...when rolling out large circles of fondant to cover a cake.

I have the Ateco silicone mat if it makes a difference.

I use shortening. I found that it helps it to adhere to it and makes it easier to flip and position on cake.

But when you flip it onto the cake, wouldn't it be crisco side up? Or do you use a rolling pin to cover the cake?

I'm covering my first 14" square and I'm nervous. Especially since it's for a wedding that I'll be attending.

But when you flip it onto the cake, wouldn't it be crisco side up? Or do you use a rolling pin to cover the cake?

I'm covering my first 14" square and I'm nervous. Especially since it's for a wedding that I'll be attending.

Yes, it is crisco side up. I don't put massive amounts of shortening on it...just a slight smear. If I were using a rolling pin to aid in positioning the fondant on the cake, I would choose ps over cs. Corn starch tends to dry out the fondant causing cracking.

Hopefully, others with more experience will chime in soon to help out with this one.

I use a small amount of shortening to roll out my fondant when covering a cake. If you use too much it will cause the fondant to breakdown and you will get tears much easier.

If there is too much sheen on my covered cake I use a dust puff containing icing sugar and rub the icing sugar on to the surface of my cake. It's kinda like using make up except on cakes.

Also as a rule, I use icing sugar for fondant and corn starch for gumpaste.

I also use a very small coating of shortening for both gumpaste and fondant. I actually don't mind the slight sheen on the fondant-covered cake. I find it doesn't impact how quickly my gumpaste dries.

I use shortening also. I prefer the slight sheen to the white spots left from ps or cs

thank you everybodu for the input! Please feel free to add any more tips!

I have been wondering the same thing...good question. I don't have a mat would I still use shortening. I have always used cornstarch with MMF. Just reheat a bit if it gets too stiff. But I also keep flipping while rolling out so it doesnt stick to the table. Today I was working with Gumpaste and used PS. MMMMM could this be why i am always frustrated I will try you guys' suggestions.

i use Pam...is this weird...i feel like the odd man out?

I used shortening when I roll it out and it goes shortening side on the cake. Then any extras I make adhere with the shortening side be it stripes or polka dots.

I use crisco on the mat. I use a silicone rolling pin and I don't flip it at all while I'm rolling it. It goes crisco side on the cake, because I've noticed that I can only get a smooth surface if I do it that way...otherwise it will have little pits here and there.

I use a small amout of Crisco on the mat as well. It woeks well just be sure to use a very small amout of Crisco.

So if you don't have a mat do you still use crisco? I don't have one large enough.

wow...and i've been doin' it the hard way. i never thought of using shortening.

I use shortening too! nothing but!....Fondant loves it. I just made a wedding cake today myself, and I usually put some cornstarch on my fondant smoother before i smooth out my cake, and i find it takes some of the greasy-ness away and smoothes out your cake at the same time.

hummmmmmm.....I dont know, I would think the wood would soak up the grease....

I bought a "Roll-&-Cut Mat" from Michaels Crafts, and it works great. Not very expensive, and when u roll the fondant out, you pick the entire mat up with your fondant on it, flip it overand position it onto your cake fondant face down on cake, and then you peal off the mat, and your findant comes off nice and smooth...no finger impressions. If the fondant sticks to the matt, then you didn't use enough crisco Hope this helps.

Jenn

If I were rolling it out without a mat, I would use sifted ps or a ps/cs mixture to keep it from adhering to the surface then use a dusted pin or fat dowel to aid in moving and positioning the fondant.

Crisco on the table seemed to work fine for me. I didn't use enough the first time, but the 2nd time worked fine. I ended up just lifting it onto the cake and not using a rolling pin, so the crisco side was down. I found the lack of ps made it harder to smooth.

Kris

right...crisco/shortening if using a mat.

If rolling directly on the counter or table, using crisco/shortening makes it difficult to remove from surface....and if you do manage to remove it, it sticks to the pin or itself before it can be positioned on the cake.

when using ps to assist in rolling, it should be kneaded completely before hitting the dusted area...say knead it on a lightly greased area, flatten it a bit to a general shape then move the fondant to dusted area to roll out only. Doing it this way shouldn't incorporate such a high amount of ps that it would dry the fondant.

she actually uses both...hmmmm a fix for both?

I have always used ps and I find that I end up with the ps everywhere on me, on the dog, and all over the kitchen. I will have to try the crisco and I will also have to get a mat.

I use a piece of vinyl that I got at the fabric store, then put shortening on that. (I read about this in an earlier post). It's great if you're doing something large. It's also pretty cheap. I think the piece I got covers half my dining room table (4' X 5')and maybe cost me $3.00. I usually put the Wilton mat underneath the vinyl, so I have some idea of size.

The shortening works great so far!

Karen

I use vinyl also, but found it hard to roll fondant out on crisco because the fondant seems to want to hold is position and doesn't glide as you roll. That probably makes no sense!!! Anyway, I 've tried all combinations and for me, straight corn starch on vinyl works the best. Maybe its the fondant recipe, but I've never had drying out problems using corn starch. In fact, when I screw up and have to re-roll three times, the added corn starch usually makes my fondant easier to work with-less sticky, but never dry.