Marshmallow Fondant

Marshmallow Fondant
Baking 911

16 oz white mini-marshmallows
2 tablespoons water
1 t lemon juice (optional, but will cut down a bit on the sweetness)
1 to 2 teaspoons corn syrup (optional--helps prevent cracking)
2 pounds confectioners' sugar (approx. 8 cups), sifted, or more, as needed
½ cup Crisco shortening or more, as needed

In a large microwave proof bowl, pack in marshmallows and add the water and lemon juice, if using. Microwave on high for 20 to 30 seconds at a time, just long enough for the marshmallows to soften and puff up. Stir with a greased (use Crisco) rubber spatula or greased wooden spoon, until it is well combined.
Stir in the corn syrup.
Sift powdered sugar over the melted marshmallows, one or two cups at a time. Fold until all is incorporated and it is no longer sticky. You may not need all of the sugar. Take mixture out of the bowl when it gets to the point where most of the sugar is incorporated.
Grease your hands and the countertop with Crisco -- use a LIGHT coating; a little goes a long way; if you use too much, the MMF will become sticky. Scrape the marshmallow/sugar mixture onto the countertop, in the middle of the greased spot. Continue to sift the powdered sugar, 1 or two cups at a time, and knead after each addition.
Re-grease your hands as necessary. The mixture will become quite stiff. Add enough powdered sugar until the mixture becomes pliable and firm, smooth and elastic. This takes roughly about 5 - 7 minutes by hand. Form into a ball. Preferably, let rest overnight in an airtight container before using.

TO ROLL: Roll about 1/8-inch thick. Use a dusting of cornstarch or a thin coating of Crisco to roll out on.

TO COVER A CAKE: Ice cake with a light coating of buttercream, jam or jelly. Do not use whipped cream or an icing that needs refrigeration as Marshmallow Fondant does not hold-up well under refrigeration as it is essentially sugar.

When trimming MMF, it will shrink. Trim it right below the cake board so when it shrinks, it will be the perfect length.

TO FIX: If the mixture tears easily, it is too dry. Form fondant into a flat, rectangular shape, sprinkle a few drops of water at a time and, then fold over on itself. Knead well before deciding to add more. The more liquid you add to this will make it stickier to work with, so be careful how much you add.

If the fondant is too sticky, let it sit out and "air dry" for about 10 minutes. If it is still too sticky, shape fondant into a rough, flat rectangle, and sift 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar over its surface. Fold over itself and knead until fully incorporated before deciding to add more. Avoid adding extra powdered sugar because if you add to much, the fondant will have a tendency to crack.

To fix cracks on a cake, rub with Crisco shortening.

If the fondant is gritty, the more you knead, the smoother it becomes.

STORAGE: Coat fondant ball with a thin layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic wrap and then put it in a re-sealable bag or container. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Store at room temperature in a cool, dark place. To soften, microwave for five to ten seconds (start off with 5) on high, at a time.

TINTING / FLAVORING: The best way to color is to add paste food color right after melting the marshmallows, while they are still liquid, before you stir everything together. Flavor with candy oil.

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW FONDANT VARIATION:
Add to recipe ingredients, above:

1 ounce melted semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Stir melted chocolate into the melted marshmallows. Sift cocoa powder over one cup powdered sugar and combine.
2. Sift cocoa powder/powdered sugar over the melted marshmallows and knead until incorporated.

White Chocolate Variation:
Substitute 2 ounces of white chocolate for the semi-sweet chocolate and cocoa powder. You may need more powdered sugar in the recipe.