Marshmallow Fondant Zebras Recipes

Steps:

• For the marshmallow fondant: Combine the marshmallows and 1 1/2 teaspoons water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Add about three-quarters of the sifted confectioners' sugar into the marshmallow mixture and stir to combine. Once the mixture becomes too stiff to stir, grease your counter and hands with shortening (or wear greased plastic, disposable gloves) and dump the mixture onto the counter. Knead, adding the remaining quarter of confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, until the fondant is very smooth, not sticky and holds its shape into a ball without relaxing. Use right away or grease it lightly with additional shortening, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight plastic bag or container at room temperature for up to several days.
• Divide the fondant in half. Color one half dark black with food coloring (about 5 to 6 drops, rolling and kneading to evenly incorporate the color. Work in a little confectioners' sugar if the moisture from the food coloring makes the fondant too soft. (Wear plastic, disposable gloves and wash your hands well after so as not to bleed colors.) Divide the white portion into 6 pieces and the black into 6 pieces.
• For the panda head, eye whites and foot pads: Pull off an almond-size piece of white fondant from one of the pieces and set aside. Roll the larger piece into a head that is slightly triangular, but still rounded. Roll the smaller (almond-size) piece out with a greased rolling pin about 1/4-inch-thick. Use a 1/4-inch round pastry tip to cut out 2 eyeballs and 2 footpads. Press all 4 slightly to make slightly larger, but still round.
• For the panda legs, ears, eyes and nose: Divide a black piece of fondant into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Form the larger piece into 2 stubby legs. Press together to join in a "v" shape. Arrange the set legs on the parchment, "v" point-up and attach the head onto the point. Use the 1/4-inch pastry tip to make toe indentations in the tip of each leg. Attach the white foot pads to the bottom of the feet, brushing with a little water if needed to adhere. Roll a tiny piece of the remaining black fondant to make a slightly flat, triangular shaped nose. Stick in the middle of the face, point side-down. Roll out the remaining black fondant with a greased rolling pin. Use a pastry tip with a 3/4-inch base to cut out 2 ears. Crease with the back of a paring knife. Brush the panda's head lightly with water where the ears go and attach the ears, pressing slightly. Use the 1/4-inch pastry tip to cut out 2 eyes. Flatten to make slightly oval and larger than the white eyeballs. Stick the black eye circles to the sides of the nose. Attached the white eyeballs inside the black. Roll 2 tiny black balls and stick inside of the white.
• Repeat with the remaining fondant to make 5 more pandas.
• Let the pandas dry, uncovered, overnight.

Steps:

• For the marshmallow fondant: combine the marshmallows and 1 tablespoon water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Pour about three-quarters of the sifted confectioners' sugar into the marshmallows and stir to combine. Once the mixture becomes too stiff to stir, grease your counter and hands with shortening (or wear greased latex gloves) and dump the mixture onto the counter. Knead, adding more confectioners' sugar a little at a time, until the fondant is very smooth, not sticky and holds its shape in a ball without relaxing. Use right away or grease it lightly with additional shortening, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several days. (Let return to room temperature before using.)
• For the flowers and butterflies: Divide the fondant into 3 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, made an indentation in the top with your thumb and drop in food coloring (start with about 4 drops). Grease your hands and counter with shortening (or wear greased latex gloves). Knead the dough until the color is even, adding more food coloring if you want it darker. Wrap in plastic while you repeat with the remaining pieces of dough and different colors.
• To make a rose, pinch off a walnut-size ball of the fondant color of your choice. Very lightly dust your work surface with confectioners' sugar (just enough so it doesn't stick; you don't want the fondant to look dusty). Roll the fondant to a scant 1/8-inch thickness. Use a small round cutter (about 1 1/4 inch) and punch out 10 to 12 rounds. Roll the first round around itself to create the inside of the rose. Continue to roll the pieces around each other, starting one petal halfway after the previous. Press the bottom together and peel the petals back slightly to open the rose.
• To make a daisy, pinch off a walnut-size ball of the fondant color of your choice. Very lightly dust your work surface with confectioners' sugar (just enough so it doesn't stick; you don't want the fondant to look dusty). Roll to a scant 1/8-inch thickness. Use a 6-petal flower cutter (any size between 2 and 2 1/2 inches) to cut out as many flowers as you can. Use a toothpick to press a line down the center of each petal. For each flower, roll some fondant in a contrasting color into a ball slightly smaller than the center of the flower. Press to flatten slightly and poke the top all over lightly with a toothpick . Brush the bottom lightly with water and stick it in the center of the flower. Lay the flowers inside an egg carton to dry so the petals stand up, 2 to 3 hours.
• To make a butterfly, pinch off a walnut-sized ball of the fondant color of your choice. Very lightly dust your work surface with confectioners' sugar (just enough so it doesn't stick; you don't want the fondant to look dusty). Roll the fondant to a scant 1/8-inch thickness. Use a 6-petal flower cutter (any size between 2 and 2 1/2 inches) to cut out a few daisy shapes. Cut and remove the top and bottom petal with a paring knife, leaving a V-shaped notch; the 4 remaining petals should look like a butterfly's wings. Pinch off 4 tiny pieces of fondant in a different color and roll into balls. Flatten to make spots for the butterfly's wings and attach to the wings, using a little water to adhere. Pinch off a small piece of fondant in a third color and roll into a snake about 2 inches long. Snip the top third in half lengthwise with scissors and pull apart to make antennae. Attach to the body with a little water. Lay a piece of parchment over a rolling pin and lay the butterfly on it, face-down, to dry, about 4 hours and up to overnight.

