I am just a hobby baker and don't/can't buy in bulk or wholesale. I pay about $17 + tax for a 2 lb bucket of colored Satin Ice (a little less for white) at the local cake shop. So, I will definitely try the Duff product at Michael's while they still let you use a coupon for 40%-50% off. Even with tax it is still a bit of savings for me (and Michael's is closer to my home than the bake shop). I don't think the local bake shop is going to have to worry about loss of business though

I was in Michael's today for non-cake reasons. But thought I'd cruise over tot he cake aisle and check this Duff stuff out. Nothing he was selling interested me. But I picked up a 2lb (with a coupon)of his dark brown (chocolate flavored) fondant since I have a several cakes coming up that need lots of brown accents (what is it with all these monkey themed baby showers?)

I pulled a bit out to see what it was like. It was not uniform in texture or color. But after a bit of kneading, it was very nice, smooth and workable. Not sticky or dry. It should be very easy to work with.

Taste was good...pretty much like tootsie roll. BUT...if you have clients who don't like the texture of fondant because it's chewy, stay away from this stuff! It was damn close to bubble gum chewy. After ages of chewing, I pretty much had to swallow it whole. Chewing just wouldn't break it up!

Maybe I'm just spoiled by the melt-in-your-mouth texture of MFF, and even MMF, to a lesser extent. But this stuff is just not viable for covering cakes with. Small accents, sure. But whole cakes? Not in my kitchen.

I know MMF but I forgot what was MFF? your review of the drk chocolate is very helpful!

thanks arts - for the memory jog

I couldn't resist buying some of this Duff stuff. I enjoy making my own fondant, but I like to try new things. I'm still relatively new to caking, so I don't work all that fast and found that SI dries pretty fast. I got elephant skin the last time I used SI. Duff's on the other hand stayed soft. I bought the dark chocolate; I must admit that my mouth watered once I opened the container. Oh, boy the aroma! It was also nice to work with. I was able to use my funky letter cutters with it without a problem. I just used a little cornstarch.

Ill stick with making my own, but its great to know this is out there to use if I need it in a pinch. With a coupon its competitive to the other fondants out there.

Kims - I agree with the coupon part. what did you think of the taste? Did you also find it overly chewy?

Wrightway777, I could eat the whole tub! I thought the taste was great. But I don't know about on a cake, it might be a little chewy. I put it on cookies, and people loved it. I will also be watching for feedback from others on taste. And I'll post the reactions from my next cake.

I'm going to attempt to cover cakes with it. But I think I might 50/50 mix it with a faster drying fondant. I think SI dries too fast and I dont see how anyone uses crimpers without it doing the elephant skin (SI). Anybody have any suggestions on the brand for the choc fondant for the other 50%? I'm thinking about choc SI.
If I am successful at covering a dummy with the mix first then I will do a tiered cake in it.
Now if there are any of you thinking "why bother" what brand would you choose to cover tiers (it has to be chocolate)? I will have to not do fondarific on this one cause I have to transport the final product almost 5 hours away.

I just bought a 2lb tub of Duff fondant at Michaels $15 with my 50% off coupon.

I wanted to use anything besides Wilton and Kwik (Bulk Barn product).

I can't find Satin Ice within a 50mile radius, so this will do.

I agree Michael's prices are VERY expensive and only decently worth with a coupon.

The price is nothing compared to the taste. Actually, it works out cheaper than a lot of the nicer brands like satin ice or Carmas.

I totally misjudged how much black fondant I would need a couple months ago, and was in a time pinch, so I sent my husband to Michael's and he brought back a tub of Duff's black.

That was the single most revolting thing I have ever put in my mouth. It actually made me throw up. It smelled like chemically plastic, and tasted rotten, I just threw it away and figured something else out.

I did check the expiry date, because it really did taste like it had gone rancid, but it wasn't even close. Maybe I just got a bad batch, but that's the second Duff product I have used that got thrown away.

Has anyone else tasted it and had something similar? I'm sort of kicking myself now for throwing it away instead of sending it back to see if something was up with it. I just can't imagine that people would ever buy it twice.

I think you got a bad batch.  I buy the black and brown and have always enjoyed the taste.  But one of my cake friends went to Michaels to get a bucket of white and when she got home the white fondant was black.  Went back to the store and had the people open a few other whites and they were all black, so beware.

Hhmm I will have to check out my white 2lb, I purchased tonight, to see if I ended up with black. Quality Control at Duff's must have been on a mental vacation the day they packaged your batch. ;)