How to Make Fondant

Making fondant is quite the process and not one that can be done when in a hurry. It takes a precise measurement of ingredients and then the whole kitchen gets covered in white as you attempt to knead in fluffy powdered sugar. My dog Emma goes crazy over the festival of sugar falling into her reach on the floor. While my floor may stay clean with her help, I end up with a Jack Russell covered in sugar and on a sugar high! What a mess!

Fondant is an animal that takes a bit of time and experience to understand. You have to know when more sugar needs to be added or when you added to much. It takes a little practice to get it right. Kneading fondant always reminds me of God's word in my life. It must be worked in and meditated on so that I will understand and live it. 

Joshua 1:8 (ESV2001) says, 'This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all this is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.' Just like I need good fondant to be successful, and that takes time to make, I need God's word in my life so I can live according to his ways and be successful in all that I do. Without God I have nothing and am nothing but a lost soul. 

A cake with fondant that has not been properly kneaded is nothing but a big mess and so is my life without time focusing on God's word. 

Meditating on Him,

Shannon

Making Fondant

Good fondant takes time to make and is best made by hand. You can use a stand mixer up to the point of kneading the remaining sugar into the fondant if you choose to use one. I have tried to use my heavy duty stand mixer several times and find that it is faster to do the whole process by hand and the fondant turns out best.

To begin you will need the following supplies: powdered sugar (at least 2 lbs, more for humid environments), unflavored gelatin, light corn syrup, clear vanilla extract (or another flavor of your preference) and glycerine.

Kitchen tools needed to properly mix your fondant include a spatula, tablespoon, measuring cup, sifter, two large glass bowls and a large saucepan to boil water in (not pictured here).

First, add water into large glass bowl and sprinkle gelatin on top. Set aside until gelatin solidifies (about 3 minutes).

While gelatin sits, boil water over medium heat in large saucepan. Sift one and a half pounds of powdered sugar into the second glass bowl. Set aside.

Once water is boiling and gelatin has solidified, place large bowl containing gelatin on saucepan and allow gelatin to melt. This takes less than two minutes.

Turn off heat and stir in corn syrup, clear vanilla extract and glycerine. Stir until all ingredients are combined.

Remove bowl from saucepan and wipe off bottom carefully with a kitchen towel to prevent water from dripping into bowl with powdered sugar.

Make a well in the center of the powdered sugar and pour in wet ingredients. 

 Starting from the center of the bowl, gradually stir in powdered sugar into liquid a little at a time until all the powdered sugar is incorporated. Fondant will still be very loose at this point.

 Sift remaining half pound of powdered sugar onto countertop. Pour fondant from bowl on  top of sifted sugar.

 Begin to knead remaining powdered sugar into fondant. Be sure to gather as much sugar around loose fondant as possible when beginning to knead. This will prevent fondant from sticking to your hands. When fondant is done, fingers should be easily released from fondant when pressed in. Humid environments require more sugar.

Roll fondant into a short log and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. You may coat the fondant in a thin layer of shortening before wrapping it in plastic wrap. This will prevent the fondant from sticking to the plastic. Store in airtight container (I prefer a gallon plastic storage bag). Allow to sit at in a cool area for at least 24 hours before using. Can store at room temperature for up to a month or in the freezer for up to a year when wrapped well in plastic wrap and in a freezer bag. 

 For written instructions without photos, visit the recipes page.