Mmf...good For Making Figurines??

Decorating By CakesbyJen75 Updated 19 Aug 2012 , 6:49am by Claire138

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CakesbyJen75 Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 5:58pm
post #1 of 22

I am going to try making Marshmallow fondant for the the first time. However was curious if it works well for making figurines, bows etc. or just suitable for for covering cakes? Thanks in advance!

21 replies
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dawnybird Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 6:22pm
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I'm pretty new to the whole figurine and fondant world, but I have made MMF four or five times and it has come out perfectly every time. (beginner's luck??) I have mixed the MMF with either half gum paste or kneaded Tylose into it and then made figures with it. It has never given me a problem at all. The only thing lacking in my figures is lack of creative ability! icon_smile.gif Good luck. Have fun!

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FlourPots Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 6:26pm
post #3 of 22

Marshmallow fondant works for everything in my case...

If you check my pics, you'll see that my figures, purse handles, etc. are all MMF + tylose powder.

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CakesbyJen75 Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 6:52pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dawnybird

I'm pretty new to the whole figurine and fondant world, but I have made MMF four or five times and it has come out perfectly every time. (beginner's luck??) I have mixed the MMF with either half gum paste or kneaded Tylose into it and then made figures with it. It has never given me a problem at all. The only thing lacking in my figures is lack of creative ability! icon_smile.gif Good luck. Have fun!




Thanks! Does the gum paste or tylose alter the taste? Little kids will more than likely be eating the figures.

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CakesbyJen75 Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 6:54pm
post #5 of 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlourPots

Marshmallow fondant works for everything in my case...

If you check my pics, you'll see that my figures, purse handles, etc. are all MMF + tylose powder.




Amazing cakes! Thanks for you reply. Do you find the tylose powder alters the taste at all? The next cake I am making will be for a 2 yr old and for sure will be eating the figures, lol!

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dawnybird Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 7:03pm
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I always thought no one would ever eat the figurines, but the last one I made for my gransdon was a dragon with a sword-carrying dragon slayer. My grandson ate the head of the dragon slayer and replaced it with the dragon's head! He thought it was hilarious! He said the head tasted good! Ha!
(I don't have any of my cakes in my gallery because I don't think they're good enough to share yet). My family and friends think they're great, but compared to the ones on this site - I am sooooo still a beginner!!

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cidi39 Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 7:47pm
post #7 of 22

Hi !! I am new in this website. I got into decorating cakes with mmf althought is always very hard to make shapes. my fondant is always either very sticky or kinda of hard. at the end looks great but work with it is always a challenge. Is it suppose to be like that all the time?? or what am I doing wrong? heeelp !!!

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FlourPots Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 7:50pm
post #8 of 22

Thanks CakesbyJen icon_smile.gif

When I make MMF for figures and things, I don't flavor it...
So, when I add tylose powder to the unflavored fondant, it tastes like regular unflavored MMF still, which is to say, like sweet marshmallows...
But, I've honestly never eaten a whole lot of it at once, just small samplings here-and-there, as I'm working with it.

If I was making figures meant to be eaten...first I would definitely flavor it (vanilla, almond, & Creme Bouquet), and I would try to use as little tylose as possible, not because of taste, because of firmness.

OR...I might finally give modeling chocolate a go...
Many decorators use it for figures...it holds its shape and tastes like chocolate...what could be better!

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CakesbyJen75 Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 7:55pm
post #9 of 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlourPots

Thanks CakesbyJen icon_smile.gif

When I make MMF for figures and things, I don't flavor it...
So, when I add tylose powder to the unflavored fondant, it tastes like regular unflavored MMF still, which is to say, like sweet marshmallows...
But, I've honestly never eaten a whole lot of it at once, just small samplings here-and-there, as I'm working with it.

If I was making figures meant to be eaten...first I would definitely flavor it (vanilla, almond, & Creme Bouquet), and I would try to use as little tylose as possible, not because of taste, because of firmness.

OR...I might finally give modeling chocolate a go...
Many decorators use it for figures...it holds its shape and tastes like chocolate...what could be better!




Thanks alot all your advice helps me out...now to find tylose powder that is made in a peanut/nut free facility.

Oh and how much tylose do you normally add to your mmf?

