As requested, here is the recipe I use to make Marshmallow Fondant (MMF) including hints and tips I have learned along the way in making MMF. The recipe is simple, economical, uses ingredients found at a local market, tastes much better than store-bought fondant, and is easy to color and flavor.
Be sure to visit my MMF Page (see menu bar above) for additional links to other posts containing more tips and additional info called, Marshmallow Fondant (MMF) Recipes.
Marshmallow Fondant is called, MMF for short and is made by essentially melting marshmallows and adding powedered sugar.
Marshmallow Fondant (MMF)
Directions:
1) Coat a microwave safe bowl with 1 Tbsp shortening, add marshmallows, sprinkle with water.
2) Coat a spatula well with shortening.
3) Microwave for 30 sec intervals, stirring well with the spatula in between each interval. DO NOT microwave for more than 3 intervals (it will break down the marshmallows and you end up with a ton of air bubbles in your finished product). Stirring really well between each, heating interval, will help distribute the heat and melt the marshmallows thoroughly.
4) If needed, add flavoring or color to the melted marshmallows (see hints below). You can always add more coloring to it as you are kneading in the PS so don’t worry if you don’t get the color you want initially.
5) Grease a table or counter top well with shortening and add ½ of the PS onto it. Create a well in the PS and pour the melted marshmallows into it. Grease your hands with a coating of shortening and gently fold the PS into the melted marshmallows, kneading it as needed (work fast, you don’t want the marshmallow to cool and see Hint #1 and #7 below).
6) Keep rubbing more shortening into your hands as needed to keep the MMF from sticking to you. Add more powdered sugar and knead the MMF until it forms a smooth ball of dough and is no longer sticky (feels a lot like play dough). Coat the dough well with a coating of shortening, cover in saran wrap tightly, cover again in a 2nd layer of saran wrap and store in an air tight container or Zip Lock Bag overnight to allow the sugar to incorporate and sugar-lumps to melt away. Color will develop and darken as it sits overnight.
7) When you are ready to use the MMF, knead it to soften it up: If it's too dry, add a few drops of water and if it's sticky, sprinkle a little bit of PS.
Notes:
1) I have never used the entire, 2 lbs of Powdered Sugar. Depending on the weather and humidity, I use anywhere from 1-1/2 lbs to 1-3/4 lbs.
2) Optional: When making colored MMF, add a tsp of Light Corn Syrup to the MMF as you are kneading in the PS. It makes it more pliable especially if you make darker colors. When I make white, I don’t find a need to add the Corn Syrup.
3) You can store the MMF at room temperate for about 3 months, in the fridge for a couple months or in the freezer for a very long time. Just keep it wrapped and let it come to room temperature before using it. If the MMF is rock hard, zap it in microwave for 10 sec intervals to soften it slightly and knead it by hand. The heat from you hands will help soften the MMF making it workable.
4) You can make the MMF by using a powerful KitchenAid with a dough hook, coat bowl and hook really well with shortening. I personally like doing it by hand; you can feel the dough and know when it's the right consistency. When I've used the KA, the PS gets compacted along the bottom and sides of the bowl which I have to scrap off leaving large lumps of PS in the MMF...not good, plus who wants to wash additional dishes afterwards?
5) If the MMF is too stretchy, let it sit uncovered for about 5 minutes to cool down and settle a bit, you may have overworked it and got it too warm. Also, MMF will take more PS if it's too warm so don't add more than the 2 lbs or else, you'll end up with a big, lumpy, crumbly ball once it's completely cooled.
6) Different brands of marshmallows give you different shades of white as well as texture. It may take a few tries to find one you like and works best for you. To get MMF really white, add a couple drops of bright white food coloring gel or, a very small smidgen of violet (it cancels out yellow)
- 16 oz Generic Mini Marshmallow’s (not Jet Puffed, although some only use Jet Puffed, I favor the texture and workability of the generic ones...either way, just be sure they are FRESH)
- 2 lbs C&H Powdered Sugar, Sifted to remove any lumps (abbreviated "PS")
- 2 Tsp Water (you just need a little bit sprinkled over the marshmallows to help with melting)
- 1-2 Tbsp Shortening or Crisco (keeps the MMF from sticking to surfaces, do not use more than 2 Tbsp)
- 1 tsp Light Corn Syrup (optional, makes it more pliable when adding color)
Directions:
1) Coat a microwave safe bowl with 1 Tbsp shortening, add marshmallows, sprinkle with water.
2) Coat a spatula well with shortening.
3) Microwave for 30 sec intervals, stirring well with the spatula in between each interval. DO NOT microwave for more than 3 intervals (it will break down the marshmallows and you end up with a ton of air bubbles in your finished product). Stirring really well between each, heating interval, will help distribute the heat and melt the marshmallows thoroughly.
4) If needed, add flavoring or color to the melted marshmallows (see hints below). You can always add more coloring to it as you are kneading in the PS so don’t worry if you don’t get the color you want initially.
5) Grease a table or counter top well with shortening and add ½ of the PS onto it. Create a well in the PS and pour the melted marshmallows into it. Grease your hands with a coating of shortening and gently fold the PS into the melted marshmallows, kneading it as needed (work fast, you don’t want the marshmallow to cool and see Hint #1 and #7 below).
6) Keep rubbing more shortening into your hands as needed to keep the MMF from sticking to you. Add more powdered sugar and knead the MMF until it forms a smooth ball of dough and is no longer sticky (feels a lot like play dough). Coat the dough well with a coating of shortening, cover in saran wrap tightly, cover again in a 2nd layer of saran wrap and store in an air tight container or Zip Lock Bag overnight to allow the sugar to incorporate and sugar-lumps to melt away. Color will develop and darken as it sits overnight.
