• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pastry Maestra

Pastry Maestra

Free Video Tutorials on Baking, Pastry making and Creating Desserts. Have a sweet life!

  • Home
  • Baking Basics
    • All About Ingredients
    • Basic Techniques
    • Charlotte
    • Creams & Custards
    • Doughs & Batters
    • Decorating Techniques
  • Video Recipes
  • About
    • About Me
    • “The Pastry Chef”
    • Testimonials
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
  • Contact Me

Rolled Fondant – an Edible Play Dough

August 27, 2015 by Pastry Maestra

by Tereza AlabandaTereza-Alabanda-Pastry-Maestra-Pastry-Chef
Scroll-down-for-recipe-Pastry-Maestra Wedding Cake Detail, Pastry Maestra

D

id you like playing with modeling clay when you were a kid? Well, playing with rolled fondant will be even better because you can eat your creations! And how fantastic is that? Not only that you can just eat it, but you can color it in any color you can think of, and make beautiful edible decorations for your cake. But, first things first – do you actually know what is rolled fondant?

What is Rolled Fondant?

Rolled fondant is a dough-like mixture that contains sugar, glucose, and some stabilizers, and it is used for making decorations and covering cakes to obtain a smooth and even finish. Before working with fondant, it is necessary to knead it first. That way you obtain smooth and pliable mass. Fondant will dry out when exposed to air, so it should be kept in a plastic bag or wrapped in plastic foil.

Fondant Icing vs. Rolled Fondant

Wedding Cake, Pastry Maestra

Fondant icing or poured fondant isn’t the same thing like rolled fondant! Fondant icing is pure white icing made by cooking sugar syrup to a certain temperature, cooling it down and then mixing it until it re-crystallizes.

On the other hand, rolled fondant is more dense, and it has a different texture, appearance, and purpose. As in fondant icing, the main ingredient of rolled fondant is sugar, however, there are some other ingredients in it. Also, the techniques are quite different. Instead of cooking sugar syrup like for fondant icing, rolled fondant calls for blooming gelatin, and heating it gently on bain-marie until it dissolves. Melted gelatin is added to powdered sugar along with glucose and glycerin and kneaded until the mixture becomes dough-like.

How to Use Rolled Fondant?

Coloring Fondant

Pink Flowers Wedding Cake, Pastry Maestra

Fondant can also be painted with edible colors. There are many colors available: powdered colors, liquid colors, glitters, dusts, etc. However, in order to make perfectly colored fondant, you should know a few things about edible colors first. In this post I will not teach you everything about food colors, I will only explain the usage of colors regarding fondant.

There are two main types of edible colors: water soluble and fat soluble. To color your fondant, you will need water soluble colors. I have tried lots of different type of colors, but I find gel colors most suitable for my needs. Liquid colorings will spill all over your fondant, and they don’t have strong pigments – you will need to put more coloring, and it will soften your fondant. On the other hand, powdered colorings are too dry, and if you don’t melt them in some water before coloring your fondant, you won’t get uniform color. That is the reason I prefer gel colors; it is easy to control the quantities of the coloring, especially if you are using the ones in tubes. You need to apply a small quantity of the gel coloring on your fondant, and knead until the color of fondant becomes uniform, repeating the process until you are happy with the result. Once you are done with the coloring, it is time for decorating!

Covering Cakes

Before working with fondant, it is necessary to knead it first. That way you obtain smooth and pliable mass.

A cake has to be prepared properly in order to be covered with fondant – it should be masked with ganache or buttercream and well chilled. Smoother the cake is before covering, better it will look when done. When the cake is ready, it is time to roll out the fondant as even as possible. Ideally, fondant should be 2-3mm (1⁄12 – 1⁄8 inches) thick, but if you are a beginner, make it a bit thicker (say-5mm/ 3⁄16 inches) because it will be much easier to handle it (thin fondant breaks easily). Make sure you have enough fondant to cover the top and the sides of your cake! When you are happy with the thickness, roll your fondant on your rolling pin and unroll it onto the cake. Smooth the top with fondant smoother, and then work on the sides. A tip for beginners – buy a cake dummy (the small one will be quite handy) and practice the technique. It takes a lot of persistence, but eventually, your cakes will look neat and pretty.

How to Decorate with Rolled Fondant

For starters, a few essentials will be just fine, and when you learn and master how to work with those, start expanding your collection.

You have successfully covered your cake. What now? Well, now think of your cake like an empty canvas of an artist! If you are not sure what to do, you can make a sketch first! Or, look for inspiration online, look at the photos of other’s cakes; decide what you like and how you want your cake to look like. You can make three-dimensional decorations using only your hands, simple fondant tools and your creativity. On the other hand, there are loads of decorating tools to help you with your creations!

I will give you a piece of advice – you don’t need all of those! For starters, a few essentials will be just fine, and when you learn and master how to work with those, start expanding your collection.

This is your starter kit:

  • Rolling pin
  • Plastic rolling pin Pastry Maestra

    You probably already have a wooden rolling pin. However, a plastic rolling pin is nice and smooth, and so easy to clean.

  • Fondant smoother
  • Fondant smoother Pastry Maestra

    This flat, plastic thingy is a cake decorator’s must! When you cover your cake, use fondant smoother to smooth the top and the sides of your cake. With this tool, all your cakes are going to be nice and smooth.