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FlourPots Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 8:02pm
post #10 of 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by cidi39

Hi !! I am new in this website. I got into decorating cakes with mmf althought is always very hard to make shapes. my fondant is always either very sticky or kinda of hard. at the end looks great but work with it is always a challenge. Is it suppose to be like that all the time?? or what am I doing wrong? heeelp !!!




If your recipe calls for water, eliminate it...add shortening instead, right in with the marshmallows as they're melting, and see if you like the end result.
I don't add any water to mine, all it did was make it a sticky mess.

If your fondant is coming out hard, you may have added too much powdered sugar.
Decrease it...even if it feels soft, it'll firm up naturally as it rests.
I only use 5 cups of p. sugar, never more.

After resting, if it still feels too firm to work with...microwave it.
It'll soften right up.

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FlourPots Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 8:20pm
post #11 of 22

You're very welcome...

Ah...tylose amounts...I've been asked before, and I hate that I can't give a precise answer.

I just don't have a set system for it.
I mostly go by feel.

I prefer to work in small batches though, so I would never add tylose to a pound of fondant, let's say.
I add it as I'm working on something, literally like a head, an arm, a leg LOL!
I ALWAYS microwave my small piece (less than 10 seconds), add the tylose, then model with it...

A microwave is my miracle tool that helps things dry with no cracks...
I purchased a small one (Wal-Mart) and a stand on wheels (Target), just for fondant work so I wouldn't have to keep walking to the kitchen, and I don't even make many cakes, I'm a hobbyist LOL!!

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dawnybird Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 9:37pm
post #12 of 22

Flourpots,
I also microwave my fondant/gum paste mixture a few seconds to soften it and then knead it, but I suggested that to a poster on here once and everyone was jumping on and saying "Don't microwave your paste, it'll ruin it!" It's never ruined it for me. I actually got the idea to do that on this site!

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FlourPots Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 10:13pm
post #13 of 22

LOL...What works for some, may not work for all...you definitely learn that here.

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CakesbyJen75 Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 11:38pm
post #14 of 22

FlourPots,

Thanks so much for all the advice.

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FlourPots Posted 16 Aug 2012 , 1:17am
post #15 of 22

Anytime...

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woozy Posted 16 Aug 2012 , 7:03pm
post #16 of 22

If a figure is tall and narrow, I add tylose. Otherwise, no. I don't really like the texture it gives. Even if the figure is big, I'd rather add crispie treat "bones" than Tylose. I don't know why, but ppl ALWAYS eat mine, especially they love to bite heads off!

I'm a *greasy hands* fondanter, and I re-wrap constantly while working, so I rarely experience any drying that can't be solved with a few drops of water.

Tylose is great, but you don't always need to bother with it.

.

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unctoothlady Posted 17 Aug 2012 , 3:20am
post #17 of 22

I use the Michelle Foster's recipe (listed in the recipe section as the updated version). I don't use tylose and they stand up just fine! The figures in my profile pic were made that way.

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woozy Posted 18 Aug 2012 , 6:36am
post #18 of 22

The Foster recipe has gelatin in it as a firming agent instead of a gum product. You'll get different results than with straight MMF.

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dawnybird Posted 18 Aug 2012 , 3:08pm
post #19 of 22

MMF doesn't have a gum product in it, except what comes with the marshmallows and I think that's gelatin, isn't it?

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justpracticecakes Posted 18 Aug 2012 , 8:19pm
post #20 of 22

I mix half wilton white and half mmf for any decorations i make. I bought some gum paste and plan to try mixing in a little of that for any figures i may make in the future. Im a newbie and not sure about adding anything else. But i know i can always find good advice on this site!!!!!!! May order some of the powder and try that.

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woozy Posted 18 Aug 2012 , 8:34pm
post #21 of 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by dawnybird

MMF doesn't have a gum product in it, except what comes with the marshmallows and I think that's gelatin, isn't it?




Sorry I didn't quote, I was referring to other posters comments about adding gums. The Fosters' recipe has additional gelatin (envelope gelatin) added to it, which makes it somewhat different from *regular* MMF. In some ways it mimics adding gums.

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Claire138 Posted 19 Aug 2012 , 6:49am
post #22 of 22

I use MMF for both covering a cake and for any figurines I need; they need to be made a couple of days in advance so that they harden well enough, I don't add anything to the MMF and have had no problems. Good luck!

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