7) When you are ready to use the MMF, knead it to soften it up: If it's too dry, add a few drops of water and if it's sticky, sprinkle a little bit of PS.
Notes:
1) I have never used the entire, 2 lbs of Powdered Sugar. Depending on the weather and humidity, I use anywhere from 1-1/2 lbs to 1-3/4 lbs.
2) Optional: When making colored MMF, add a tsp of Light Corn Syrup to the MMF as you are kneading in the PS. It makes it more pliable especially if you make darker colors. When I make white, I don’t find a need to add the Corn Syrup.
3) You can store the MMF at room temperate for about 3 months, in the fridge for a couple months or in the freezer for a very long time. Just keep it wrapped and let it come to room temperature before using it. If the MMF is rock hard, zap it in microwave for 10 sec intervals to soften it slightly and knead it by hand. The heat from you hands will help soften the MMF making it workable.
4) You can make the MMF by using a powerful KitchenAid with a dough hook, coat bowl and hook really well with shortening. I personally like doing it by hand; you can feel the dough and know when it's the right consistency. When I've used the KA, the PS gets compacted along the bottom and sides of the bowl which I have to scrap off leaving large lumps of PS in the MMF...not good, plus who wants to wash additional dishes afterwards?
5) If the MMF is too stretchy, let it sit uncovered for about 5 minutes to cool down and settle a bit, you may have overworked it and got it too warm. Also, MMF will take more PS if it's too warm so don't add more than the 2 lbs or else, you'll end up with a big, lumpy, crumbly ball once it's completely cooled.
6) Different brands of marshmallows give you different shades of white as well as texture. It may take a few tries to find one you like and works best for you. To get MMF really white, add a couple drops of bright white food coloring gel or, a very small smidgen of violet (it cancels out yellow)
Updated Sept 2011:
7) Don't use more than 2 Tbsp to make your MMF. I usually use about 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp to coat the bowl, melt the marshmallows, on the spatula, and to coat the work surface and my hands with. If you use too much shortening, your MMF will be too soft, sag and droop. Use only enough to keep it from sticking and no more - the less you use the better the texture of the MMF. Also, I read somewhere long time ago that shortening breaks down the MMF, so if you need to make it more pliable, add a tsp of light corn syrup or glycerin instead.
Hints:
1) Don’t dig your hands into the melted marshmallows or else you will get a big, sticky mess on thy fingers. You want to FOLD the PS into the melted marshmallows while keeping a layer of PS between your hands and marshmallows and after doing this a couple times, you will be able to handle the marshmallows without it sticking like glue to your fingers. If you do get a sticky mess on the hands, rub them with PS and the melted marshmallow will peel right off.
2) Use flavored Jello-O to flavor and color you MMF. Add a large, 6 oz box, of Jell-O Mix into the melted marshmallows and stir it well and quickly to melt the Jell-O granules. Or, you can also use colored candy melts to help color the MMF and/or Lor-Ann flavoring oils. Depending on the cake flavor, I like to use either Cheesecake, almond, or lemon flavorings in the MMF.
Nov 2010 Update: See post about making Red MMF with Red Candy Melts =) Worked wonderfully!
3) Dark colors become darker over time, so be sure to give yourself 2-3 days to get the shade you need and to allow the colors to mature completely.
4) Red MMF: As difficult as everyone says it is to make red, I am glad to say that I have succeeded (see Ferrari Cake). How? When the marshmallows are melted, add 1 large box (6 oz) of Strawberry Jell-O Gelatin and stir really well and until it's not grainy (work fast, you don’t want the marshmallow’s to cool down before adding the PS). This gives the MMF a pink base to start with. Then added a ½ oz of the Wilton No Taste Red Icing Color
to it. Kneed in the PS and add more of the red coloring a little at a time. Don’t worry if it is not very red; Dark colors darken over time. Coat the dough with shortening, wrap tightly and store in an airtight container. Let it sit overnight. On the following day, knead the dough more and add more red as needed. For the red on the Ferrari Cake, I made the MMF 3 days ahead, kneaded more red into it on day 2 and let it just sit and rest until I used it on day 3. It smelled and tasted deliciously like strawberry Jell-O! |
| Red Ferrari Cake covered in Red MMF made with Strawberry JELL-O and Wilton No Taste Red (the shine is due to rubbing the cake VERY lightly with with a TINY bit of shortening - letting the heat off you fingers melt and spread the shortening evenly around) |
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| Closeup of the JELL-O MMF |
Update: I've been getting comments on how some of you are getting a grainy MMF when using the jello mix. Be sure to use the JELL-O brand - I've used a generic brand before (see Denture Cake below) and the sugar didn't melted completely and left the MMF grainy feeling, almost like it had some tiny specs of sand it. Please mix the JELL-O really well and completely into the melted marshmallows. Above I added a closeup of the red MMF made with JELL-O (Ferrari Cake). If you look really close, you can see some tiny, darker specs randomly around the cake that are only noticeable up close (really up close, this is the only photo I was able to find that it showed up on). Even though there are some tiny darker specs, the MMF was still smooth and not grainy. Please keep trying and if it doesn't work for you, don't give up. You can also get dark and bright colors by using the candy melt method. HTH!
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| Dental Cake make with a Generic Brand of Strawberry Jello Mix and a tiny bit of Wilton No Taste Red (MMF was grainy) |
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| Closeup of the Denture Cake right after it was covered and before it was dusted off and cleaned off. |