Hi, I need to make deep red MMF and I was wondering if you add the color before or after? also what kind of red food coloring should I use.
I figure that making it myself would be cheaper than paying $25 for 2 pounds of pre colored fondant at my local cake decorating supply store.
Or should I just go ahead and save myself time and buy it pre colored??

Thanks.

Hi,
I find that red, black and dark green are the only fondants that I buy pre coloured. Otherwise you need to buy a special concentrated paste colour and you have to use quite a bit, or certainly with the brand that I use. My advice would be to buy it pre coloured and save yourself alot of time.

I've made a lovely ruby red MMF. It took about half a small bottle of Americolor red gel and it was HELL kneading it in, even using the dough hook on my mixer for part of the time. On the other hand, it came out to EXACTLY the shade I wanted and I made the flavor precisely what I wanted, too.

The key is to make your fondant up at least a day or two beforehand, because it will still look PINK when you've added the color. Dusky rose pink, but pink. Wrap it up, let it sit for a day or two, and the color will ripen into a true, lovely red.

If you can find the strawberry marshmallows. Then you already have a start on it, I add the color during the mixing process before the Powedered Sugar goes in. Use Ameri Gel Super red, but plan to use a ton. Remember the fondant will get a little lighter after the PS, but not much.

I start with regular white mini marshmallows. After they are melted, dump them into the mixer bowl and add a few generous squirts of Americolor Super Red gel. I wouldn't say it takes a "ton" though. The key is to add it to the melted marshmallows before adding the powdered sugar...it's sooo much easier that way. Don't keep adding color until you get the shade you want because it will deepen within a few hours and even more within a day or so. You may end up with too deep of a shade if you add too much in the beginning. If you find that the color is not deep enough the next day, you can always knead in a little more but it shouldn't take much since you already have a good base of color. Good luck!

If you add your color (americolor is fine) to your liquid before you add it to the sugar your fondant will be a nice deep red with minimal elbow grease.