Hi everyone. I'm new here and this is my first time trying to ask a question... and I'm so frustrated. I make my own MM fondant, and i either get little lumps of iscing sugar left throughout the fondant, or like yesterday when i made my daughter's b-day cake... I actually had little gelatin bits all through it! It's supposed to be smooth! I'm getting so frustrated with the fondant!!! HELP!!!!!!

Thanks,
Robin ( The Cupcake Lady )

WELCOME TO CC!!! Not sure if I can answer it correctly, but the sugar pieces makes me think you need to sift the sugar. Have you been sifting the powdered sugar? The gelatin globs, are you melting them until they are huge and puffy looking, then stirring them until a "soupy" texture? That is all I got, but hopefully someone has experieced this before and knows why it happened=( Jen

Gelatin should be left to sit or "Bloom" in cold water for at least 15 minutes and then heated in a pan of water until it has melted completely.

Thanks to those of you who have allready tried to help. I should clarify a few things though. I am makinf MM fondant in this case, so there is no gelatin being used. All that's going into this recipe is marshmallow, crisco shortening, vanilla extract and icing sugar.... then gel food colouring. I did sift my icing sugar actually now that you mention it, and I am still having this problem. I just don't know what the heck happened! I really would love to have a way to make this so that it works perfectly, nice and smooth time and time again without any reason to worry if it's going to turn out alright. So I don't know what I did wrong, but if anyone has encountered this problem, or knows what the problem might be and how to fix it I'd be forever greatful. Thanks

The Cupcake Lady

I have no idea what the answer is but I know what you are talking about and it has happened to me, too.

I also sift my sugar but I don't use any crisco in mine. Just marshmallows, water and powdered sugar, and I use a name brand sugar so it's not a quality thing. Sometimes it comes out just as smooth as can be and other times is has these little hard things in it.

I'm curious if anyone else has this problem and hopefully there is a solution out there! I have had to remake it on several occasions, so I sympathize with you.

I find with MMF if you don't knead it long enough and let it stand long enough it is really grainy/sugary. How long are you letting it stand before uisng?

I love working with MMF, I use the receipe from here and added some vanilla & butter extract. People actually love the taste of it and actually eat it. I have been told it tastes like the middle of an oreo cookie.
The first couple of times I used it, I had the same problems you described as well as little air bubbles. What I have learned is, the trick is to make the MMF at least 24 hours in advance and let it rest. Don't forget to wrap it tight in saran wrap, in a zip lock bag and then air tight container. After 24 hours that it has been resting you take it out and knead it and are able to roll thin without any issues and you can get it very smooth..

Another trick if coloring : add the color in at the time of melting the marshmellows to save your KA and hands from all of the the kneading.

Hope that helps! Have fun Cakin'

There is gelatin in the marshmallows already, I'm not sure why it happens but I also get gelatin pieces.  I've noticed if I am careful when melting the marshmallows, I check them every 30 seconds, it's less likely to happen.  When I've melted the marshmallows for a long time and walked away I've had to throw out the batch and start over.  Maybe that will help.  As far as graininess I'm facing that issue as well, I double sift I add the sugar slowly Idk what Is wrong?  It mostly happens when I have to add color after the fondant has been kneaded?

It could be the brand that you are using. The best marshmallows to use are the store brands not the national brands. I use Kroger brand marshmallows and it works perfectly. As far as graininess issues i would make sure that I'm using powder sugar that's ground 10x.