Hey everyone!

So my question is what is the best type of fondant to work with?
I know you can make a marshmallow fondant. Is that harder or easier to work with?

I love to bake and have just recently fallen in love with cake decorating. So I'm still trying to figure out what works best.

I would love all your input!

Thanks Bunches!

This is such a personal call, that you won't get one answer
fondarific
mmf
mff
satin ice
chocopan
fondX
Wilton (taste is up for debate, workability is great)

comes down to where u live, shipping charges, taste/ texture preferance, humidity, what u use to roll it out, if you like softer fondant, chocolate fondant, whatever.
I live in the uk so my personal opinion won't help!
xx

I've used MMF, Wilton's, Fondarific and Duff's (looks & taste just like the fondarific).

The Wilton's taste horrible unless you add Lorann Oils etc to doctor it up but it dries stiff and quickly.

Duff can be too soft but add a little powder sugar and dust with cornstarch and it's fine. This covers a cake beautifully and I've used texture mats with great results but it never really hardens - it just get's a little stiff.
MMF is great for 2-D cut outs and covers.
MMF doesn't work well for anything 3-D for me nor does straight Duff.

***I tried mixing wilton pre-made gumpaste with duff fondant & it turned into a ball with hard white lumps in it... Hey you live and you learn

Thanks brincess_b!

I figured it would be different for different climates. I live in Phoenix, Arizona..so its really hot and pretty much dry most of the year.

Thanks beginner1933!

I totally agree with you on how horrible Wilton tastes. That the only one I've experimented with and that is why I'm trying to find something else that is easier to work with and taste good. Have you ever made your own fondant? I was looking into that today to see if it would be easier to handle and better tasting. But who has the time to make you own!

I've only tried Wilton, MMF & MFF. MFF is the one for me!

I live in AZ too and I shop at ABC Cake Decorating in Phoenix. They have both Satin Ice and FondX there, both are good. Sating Ice is a little soft for beginners to work with, so maybe start with the FondX first. They both taste good and are much cheaper than the Duff.

I personally love Satin Ice fondant. I find that the texture is always great and the taste is superior to many other brands. I usually order mine from globalsugarart.com or fondantsource.com. You can sometimes even get coupons for both of those sites.

So many factors! Here's my $0.02:

Marshmallow Fondant (MMF)
Pros: tastes great w/o needing much flavoring, super easy to make, adequate for cut-out accents (I like it for covering cookies)
Cons: hard achieve a consistent, smooth surface (e.g. for covering cakes), easily cracks, not very stretchy, hard to achieve deep colors

Gelatin & Glucose-based Fondant (e.g. MFF & Toba Garrett's recipe)
Pros: tastes pretty good w/o needing much flavoring, not as easy to make as MMF, but if you do it a couple times you'll get it down no prob, very stretchy and pliable
Cons: slight learning curve for making it at first (don't forget to strain the gelatin!!!), hard to achieve deep colors

Store-bought (e.g. wilton, Satin Ice)
Pros: stretchy and pliable, easy to smooth, available in deep/rich colors, convenient for purchasing at local craft stores or even Walmart
Cons: (remember, just my opinion!) can't beat the taste of home-made stuff (tastes slightly chemically), can be expensive

People's tastes vary so wildly but for me FondX is my first choice. It rolls nicely, rarely cracks, colors easily, tastes nice, and is very cost effective. I buy Satin Ice when I need either bright red or black, but it had a tendency to crack and also dries very hard. Pettinice works well, covers and smooths well, but I think is lacking in the taste department. I use Fondarific when specifically requested and I do think it has the best taste, however it does not dry at all which can be problematic and I think it's overpriced. I hate Wilton Fondant. It tastes horrible, dries out and cracks easily, and always has hard spots of what I think might be plastic in it...it's also overpriced. But like I said...it really comes down to personal preference and what you think works best for you. Good luck!

If you make your own fondant. I believe that a true gelatin based fondant like Michele Foster's fondant is the best for workability and pliability. I have never had good results with marshmallow fondant. The gelatin based fondants produce a higher quality fondant.