  • Pizza cutter or fondant trimmer
  • Pizza wheel Pastry Maestra

    When you are done with the smoother, carefully trim off the excess fondant using a pizza cutter or fondant trimmer.

  • Modeling tools
  • Fondant modeling tool set Pastry Maestra

    When you are trying to make a small decoration for your cake, a flower or a figurine, your fingers are going to be too big and clumsy. You will need modeling tools. Stainless steel carving tool set Pastry-Maestra There are plastic modeling tools designed specially for fondant, however, I really like my metal dentist/carving tools – they are firmer (hard to break), they have lots of different forms, and they are more precise than the plastic modeling tools.

  • Ribbon cutter
  • Fondant ribbon cutter Pastry Maestra

    You can use fabric ribbons to decorate your fondant cake. However, if you want to make a 100% edible cake, you will have to learn how to make fondant ribbon and bow, and you will find this tool most helpful!

  • Letters & numbers
  • Lots of clients like their cake to have some kind of an inscription, depending on the occasion, or maybe a number, if you are, for example, making a birthday cake. Fondant nimbers and letters cutters will help you make regular and neat letters and numbers, and if you make them a bit thicker, you can dry them out and stack them on top of your cake!

  • Fondant flowers & butterflies
  • Daisy flower cookie plunger cutter Pastry Maestra

    I usually don’t like buying predefined sets, because whenever I buy one, I never use everything in that set. Butterfly plunger cutter Pastry Maestra So I try to look for individual cutters and molds – just the ones I need. However, this sets are just great, you can make simple and beautiful flowers and butterflies in a jiffy!

  • Flower forming cups
  • Flower forming cups Pastry Maestra

    I love these styrofoam flower forming cups! They are handy, lightweight and easy to handle!

  • Fondant shaping foam
  • Fondant shaping foam is essential to thin out your flowers without breaking your fondant! You have to cut out your petals thinly first, and then put each petal on this mat. Finally, you will thin the edges of your petals using ball tool.

  • Ball tool
  • Ball tool Pastry Maestra

    Last, but not least – the ball tool. I use mine almost every day, and I love it! If you decide to purchase one, be careful not to buy the ball tool with a thin handle. Buy something like this, on the photo, your hand will be grateful, trust me!

So…I guess it’s time to fire up that ol’ steam roller, dump some marshmallows and – start rollin’! Roll, roll, roll…and tell me honestly – isn’t it awesome to play with that edible clay? Isn’t it?!

How to Make Rolled Fondant?

There are loads of recipes for making rolled fondant throughout the internet. Some include lots of powdered sugar, gelatin, and glycerin while other, also very popular recipes call for marshmallow candy, powdered sugar and some butter or vegetable shortening. Since marshmallow fondant is super easy and quick to make, I am sharing my favorite recipe with you.

Rolled Fondant, Pastry Maestra

Marshmallow Fondant Recipe

by:Tereza Alabanda,The Pastry Maestra

PRINT PDF (EN)
ISPIŠI PDF (HR)

Prep. time : 10 minutes

Ready in 10 minutes

Level : Basic

Ingredients:
  • Marshmallows 150g (5.3oz)
  • Water 25ml (1.5Tbsp)
  • Powdered sugar 300g (10.6oz)
Directions
  1. Put marshmallows and water into a bowl and microwave it on low heat for 5-10 seconds. Stir and repeat until everything is melted.
  2. Add powdered sugar. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon greased with some butter or shortening until incorporated.
  3. Put the marshmallow and sugar mass on the counter and knead it until uniform. If the mixture is too sticky, add some more powdered sugar. You can grease your hands and counter with some shortening if you don’t want to add more sugar.
  4. Seal the fondant in an airtight bag or wrap it in plastic foil and leave it to rest overnight.

Copyright© PastryMaestra.comTM


Well, what do you think about this post?

Please leave your comment on YouTube, thank you!

I read and really appreciate all the comments, even though I do not always have the time to respond to each one. So – keep me in the loop and try to create some sweetness every day because – Sweetness is happiness!!

Pastry-Maestra-Signature   Pastry-Maestra-Share

Filed Under: Decorating Techniques Tagged With: decorating, fondant

Primary Sidebar

Find Your Sweetness!

Let’s Connect!

Buy Me a Macaron!

If you like what I do and think that I deserve a small reward - buy me a macaron!
Thank you!

Buy me a macaron!

Pastry Chef Tereza Alabanda Pastry Maestra

Subscribe!

Copyright © 2023 · Pastry Maestra


We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.

Do not sell my personal information.
(Only for California residents)


Cookie SettingsRead MoreAccept

Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
CookieLawInfoConsent1 yearRecords the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.
ep20130 minutesThis cookie is set by Wufoo for load balancing, site traffic and preventing site abuse.
SGPBShowingLimitationDomain12310sessionPopUp Builder plugin cookie that allows saving if a pop-up message has been displayed.
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
CookieDurationDescription
CONSENT2 yearsYouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
_ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
_gat_gtag_UA_149866828_11 minuteSet by Google to distinguish users.
_gid1 dayInstalled by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
CookieDurationDescription
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysA cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface.
YSCsessionYSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages.
yt-remote-connected-devicesneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video.
yt-remote-device-idneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video.
yt.innertube::nextIdneverThis cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::requestsneverThis cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
CookieDurationDescription
_splunk_rum_sid15 minutesNo description
SAVE & ACCEPT

ABOUT ME

Pastry Chef Tereza Alabanda Pastry Maestra

Subscribe!