventually lose its shine and become more opaque and have a fudge-like texture and dull finish. This creaming process takes awhile, perhaps 20 minutes, so prepare yourself and alternate arms if necessary.

6. Once the fondant is thick and stiff, add the peanut butter and work it in until it’s completely incorporated. At this point, the fondant is finished, so you can either wrap it in cling wrap and store it at room temperature, or roll it into balls right away for dipping.

7. If you have rolled it into balls, store them in the refrigerator to firm up while you melt the candy coating and finely chop the peanuts for the topping.

8. Once the coating is melted, dip the peanut butter fondant centers into the chocolate one at a time, and place the dipped centers on a foil- or waxed paper-lined baking sheet to set. Sprinkle the tops with crushed peanuts while the chocolate is still wet.

9. Place the tray in the refrigerator to harden the chocolate for about 15 minutes. Store dipped Peanut Butter Fondant in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, and allow them to come to room temperature before serving for best taste and texture.

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How to Make Fondant

Once the fondant is melted and smooth, pour it into your desired receptacle. Fondant can be poured directly into small candy cups and topped with other candies or nuts. Once the fondant hardens, it can be served as-is, as the paper cups easily peel away. If it is difficult to pour the fondant from the saucepan, you can first pour it into a measuring cup with a spout.

You can also pour fondant into premade chocolate candy cups, for an easy chocolate-and-fondant candy. The fondant can then be topped with a layer of melted chocolate to completely enclose the fluid fondant.

Ready to try pouring fondant candies? Try this recipe for Chocolate Fondant Cups, with toasted pecans!

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How to Make Fondant Pearls

Fondant Pearls add a beautiful decorative touch to any cake or pastry. For an easily printable recipe, refer to the this Fondant Pearls recipe page.

To make this recipe, you will need:

• White fondant (or marzipan or chocolate plastic)
• Luster dust (available at cake decorating stores, and some craft stores)
• Clear alcohol or clear flavored extract like orange or lemon
• Round piping tip(s)

Begin by kneading the fondant until it is smooth and supple. The amount of fondant you use depends on how many pearls you require, and the size of the pearls you make. It’s always a good idea to be generous in your estimate of how much fondant you need, but I am often surprised at how many small pearls I can get out of even a quarter pound of fondant.

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Cover A Cake With Fondant

1. Before you begin, be sure that your cake is covered with a layer of buttercream at least 1/4-inch thick. This frosting layer helps the fondant stick to the cake and smooths out any bumps or imperfections on the cake surface, so the fondant layer looks clean and smooth.

2. Dust your work station lightly with corn starch, and begin by kneading the fondant like bread dough until it is smooth and pliable. Fondant, especially if it has been sitting unused for a while, has a tendency to get stiff and crumbly, so you must knead it until it is soft and supple. If it still feels very dry, you can knead in a small spoonful of vegetable shortening to soften it up. By the end of your kneading, you shouldn’t have any cracks along the edges of the fondant ball.

3. Now it’s time to roll the fondant out. If you have a large nonstick mat or cutting board without a texture, those are good options. Otherwise, just use a surface that’s large enough and that won’t mar the fondant with too much texture or patterns. If you have a nonstick rolling pin, use that as well. Making sure your workstation still has a light dusting of corn starch, begin to roll the fondant out in the approximate shape of your cake: a circle for a round cake, a rectangle for a rectangular cake, etc.

4. As I’m rolling, I like to occasionally life the fondant and rotate it 45 degrees. This ensures it’s not sticking to the mat, and it also helps me roll more evenly. Roll the fondant until it is the size you need. For a round 9-inch cake that’s 3 inches high, you’ll need your circle to be at least 15 inches around (two 3-inch sides plus 9 inches across) but you should aim for an inch or two of flexibility on each side. So for your 9-inch cake, the optimal size will be a fondant circle about 17 inches across, with a thickness of about 1/8 inch.

5. Once your fondant is the right shape and thickness, place the rolling pin on the farthest edge of the fondant and roll it toward you, rolling the fondant up around the pin. Quickly lift the rolling pin up and place it on the side of the cake. Start unrolling the fondant from the pin until it hangs just below the bottom edge of the cake, and continue unrolling the fondant across the top of the cake to the other side. When you finish, your cake should be draped in an even covering of fondant.

6. Use your hand to carefully smooth the top of the cake and remove any air bubbles from under the fondant. Be sure that you don’t have any jewelry on that might leave marks, and avoid using your fingernails, as fondant is easily marred and scratches are very hard to repair.

7. Now position your other hand on the side of the cake toward the top and press the fondant into the side. Use your hands together to press toward each other, forming the corner of the cake.

8. At this point, you probably have a lot of excess fondant toward the bottom that will form ruffles and seams if you’re not careful. Start to gently pull the fondant out, spreading the excess fondant, as you slide one hand down the side and smooth it out in a downward motion. Turn the cake and repeat this process again and again. You may have to make several passes over the cake, very gently pulling the excess fondant out and down, and then using your hand to smooth the fondant onto the cake. This is the key to smooth sides, but it is a tricky motion and one that requires some practice.

