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In the first email you'll watch & learn exactly how to make your icing perfectly smooth!
How to Make Fondant
How To Use Rolled Fondant To Cover A Cake
Rolled fondant, pettinice or sugarpaste is a pliable sheet of icing that is as easy to manipulate as pie dough. You can easily roll it out, shape it and then use it to drape over a cake.
Rolled fondant is perfect for cake decorating. Using it you can create a flawlessly, silky smooth canvas as a background for your cakes. The theory features no seams, cracks or lines. However, keep in mind there is no such thing as the perfect cake. In all actuality, professional cake decorators just know how to camouflage or correct any mistakes they make.
In order to create a nearly perfect fondant cake, you cake surface should be nearly perfect. The reason for this is that any imperfections will show up under the layer of fondant icing.
The cake must be level and then glazed, after the glaze dries, you will then generously smooth on a layer of buttercream icing of ? inch. You will actually plaster the cake with the buttercream icing, much like plastering a wall when preparing it for a coat of paint. You will generously fill every crack and crevice and smooth out any lumps and bumps.
After smoothing the surface of the cake as much as possible, it will be ready for the fondant blanket. Remember, you must place the fondant before the buttercream is set and dry. Wet buttercream acts as glue to which the fondant will stick to your cake.
While making fruitcakes with an undercoat of marzipan you will apply a coating of glaze, most often, apricot preserves to act as the glue.
Using confectioners' sugar to dust your work surface you will then knead the amount of fondant you need into a smooth shape. You will measure the top and sides of your cake as well as adding about an inch extra, just in case, to determine the amount of fondant you will need. You will then roll out the fondant to this diameter. For instance, to cover an 8-inch round cake with 4-inch deep sides you will need to roll out 17 inches in diameter.
Using a rolling pin, you will lift and move while rolling out the fondant into a thickness of 1/8-inch. You can keep the fondant from sticking to the work surface by adding confectioners' sugar as needed. You can keep the fondant flexible when it becomes to dry by kneading in a drop of water at a time.
When the fondant is neither too sticky nor to dry and easy to lift and manipulate without cracking or tearing, you will know that you have mastered the art of rolling out fondant. You will smooth out any marks from the rolling pin.
Using the rolling pin you will then carefully lift and drape the fondant, or you may choose to use both hands to lift it. Take care not to tear it while doing so. Remember not to press down or fold the fondant as you position it loosely onto the surface of the cake. Using your hands, you will gently smooth outward and down the sides of your cake, while being careful no to cause any creases or folds as you shape the fondant onto the surface of the cake. If you have long nails you need to be especially careful not to mark the surface of the fondant since these marks are not so easy to smooth out.
A smoother, which is about the same as a drywall trowel for bakers is perfect for pressing the fondant gently onto the sides of your cake. However, do take care not to cause damage to the finish of the fondant. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, you will trim and tuck any extra fondant. If you have uneven edges you may want to pipe, a decorative buttercream icing edge or you may want to add fondant pearls or rope as a final addition.
And there you have a nearly perfect fondant cake!
You should allow the cake to stand while the icing sets, before you decorate it. However, handle it with care in order to avoid marking its soft surface, if you need to decorate the cake immediately.
We do hope you have enjoyed Fondant 101!
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