HELP!

I just made my first MMF. It's so hard that it could be used as a weapon. Seriously!
I followed the recipe on CC...2Tablespoons water, 16oz marshmallows, 2 pounds powdered sugar. First, I didn't use a mixer, I did all the mixing/kneading by hand. Talk about a workout!!!! Geez. Anyway......It's not at all dry, just hard as a brick.
What's going on? Is it supposed to be like this? If so, how on earth will I roll it out? If not, how can I save it?

Did you use all 2lbs of sugar? If so it doesn't need that much. The recipe should be changed to something like 1 and 3/4. Anyway, try putting your mmf in the microwave for a few seconds at a time and see if that helps. Also try kneading some crisco into it. I have made it two times and I love it. I actually prefer to do it by hand. I have done it with my KA and I don't really prefer to do it that way.

We must have both made the same deadly weapon. I, too followed the CC recipe with the same results. It crumbled & cracked. I decided to try again...and got a great result. I did not use all 2 pounds of PS. I think there was probably a cup or so left in the bag. Don't get discouraged!!! Plug in your mix and give it a second try!!!

I too just made the MMF for the first time, and smear some crisco on your hands and on your work table and knead it in. It truly is the miracle cure!!! MMF becomes incredibley pliable and easy to work with.

I too have created another deadly weapon from MMF... Unfortunately, I gave up and trashed it. I always seem to make my horrid mistakes the first time around. I was measuring each pound of powdered sugar as 3 1/2 cups... next time I will cut perhaps 1 to 2 more cups from the recipe. Had another problem, no matter how many minutes I microwaved the marshmellows, they never melted - but rather, they puffed up over and over again. Maybe I should melt them on the stove next time ???

my marshmellows puffed up all the time too, but when i made some yesterday i acually cut them up a bit first with some scissors, it worked great then i just mixed with a spoon until they looked more like a liquid, also added the color at this point, much easier than kneading it in later.

kylie

I had some in the pantry that I made a couple of weeks ago that I used today. It was really hard, but I just kneaded it for a while and it loosened up. I agree with everyone that it doesn't need the full 2 lbs of sugar. I just add until it seems right. I usually do it by hand too. It's a workout but easier.

If it gets too hard, I toss it in the microwave for a few seconds. What I cant seem to understand is no matter how thin I roll it out, I can't seem to get the ripples out of it when I place it on a round cake.

I made it last Sunday evening. Make sure marshmellows are really fresh. I melted for 60 seconds then stirred, Make sure your put crisco on wooden spoon before stiring. I kept puting them back into the microwave at 30 second intervals. Also, make sure that your glass bowl is greased really well. After all was said and done. mine to was hard, but I wetted my hands with water and rubbed the log after it had cooled down. Then i greased the rolling mat and my hands with crisco and worked with a small amount about 1/3 at a time. I loved it.

WOW! This site is sooooo cool!! I am new at all of this...this is my first post

I made MMF for the first time last week with the same recipe and found it extremely hard to knead the colour in... I will try putting it in with the melting marshmallows as suggested by matisse (great tip thanks!!).

Does anyone know if you can freeze MMF?

The recipe I got has never made any sense. Not sure if CC's has the small batch and the big batch, but the one I have does. The small batch is 1 cup marshmallows, 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 Tbs water. The big batch is the 16 oz marshmallows, 8 cups (2lbs) powdered sugar and 2 Tbs water.

The dry ingredients to water ratio doesn't match up (1.5 cup to 1 TBs, 8 cups to 2 Tbs!). The small batch is always too soft and the large batch is way too dry.

But now I know what consistency I want, and I just add powdered sugar until I get it Just isn't the best thing for someone trying out mmf for the first time.

Hi JackieA, NOPE, you can't freeze MMF!! Some people store it in the refrigerator and some store it at room temp. Always in saran wrap and ziploc baggie, has to be super air tight. And to make it softer, just put it in the microwave for 10-20 secs and that shoul help a LOT! Also try the Crisco in your hands and surface were you are working, not too much though. Good luck!! BTW, I neve use the whole 2 lbs like the recipes calls for, I end up using about 1 3/4 lb and use my KA. Hope this helps.

I've made the MMF on 2 differet nights and both times it turned out beautifully! It was very easy for me.
I lightly greased the bowl I melted the marshmallows in. I lightly greased my hands and the working wood surface and had no problems. I have never worked w/ any fondant until I made the MMF 2 weekends ago. Love the stuff!

jackie, welcome to cc! I did great with mmf when I first started but for some reason the more I tried it the worse I did. Sounds crazy but I am so hesitant to try again after my last....horrible...experience. It was very very humid out at the time but I was in an a/c 'd house so I wonder if that still could have affected the fondant. Just could not get it right, too dry, then too sticky, not rolled thin enough, kept breaking, ugghhh!!!!!

I never measure out my powdered sugar I always do it by feel. I mix mine by hand and add a little at a time and you know when there is enough sugar added when it isn't sticky anymore. I love making small batches that I can colour when making small pieces.

My marshmallows never melted all the way in the microwave either. They puffed up but after I pulled the bowl out and stirred it up it became kind of soupy then I added my food color, stirred, then I gradually started adding the Powered sugar......I mixed in a cup at a time until most of the sugar was mixed in well then I would add another cup and keep doing that and I used all the Powdered sugar. I used great value PS from wal-mart and great value marshmallows too.

IS THERE ANY WAY TO MAKE A NOTATION ON THE ORIGINAL RECIPE?
I have seen a lot of posts about this same problem... It would seem to make sense just to add to the recipe.

when melting the MINI marshmallows and 2 tbl of water in the microwave, you start out at 40sec's ( i like to start w/the defrost button) then stir the marshmallows every 10 seconds after that!!! You have to keep stirring them or all you will get is a big ball of puff!!

The next thing you do (or before actually) is prepare you work station.. I pour a whole 2lb bag of 10x sugar on my mmf plastic sheet and then make a well in the middle of it. When the mm are ready i pour them into the well. I then grease up my hands. (in between fingers and down the hands a bit) I keep a small bowl of crisco at a arms reach. Then knead away like bread dough. You will have to keep reaching in the crisco bowl to lather up your hands, but that's ok!! If it's dry/crumbly I add some water to my hands then shake my hands over the sink before returning to the mmf ball. (sometimes too much water will make it sticky) use your crisco, it will help ALOT with getting the mmf smooth and pliable!!!!!

the mmf does do better sitting overnight wrapped up, but you can use it right away. If you are going to wait overnight, be sure to put a coat of crisco over the entire ball, wrap in saran wrap twice and put in an airtight bag. Then take it out and either let it come to room temp or throw in the microwave for a few seconds and knead away!!!

bo