9. Now your cake should be covered in fondant. If you notice any air bubbles, use a small sharp pin to prick a hole in the bubble and smooth it out. Use a sharp paring knife to trim the excess fondant from the bottom of the cake.

10. Your cake can now be finished with additional fondant or buttercream decorations and borders. If possible you should avoid refrigerating your cake, as fondant readily absorbs moisture, and is often sticky and wet when removed from a refrigerator. Optimally, you should store your cake in a cool location in a cake box, and eat it within a day.

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Basic Fondant

1. Prepare your workstation by setting a large baking sheet on a sturdy counter or table top, and sprinkling it lightly with water.

2. Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then cover the pan and allow the sugar syrup to boil for 2-3 minutes.

3. Remove the lid, and continue to cook the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches 240 degrees.

4. Pour the sugar syrup onto the prepared baking sheet. Allow it to sit at room temperature for several minutes. After 2-3 minutes, lightly touch the syrup with a fingertip. When it is warm but not hot, it is ready to be worked.

5. Dampen a metal spatula or dough scraper with water, and use the scraper to push the syrup into a pile in the middle of the sheet.

6. Using a dampened plastic spatula or wooden spoon, begin to “cream,” or work, the fondant in a figure-8 pattern. Continually scrape the fondant into the center, draw a figure-8, then scrape it together again. At first the fondant will be very clear and fluid, but it will gradually become more opaque and creamy. After 5-10 minutes, the fondant will become very stiff, crumbly, and hard to manipulate.

7. Once the fondant reaches this state, moisten your hands and begin kneading it into a ball like bread dough. As you knead, the fondant will begin to come together and will get softer and smoother. Stop kneading once your fondant is a smooth ball without lumps.

8. At this point, your fondant can be used for melting and pouring. If you want to make flavored fondant candies, it is best to “ripen” your fondant for at least 12 hours to obtain the best flavor and texture. To ripen the fondant, place it in an airtight plastic container, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the fondant, and seal the lid on tightly. Ripen the fondant at room temperature, or if it is hot, in the refrigerator. After ripening, the fondant can be flavored, rolled, and shaped in whatever manner you wish. If it is stiff, you can always knead it by hand on a surface dusted with powdered sugar, until it is easy to manage. This recipe produces about 3/4 lb fondant.

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Marshmallow Fondant

(c) 2008 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Marshmallow Fondant is an easy fondant made of marshmallows, water, and powdered sugar. It’s simple to make, and many prefer the taste over regular fondant, since it tastes like very sweet marshmallows. You can use marshmallow fondant as you would regular fondant, to cover cakes, form shapes, and make candy. Be warned that it tends to get sticky in moist places, so it doesn’t hold up as well as regular fondant when placed over frosting and refrigerated for days. This recipe yields 1.5 lbs of fondant, and can easily be halved or doubled. Be sure to check out the photo tutorial showing how to make marshmallow fondant.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces miniature marshmallows (4 cups not packed, or half of a 16-ounce bag)
• 1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups), plus extra for dusting
• 2 tbsp water
• Food coloring or flavored extracts, optional

Preparation:

1. Dust your counter or a large cutting board with powdered sugar. Place the marshmallows and the water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, until the marshmallows are puffy and expanded.

2. Stir the marshmallows with a rubber spatula until they are melted and smooth. If some unmelted marshmallow pieces remain, return to the microwave for 30-45 seconds, until the marshmallow mixture is entirely smooth and free of lumps. If you want colored or flavored fondant, you can add several drops of food coloring or extracts at this point and stir until incorporated. If you want to create multiple colors or flavors from one batch of fondant, do not add the colors or flavors now. Instead, refer to step 6 below for instructions.

3. Add the powdered sugar and begin to stir with the spatula. Stir until the sugar begins to incorporate and it becomes impossible to stir anymore.

4. Scrape the marshmallow-sugar mixture out onto the prepared work surface. It will be sticky and lumpy, with lots of sugar that has not been incorporated yet--this is normal. Dust your hands with powdered sugar, and begin to knead the fondant mixture like bread dough, working the sugar into the marshmallow with your hands.

5. Continue to knead the fondant until it smoothes out and loses its stickiness. Add more sugar if necessary, but stop adding sugar once it is smooth--too much sugar will make it stiff and difficult to work with. Once the fondant is a smooth ball, it is ready to be used. You can now roll it out, shape it, or wrap it in cling wrap to use later. Well-wrapped fondant can be stored in a cool room or in the refrigerator, and needs to be kneaded until supple before later use.

6. If you want to add coloring or flavoring to your fondant, flatten it into a round disc. You might want to wear gloves to avoid getting food coloring on your hands during this step. Add your desired amount of coloring or flavoring to the center of the disc, and fold the disc over on itself so that the color or flavor is enclosed in the center of the fondant ball.

7. Begin to knead the ball of fondant just like you did before. As you work it, you will begin to see streaks of color coming through from the center. Continue to knead until the streaks are gone and the fondant is a uniform color. Your fondant is now ready to be used or stored as outlined above.

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