Steps:

• For the marshmallow fondant: Combine the marshmallows and 1 1/2 teaspoons water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Add about three-quarters of the sifted confectioners' sugar into the marshmallow mixture and stir to combine. Once the mixture becomes too stiff to stir, grease your counter and hands with shortening (or wear greased plastic, disposable gloves) and dump the mixture onto the counter. Knead, adding the remaining quarter of confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, until the fondant is very smooth, not sticky and holds its shape into a ball without relaxing. Use right away or grease it lightly with additional shortening, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight plastic bag or container at room temperature for up to several days.
• Remove a 1-ounce piece of the fondant (about 2 tablespoons) and set aside. Color the larger piece of fondant brown (7 or 8 drops), rolling and kneading to evenly incorporate the color. Work in a little confectioners' sugar if the moisture from the food coloring makes the fondant too soft. (Wear plastic, disposable gloves and wash your hands well between colors so as not to bleed colors.) Pinch off a very small piece of the 1-ounce chunk and color with a tiny amount of black gel, working in additional confectioners' sugar if needed. Color the remaining 1-ounce piece tan (about 2 drops), working in additional confectioners' sugar if needed.
• For the monkey heads, ears and arms: Divide the brown fondant into 6 pieces. Divide each piece into a large piece (two-thirds) and a small piece (one-third). Roll the larger pieces into an oval-shaped head. Pinch a small piece off all the smaller pieces. Gather together and roll out to about 1/4-inch-thick with a greased rolling pin. Cut out 12 ears using the tip of a 1/2-inch plain pastry tip. Press a cavity in each ear using the back of a paint brush. Brush the tops of the heads with a little water and stick on the ears. Divide the remaining smaller pieces in 2 and roll into long arms.
• Set squares of parchment on overturned bath cups. Press sets of arms together to make a "v" shape. Drape sets of arms over the cups so the arms hang down. Press the heads on top of the point where the arms meet. Roll out the tan pieces of fondant to about 1/4-inch-thick using a greased rolling pin. Cut out 2 eyes from each piece with the tip of the 1/2- inch pastry tip. Cut out a nose from each with a pastry tip with a 3/4-inch-wide base. Pull the noses slightly to make oval. Brush the front of the faces with a little water. Stick the noses on and make nostrils with a wooden skewer. Use the curved base of a pastry tip to make a smiling mouth indentation. Attach the tan eyes above the nose. Roll the black fondant into tiny eyeballs and press in the eyes.
• Let the monkeys dry, uncovered, overnight.

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.

Steps:

• Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler: Put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted.
• It usually takes about 2 ½ minutes total. Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.
• Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY - palms, backs and in between fingers, then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle.
• Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands.
• Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more.
• Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant is sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about ½ tablespoon at a time then knead it in). It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball so that it will stretch without tearing when you apply it to the cake.
• Its best if you can let it sit, double wrapped, overnight (but you can use it right away if there are no tiny bits of dry powdered sugar). If you do see them, you will need to knead and maybe add a few more drops of water.
• Prepare the fondant for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic- type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible.
• MM Fondant will hold very well in the refrigerator for weeks. If I know that I have a cake to decorate, I usually make 2 batches on a free night during the week so it is ready when I need it. Take advantage of the fact that this fondant can be prepared well in advance.