2 days Ago By [email protected] (Jessica Fleming-Montoya)
When it comes to making beautiful cakes with a smooth finish, fondant is key. The pliable, sugary ingredient lets you sculpt patterns onto your cake, add molded cake toppers, or just leave a clean finish to your dessert without worrying about the buttercream getting nicked or melting. The trouble is that while this commonly used cake-decorating ingredient can be extremely helpful, fondant can be difficult to work with .
Plus, it's not always the cheapest ingredient or easiest to come by. The good news is that if you want to get a sleek finish on your cakes, there's an easy workaround — make marshmallow fondant. Marshmallow fondant only takes about 10 minutes to whip up and calls for just a few simple ingredients you've likely already got in your pantry.
Plus, you can sculpt, flavor, and color your fondant just like you would if you were using the traditional version. Marshmallow fondant vs. regular Although it works much the same as regular fondant, the marshmallow variety is actually quite different.
Firstly, rather than calling for complex ingredients such as glycerin, glucose syrup, and gelatin, the simplest renditions of this recipe only require water, marshmallows, and powdered sugar. You may come across some that also require butter and vanilla extract, but if you want to really keep things simple, you can make the recipe without these additions. Another difference between these two fondants is the flavor.
Regular fondant tends to have a flavor somewhere between sweet and bland paired with a chalky texture. On the other hand, many people find marshmallow fondant's flavor more palatable, akin to your favorite campfire dessert rather than a mouthful of pure sugar. Finally, while marshmallow fondant is often considered easier to make (and cheaper), it's important to note that it's not as shelf-stable as regular fondant.
You can store it in the fridge for up to 2 months, but regular fondant can last up to a couple of years depending on the brand and how you store it. Tips for making marshmallow fondant When making marshmallow fondant, you'll want to use mini marshmallows. While regular sized marshmallows will technically work fine, they can take longer to melt and can be a bit trickier to work with.
On the other hand, mini marshmallows melt up quickly and are easy to blend together into a smooth and uniform consistency. Beyond the size of the marshmallows you use, you'll also want to think about the flavor. Regular marshmallows work well if you want a blank backdrop to add extracts to.
On the other hand, if you use strawberry or other flavored marshmallow varieties, you'll want to bear that in mind as your fondant will also have those tasting notes once you're done making it. Finally, another thing to know about making marshmallow fondant is that if you leave it to sit out for too long, it can become rock hard. The good news is that you can make it malleable again by zapping it in the microwave for a few seconds.
Just be careful not to put it in for too long or it could burn. Plus, you'll want to work with it quickly once it's softened back up or it'll just become hard again. Next time you need an easy way to decorate a cake , try whipping up a simple marshmallow fondant to cover your cake in.
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