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All About Fondant




Source of Recipe


Joy of Cooking
Fondant is a candy itself, and is also used to make other candies, either as filling or as coating. For example, fondant centers can be dipped in chocolate, and melted fondant can ice pastries and confections, especially the little teacakes called petits fours. Fondant is made from nothing more than water, sugar, and corn syrup or cream of tartar. You can enrich it by using milk or cream in place of the water if you wish, or by adding butter, or by substituting brown sugar for part of the sugar. Fondant is always cooked to the soft-ball stage (234 to 242 degrees F). If cooked to a higher temperature, fondant will be too firm to handle upon cooling.

The key to a successful fondant is controlling the crystallization of the sugar—controlling, not preventing, because this mixture must crystallize, but in a predictable and controlled manner. After cooking, pour the sugar syrup onto a marble slab or baking sheet (inverted over a rack) lightly sprinkled with water. (Do not scrape out the bottom of the pan, for the sugar there will have a different texture.) Let the fondant cool undisturbed, being careful not to jostle the pan, lest it crystallize too soon. When it has cooled, stir the fondant in a figure-8 pattern. It will go through several stages as you stir, from clear to cloudy to opaque to very white. Once it thickens and becomes white in color, knead by hand until it is smooth and pliable. If the fondant is to be melted down, it can be used immediately; otherwise, it needs to ripen for 24 hours. Even professional candy makers sometimes overcook fondant so that it is too hard to knead. If this happens to you, simply place the mixture in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, add 2/3 cup hot water, and stir constantly until the fondant has thoroughly melted. Then return it to the heavy saucepan and bring it to a boil again. Brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water, place a warmed candy thermometer in the pan, and boil the mixture, uncovered and without stirring, to the soft-ball stage, 234 degrees F. Cool, stir, and knead the fondant as above. To ripen fondant, form it into a ball, cover it with a damp cloth or paper towel, seal it tightly with plastic wrap, and let cool to room temperature. Fondant can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, but be sure to bring it to room temperature before using.

To dip candy centers in fondant, melt the fondant in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring frequently and making sure that the temperature does not rise above 140 degrees F. Remove the double boiler from the heat but keep the fondant over the pan of water to keep it liquid. Drop a candy center into the fondant and turn to coat completely. Lift out the candy using a candy dipper or fork, let the excess drip off, and place it on a wax- or parchment-paper–lined plate. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up. To cover petits fours or other pastries with fondant, place them on a rack over a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Melt the fondant in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring frequently. If it seems too thick, add a little warm water until it is thin enough to pour over the pastries. Flavor and color the fondant, if desired, then pour it over the petits fours in a steady stream. Refrigerate petits fours for 15 to 20 minutes to set the fondant.


BASIC FONDANT RECIPE:

Makes 1 1/4 pounds

Bring to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan:

1 cup water

Remove the pan from the heat, add, and stir until dissolved:

3 cups sugar

Return the pan to the heat and bring to a boil. Sprinkle with:

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

This may make the syrup boil up, so be ready to stir with a long-handled wooden spoon. Brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water. Place a warmed candy thermometer in the pan and boil, uncovered and without stirring, until it reaches 234 degrees, the soft-ball stage.

Meanwhile, sprinkle a marble slab or a baking sheet (inverted over a rack) with cold water. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the syrup onto the wet surface, without scraping the bottom of the pan. Let the syrup cool for 5 to 10 minutes. (If on a baking sheet, the mixture will be thicker and may take up to 30 minutes longer to cool.) When you can place your hand over the fondant and feel no heat rising, test a corner by touching it with a fingertip. If it holds the indentation, it is ready to work.

Use a spatula, a candy scraper, or even a clean putty knife to work the syrup by lifting and folding, always from the edges to the center, then stir in a figure-8 pattern, pushing the fondant back out to the sides. When the mixture begins to turn white, dust your hands with powdered sugar, gather the mixture into a ball, then push it outward with the heel of your hand. Draw it back in with a candy scraper and repeat the process until the surface is smooth and creamy looking.

After kneading the fondant, shape it into a ball and cover it with a damp cloth or paper towel. Tightly cover the ball with plastic wrap or place it in a sealable plastic bag. Let the fondant ripen in a cool place overnight; it gets better day by day. If not using it for several days, replace the damp cloth or towel whenever it dries out. To keep the fondant for several weeks or months, store it in the refrigerator. When ready to use the fondant, dust a work surface with:

Powdered sugar

To color fondant, place it on the work surface dusted with powdered sugar. Make several slashes in the mass and use a toothpick to dot in a few drops of food coloring paste. Knead and fold the mass to distribute the color evenly.

To flavor fondant, work in the flavoring the same way. Use one of the following:

1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla, almond extract, or rose or orange flower water

3 to 5 drops oil of peppermint or anise oil

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, kirsch, framboise, or other liqueur

2 teaspoons grated orange or lemon zest

1/2 cup shredded sweetened dried coconut

2 to 4 ounces bittersweet, semisweet, milk, or white chocolate, melted

1/3 cup peanut or hazelnut butter

1/2 cup almonds or walnuts, toasted and chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped dried cherries, candied orange peel, or candied ginger

To shape fondant, make sure the mixture is at room temperature. Dust the work surface generously with:

Powdered sugar

You may find it easier to work with only half of the fondant at one time. Form it into a long cylinder by rolling it on the work surface, then cut into candy-size pieces or mold it into shapes. To use fondant as coating, heat it in the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water. If it is too thick, add 1 tablespoon hot water at a time and stir until the proper consistency is reached. Be careful not to heat the fondant over 140 degrees or it will become too stiff.