Mmf Tastes Like "refrigerator" Lol..anyone??!!
Decorating By lizzycakes Updated 24 Sep 2010 , 2:09pm by luvmysmoother
Ok, so I am new to this. I have made about 6 fondant cakes in the past month each time I make a new batch of fondant and always have left over fondant to use for colors on the next cake... I always coat with crisco, saran wrap, then place in a ziploc freezer bag, and store in the refrigerator.
I have only tasted 2 out of 6 of my cakes, one was delicious, the other one tasted like ....the fondant had picked up the taste of "refrigerator"! (this was with a week old batch of well-covered fondant) I can't describe the taste, because it doesn't taste like an actual food I have in my fridge! I have noticed my fondants also SMELLS like this. I guess you could compare this smell to the smell something has after sitting in the freezer??
HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE??
Do you all keep yours in a tupperware instead of a ziploc bag? Will this help control this problem or is it just the MMF itself that gets this smell?
I'm so worried now because someone is actually paying me to make them a cake, I am going to make new fondant, but I am afraid to even make it a day in advance now!
I lightly coat my left over fondant with high ratio shortening then triple wrap in cling wrap then put in air tight bowl.. no fridge. Hope this helps
Thanks Laura. Ok I just made a fresh batch, triple wrapped, bagged AND put in airtight bowl..... but I did put it in the fridge (after scrubbing it down) so I can let it sit overnight since I just made it
I hope it taste fine in the morning.. if not I guess I will have to leave it out.. but leaving things that I personally prepare always makes me nervous for some reason! I leave my wilton gumpaste in the cabinet.. so I dont know why I'm scared to leave my fondant out for days.
I keep a box of baking soda in the fridge to keep it fresh.
I don't refrigerate my MMF. I keep it wrapped and bagged on the counter for up to a week. After that, it goes in the freezer. I've never had a problem with it taking on a freezer taste (maybe the baking soda helps) but you could wrap the ziplock with freezer paper or foil for extra protection.
If you leave it out for a long time, it gets a bad taste and smell.
Lizzycakes--what recipe are you using? I can't imagine with all the careful wrapping you do that it's picking up taste from the fridge.
Maybe it's an ingredient? Maybe you are overly sensitive to something in it that just tastes off to you?
Have you had anyone else taste and see if they're picking up on it?
I've make MMF many times and wrapped and bagged and tossed it in the fridge and never had a problem
I never ever refrigerate left over fondant. I keep tightly wrapped, in a covered container and keep in my pantry. It does not need refrigerated.
Lizzycakes--what recipe are you using? I can't imagine with all the careful wrapping you do that it's picking up taste from the fridge.
Maybe it's an ingredient? Maybe you are overly sensitive to something in it that just tastes off to you?
Have you had anyone else taste and see if they're picking up on it?
I've make MMF many times and wrapped and bagged and tossed it in the fridge and never had a problem
I was originally using MM, water, Corn Syrup, PS, Clear Vanilla
The last time I used the recipe with (unflavored) Gelatin..but I also added a little Corn Syrup (could the corn syrup be the culprit?.. but I swear it's a "refrigerator" taste.. but NONE of my other food has ever tasted like this!)
Hmm, no I haven't had anyone else taste it. But I think it is usually fine like the day after I make it (after refrigerating overnight, at least I hope so!). But I notice the smell when I go to re-use it for another project maybe like a week later.
I will definitely get some baking soda, I wonder would it work extra well if I line the bottom inside of the big tupperware or does it need to be in the box. Haha I'm probably going to far now.
I don't refrigerate mine either. Never had a problem. I just wrap with plastic wrap and put it in a baggie or a week or so.
sometimes my food does taste like 'refrigerator'. I notice that if i wipe it down and put baking soda it helps a lot. I don't know why this made me laugh.
Never refridgerate my MMF. Double wrap in cling wrap, put in Tupperware and store in cabinet. I am going to cover a cake on Friday from MMF I made before Labor Day. It's still tastes fresh and is soft.
There is nothing in MMF that isn't shelf stable - none of the ingredients needed refridgeration before hand so they don't after combining.
There is nothing in MMF that isn't shelf stable - none of the ingredients needed refridgeration before hand so they don't after combining.
You can't assume that. Think about this...flour and water don't require refrigeration, but if you mix the two and leave them sitting out on your countertop for a week, what do you end up with? http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/sourdough2.htm
That's why commercial fondants usually contain preservatives, because no matter how clean the factory is, there's going to be stuff in the air or stuff coming off of the employees or their clothes. So if the fondant is going to sit a while, it needs a preservative or it will grow stuff, on the surface at least.
Sugar is a preservative which is 98% of what MMF is (I totally made that % up but it has to be close). That's why ABC made with milk and butter can be left on the counter - or on an unrefridgerated cake. The sugar preserves the milk. HOWEVER, over time if left in an air tight container, it will go bad and fuzzy.
In your example, it is the gluten and yeast that is causing the reation. The gluten creates sugars, which react with the yeast causing fermentation, allowing the bread to rise. There is no such component in fonant. I agree, my statement did over simplify things but I was only speaking in terms of fonant.
Most non comercial decorators (home and hobby) won't keep fondant around long enough to worry about it going bad and frankly those excess preservatives are one of the reasons I prefer to make my own. The ingredients have enough preservatives already in them for my taste.
I am not trying to be argumentative - honestly. This is just my experince and what I have learned.
If someone feels better refridgerating thier fondant - go for it.
Thanks everyone for your replies. I tasted it last night as I was making my cake, and it tasted fine . I was nervous because my friend told me she was hyping me up to her family after how good my cakes tasted last time and how moist they were (haha all I did was freeze and use some simple syrup.. but she doesn't need to know!). I was nervous to send her out of town with a bad tasting cake. It was my first time being paid for a cake too (the gift bow cake in my pics)
Of course I have a huge blob of pink fondant left, hopefully it'll taste like MMF and not refrigerator in a week or 2 when I need it again!
I also never refrigerate fondant but do refrigerate a cake with cream cheese or something that needs to be refrigerated. Baking soda is good but I've actually thrown out chili or "smelly" foods (even if tightly sealed) to save the cake from possibly picking up weird flavors. I will sacrifice anything for cake
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