What is the best thing to use when rolling out fondant - shortening or confectioner's sugar?

I much prefer crisco. Since I started using it I never have a sticking problem!

I pefer CS. Why not try each and see what works better for you?

I use shortening. It doesn't stick and doesn't get those crackly dried out edges.

I use Crisco on my hands when working with fondant. I also use the silicone work mats which help tremendously!!!!

i use crisco when i have to cover a cake. and cs for smaller things

I use lots of crisco and a silpat. keeps the fondant or gumpaste pliable

Crisco. No cracking

I prefer crisco, not nonstick spray (had to learn that the hard way!) Powdered sugar tends to dry out my fondant and gives it cracked edges. The crisco, like posted earlier, helps keep it pliable.

I do both. I've never had the problem with my fondant cracking if use powdered sugar, what I don't like with it is the sugar makes my fondant look dusty sometimes. But what I don't like about crisco is that it can make my fondant a little too wet, if that makes sense. So it just depends on what I'm doing.

Cornstarch - it brushes away very easily.

Thanks! I didn't think about the cornstarch. I was worried about the CS muting the color of the fondant and about the Crisco making the fondant look too shiny. I think I'll try the Crisco and the cornstarch, too, and see what works best. I am only using fondant for the decorations on the cake. I do have a silicon mat so that should help.

I use cornstarch all the time. Never had a problem with it sticking to the countertop at all and it brushes off the fondant easily.

Not to cause any issues but I'm using FondX right now for a wedding cake I'm doing this week and on the instructions it states not to use cornstarch, only (and I can't think of the exact wording right now) a quality brand shortening and powdered sugar for kneading it. Haven't tried corn starch so I don't know why this is on the label.

with some fondants corn starch will turn it into dry crumbles. I use a little bit of PS and a roul pat

I should have stated that I use cornstarch for the homemade fondant that I use (mmf, Rhondas Ultimate, European). I never have purchased fondant so is good to know about only using ps or crisco for those.

powdered sugar has cornstarch in it, but pure cornstarch tastes nasty, so if you end up with some on the underside of the fondant that ends up on your cake and someone can get a bite of it.

For those of you who use cornstarch, I've used it and can't get it off the fondant. It actually ruined my cake because it looked all dusty. How do you guys get it off, what am I doing wrong? I prefer using a powder because shortening makes it too stretchy for me.

PURE CORNSTARCH HAS NO TASTE whatsoever so I don't know how it can taste nasty. Adding more ps to the fondant, which is sweet enough already, tends to make it OVERLY sweet. Crisco tends to soften the fondant more since it is what you would add if the fonant was too hard and it makes it REALLY stick to the countertop. To get cornstarch off of fondant the trick is to not use too much of it. Don't flip the fondant when rolling. Keep wiping the cornstarch off of your hands and use a powder brush (thick bushy one) to lighty brush away any cornstarch that is on the fondant. I have never had a problem with cornstarch staying on the fondant and prefer it to any other methods mentioned.