Fondants 101
Fondant has become the newest cake decorating darling among professionals and home bakers alike. Once upon a time that high regard was reserved for buttercream frosting for its tastiness and ease of use, especially among home bakers.
Popular cooking and baking programs on TV may have played a role in the burgeoning popularity of fondants for decorating cakes, cupcakes and other pastries, but most home cooks are still intimidated by idea of using it for their own creations when they really should give it a go. It is a lot easier to make and use than they may imagine it being.
So, what are fondants?
This is a loaded question because there are actually two main types of fondant. Television viewers have become more familiar with rolled fondant that can be shaped for decorations than they are with poured fondant which is usually used as filler, but it can also be used for decorating cakes. Today, we will learn about rolled fondant.
If you have recently attended a party that had a cake as its center piece of the celebration you may have had the opportunity to try fondant. If it had a strange chemical or bland taste to it you can be sure that it was a pre-made fondant the baker purchased at a bakery or candy store. Unfortunately, that odd taste is one thing many tasters have become familiar with so that they tend to simply remove the decorative covering and eat the cake.
But, the good news it can be made at home relatively easily and it will most likely taste a lot better than the cake you tried at the party. Fondants are made by boiling sugar and water until the combination forms into a ball. You can add cream of tartar to the mixture for better consistency. You can also flavor the mixture with lemon or vanilla, or just about any flavoring that suits your fancy. You can also get dyes from a bakery or candy store to make your fondant any color you desire.
How to use it for your creation at home
Once the fondant cools slightly it becomes pliable enough to knead or roll it for your creation. It will take some practice to do more complicated decorative shapes, but if you simply want to cover a cake with rolled fondant, it is not so hard to do.
First, cover the cake with either a butter cream or marzipan mixture to provide a better surface for the cake. Without a covering on the cake, the fondant may become lumpy or rip when it is rolled over the cake.
When you are ready to put the rolled fondant onto the cake you will want to cover the rolling pen and surface with powdered sugar to keep the fondant from sticking to surfaces.
Now, roll out the fondant in to a large enough size to cover the cake. Of course if the cake is round you want the fondant to roll out into a smooth circle or if the cake is square or rectangular, likewise. After it is rolled out to the size you need to cover your cake, gently roll the fondant onto the rolling pen.
This next step is a bit tricky, but you can do it. Lift the fondant over the top of the cake and slowly roll it out over the cake, being careful not to stretch it on the cake or else the fondant will tear. Once the fondant is settled onto the cake surface you will need to shape the sides with a sharp knife and then trim off the excess.
Give it a try and you may discover a talent you never knew you had!
Check out cupcakes-n-macarons for great recipes.
Don't miss their delicious recipe on lemon cupcakes
Popular cooking and baking programs on TV may have played a role in the burgeoning popularity of fondants for decorating cakes, cupcakes and other pastries, but most home cooks are still intimidated by idea of using it for their own creations when they really should give it a go. It is a lot easier to make and use than they may imagine it being.
So, what are fondants?
This is a loaded question because there are actually two main types of fondant. Television viewers have become more familiar with rolled fondant that can be shaped for decorations than they are with poured fondant which is usually used as filler, but it can also be used for decorating cakes. Today, we will learn about rolled fondant.
If you have recently attended a party that had a cake as its center piece of the celebration you may have had the opportunity to try fondant. If it had a strange chemical or bland taste to it you can be sure that it was a pre-made fondant the baker purchased at a bakery or candy store. Unfortunately, that odd taste is one thing many tasters have become familiar with so that they tend to simply remove the decorative covering and eat the cake.
But, the good news it can be made at home relatively easily and it will most likely taste a lot better than the cake you tried at the party. Fondants are made by boiling sugar and water until the combination forms into a ball. You can add cream of tartar to the mixture for better consistency. You can also flavor the mixture with lemon or vanilla, or just about any flavoring that suits your fancy. You can also get dyes from a bakery or candy store to make your fondant any color you desire.
How to use it for your creation at home
Once the fondant cools slightly it becomes pliable enough to knead or roll it for your creation. It will take some practice to do more complicated decorative shapes, but if you simply want to cover a cake with rolled fondant, it is not so hard to do.
First, cover the cake with either a butter cream or marzipan mixture to provide a better surface for the cake. Without a covering on the cake, the fondant may become lumpy or rip when it is rolled over the cake.
When you are ready to put the rolled fondant onto the cake you will want to cover the rolling pen and surface with powdered sugar to keep the fondant from sticking to surfaces.
Now, roll out the fondant in to a large enough size to cover the cake. Of course if the cake is round you want the fondant to roll out into a smooth circle or if the cake is square or rectangular, likewise. After it is rolled out to the size you need to cover your cake, gently roll the fondant onto the rolling pen.
This next step is a bit tricky, but you can do it. Lift the fondant over the top of the cake and slowly roll it out over the cake, being careful not to stretch it on the cake or else the fondant will tear. Once the fondant is settled onto the cake surface you will need to shape the sides with a sharp knife and then trim off the excess.
Give it a try and you may discover a talent you never knew you had!
Check out cupcakes-n-macarons for great recipes.
Don't miss their delicious recipe on lemon cupcakes