Basic Fondant Recipe 455

Steps:

• Butter the sides of of a 1 1/2 quart saucepan. Mix all ingredients. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Cook without stirring to soft ball stage (238 degrees). Pour onto platter or shiny cookie sheet with sides. DO NOT SCRAP SAUCEPAN. Cool mix until only slightly warm (30 minutes). With a spatula or wooden spoon, scrape fondant mix from the edge of platter toward the center. Gradually the fondant mixture will turn stiff and white. Knead until free of lumps. Wrap and place in covered container. Allow to ripen 24-48 hours. Ready to use for mints or cake decoration.

Steps:

• Star: Sprinkle work surface with powdered sugar. Knead red Sugar Paste for a minute, until it folds easily and becomes more pliable.
• Use a rolling pin to roll sugar paste out to a thickness of 1 millimeter. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out stars.
• Use a pastry brush to brush off excess powdered sugar. Place a star on each cupcake.
• Bow: Sprinkle work surface with powdered sugar. Place a few drops of pink food coloring on the white Sugar Paste. Wearing gloves to prevent skin from staining, knead sugar paste until it is uniformly pink and texture is pliable.
• Use a rolling pin to roll sugar paste out to a thickness of 1 millimeter.
• Cut two strips that are 4x1 inches (10x3 cm) (these will be the sides of the bow). Roll up a paper towel to form 1 inch (2cm) wide cylinder. Fold a sugar paste strip over the rolled-up paper towel and press the two ends together (the paper towel will help keep the shape of the bow sides). Gently fold the pressed end into a slight wave shape. Repeat with the other strip and then press the two sides together to form the beginning of the bow shape. Carefully remove the paper towels.
• Cut one strip that is 2.5x1 inches (6x2 cm) wide (this will be the middle of the bow). Roll the long edges of the strip up slightly, then wrap the strip around the middle of the bow. Press the paste together behind the bow to seal and trim any excess with scissors.
• Cut two strips that are 2x½ inch (5x1.5 cm) wide (these will be the tails of bow). Cut a small diagonal piece off the top of one of the strips, then line up the two strips in the shape of a letter A with the diagonal edge pressed against the right edge of the other strip. On the bottom edge of the tails, cut out a small triangular piece to form a notch.
• Use a pastry brush to brush off excess powdered sugar from both the tails and the bow.
• Place the tails on the frosted cupcake first, then top with the rest of the bow.
• Leaves: Sprinkle work surface with powdered sugar. Place a few drops of green food coloring on the white Vahile Sugar Paste. Wearing gloves to prevent skin from staining, knead sugar paste until it is uniformly green and texture is pliable.
• Use a rolling pin to roll sugar paste out to a thickness of 1 millimeter.
• Select a mint leaf and press the leaf on the surface of the sugar paste, vein side down. Use a finger to gently press the leaf into the paste to create a print of the veins.
• Still holding the leaf in place, cut the leaf out using a paring knife, tracing around the leaf. Gently remove the mint leaf and the excess sugar paste around the cutout.
• Use a pastry brush to brush off excess powdered sugar from the leaf.
• Place leaf on a frosted cupcake.
• Flowers: Sprinkle work surface with powdered sugar. Cut off a quarter of the white Sugar Paste and set aside.
• Place a few drops of blue food coloring on the rest of the sugar paste. Wearing gloves to prevent skin from staining, knead sugar paste until it is uniformly pale blue and texture is pliable.
• Roll out half of the blue paste to a thickness of 2 millimeters. Use the wide end of a pastry tip to stamp out circles.
• Pinch off pieces of blue paste and roll into balls that are about the size of an ⅛ teaspoon. Spread a little bit of white frosting on a blue circle and place the balls around the circle, leaving a space in the middle (5-6 balls will fit - these will be the petals).
• Use the white sugar paste to roll another ball to place in the center of the flower. Gently press the edge of a paring knife into each blue petal to form a small notch.
• Use a pastry brush to brush off excess powdered sugar from the flower.
• Place flower on a frosted cupcake.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage, between 234 and 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour the mixture over a dampened marble slab. Sprinkle it with a little water to prevent a crust from forming and leave to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a triangular scraper work the sugar syrup scraping it from the slab and turning the sides to the center. Alternatively, work the fondant in an electric mixer with a dough hook. Work vigorously particularly when the fondant starts to thicken and become creamy. After 3 to 5 minutes it will suddenly become stiff. Break off one piece of fondant at a time and work it by pinching it hard in your fingers until pliable and smooth. Press all the pieces of pliable fondant together and knead in any flavoring or coloring. Pack into an airtight container and leave in the refrigerator or a cool place at least 1 hour, preferably 1 day to mellow.

Steps:

• Place the butter in a shallow bowl, and set aside.
• Place the marshmallows in a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on High for 30 seconds to 1 minute to start melting the marshmallows. Carefully stir the water and vanilla extract into the hot marshmallows, and stir until the mixture is smooth. Slowly beat in the confectioners' sugar, a cup at a time, until you have a sticky dough. Reserve 1 cup of powdered sugar for kneading. The dough will be very stiff.
• Rub your hands thoroughly with butter, and begin kneading the sticky dough. As you knead, the dough will become workable and pliable. Turn the dough out onto a working surface dusted with confectioners' sugar and continue kneading until the fondant is smooth and no longer sticky to the touch, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Form the fondant into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. To use, allow the fondant to come to room temperature, and roll it out onto a flat surface dusted with confectioners' sugar.