All you really need is to spray it with a little water (not too much or it will melt your fondant). I have a small pump spray bottle that I bought just for that purpose.
Just a light spritzing of water is all you need. Some people like shortening. I find it messy. I just dampen the foam with water and let it sit on a towel while I am rolling out the fondant. Make sure you soften the upper edge and corners if square so that the sharp edge does not tear the fondant. You can use sandpaper, a rolling pin, your hand or the counter to soften the edge.
I prefer to use just crisco on my dummies. I find that it fills in small imperfections and allows me to adjust the fondant easily.
I smooth the upper edge with an emery board so that the fondant doesn't tear, massage the dummy liberally with crisco, and then put on the fondant.
No sticky stuff and if I have to adjust or remove the fondant, it can just be re-kneaded.
HTH
Rae
I find that any water added to fondant makes it sticky.
I've also noticed that if there are any imperfections in the dummy the fondant will "shrink" into them more when using water. With the shortening, this doesn't happen.
Rae
That's a good point, Rae. I think I'll try your method next time I'm using a dummy. I generally use dummies more than once, and it seems to me it might be easier to get the old fondant off if I use shortening. Would you say that's true?
It is easy to get the fondant off without any effort if you use water or shortening. Piping get is a bit more work. The easiest way is to place the foam in the dishwasher. You can also soak it in water. If the fondant is really fresh it just peels off.
That's a good point, Rae. I think I'll try your method next time I'm using a dummy. I generally use dummies more than once, and it seems to me it might be easier to get the old fondant off if I use shortening. Would you say that's true?
I think it's easier--having tried all 3 methods (water, piping gel, & shortening)--especially when the fondant is fairly fresh (less than 2 wks. on the dummy).
If my dummy is pretty banged up--I re-use those mainly for classes--when I used water and left the fondant on for a fairly long time, boy, that stuff would stick in the imprefections like high grade cement.
I put my dummies in the dishwasher, too, to get the fondant off. I put them in the top rack, no soap, air dry, and they come out beautifully. If the dummy doesn't fit in the dishwasher, I soak them in hot water in a big plastic bin. If I'm in a a rush, if the glue is shortening, the hot water loosens up the fondant and I can get a palette knife under it easily and pry off big chunks quickly.
Obviously, it's a personal preference and to each his/her own. I was first taught piping gel (hated the mess), then water (for me, fine unless I had to start over and then I had to compensate for the water added to the fondant), and then was I was told about using shortening.
To me, the shortening process was just easier from start to finish. I roll on a smear of shortening, I have to knead in a tiny amount, anyway, so it was, for me, just a continuation of a theme.
Rae
My only problem is that I don't have a dishwasher (or rather my dishwasher is whoever I can con into doing it that day), but I can see soaking my dummies in hot water. And you're right about the shortening being a continuation of the theme: I've started working more shortening into my fondant than I used to, with wonderful results. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes to use shortening on the dummies. Thanks for the idea.
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