Fondant calla lily

last week i went to a Fun with Fondant Hands on Workshop. it was just for a few hours. i wanted to see what the hype was about. to me, fondant makes cakes look pretty but i can't say that it looks appetizing. i've never been a frosting or icing kind of girl and something told me that i wasn't going to be much of a fondant kind of girl either. want to know a secret? it's not that great. the practical part of me, the part that thinks about how much money and time is put into it is just not worth it. because in the end, the fondant is not consumed and all that energy spent to mold it, color it and make it beautiful ... really? but then i see creations of the most beautiful ribbons, colors and i think ... ok, i get it.

really, i do. at this workshop, i learned how to make a marshmallow fondant. i learned how to play with it. i also learned that i was a mediocre student in art student, particularly during the clay works. fondant was no different. flowers seemed like easiest thing i could create that looked pretty enough to pass off as hard. :)



Marhmallow Fondant

15 oz mini marshmallows
2 tbl water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
2 tsp light corn syrup (helps with pliability)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 lbs (approx 7 cups) confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/2 cup crisco or vegetable shortening

Grease microwave proof bowl with crisco. Also grease wooden or heat proof sppon. Pour marshmallows and water into bowl. Nuke for approximately 2 minutes stopping and stirring at 40 second intervalls. Mixture should be soupy.

Take out of microwave and immediately add corn syrup, lemon juice, salt and extracts. Stir well. Sift confectioner's sugar into mixture, one cup at a time. After approximately 5 cups, grease your hands well crisco and knead the mixture in the bowl. add the 6th cup and continue to knead. Now grease work surface well and turn mixture out of bowl onto counter. Sifter remaining sugar, regrease hand and knead well. If mixture seems soft, add one additional cup of powdered sugar.

Shape into a mound and put a coating of crisco on the outside. DOuble wrap in plastic wrap and insert into ziplock bag. Press air out of bag and seal. Allow to rest overnight, but can be used after sitting for a few hours.

for the calla lily i made, it was so easy. if i ever play with this again, i'll take step by step pix. i credit a lot of my daring bakers challenges and bread kneading in the past for making this so easy. trust me, if i can do it, anyone can.



today's song: Holly Brook, Wanted