I am doing the Wilton 2 basket cake in 2 weeks. I was playing with the fondant... very new to all of this. I had seen where someone used an actual basket handle to make an arched handle on the basket. I thought this would be great if I could duplicate using the fondant. So I bought some of the Wilton stuff just for play as I'm still a little intimidated to make my own. Anyway, I made a braided handle. I stuck toothpicks in the ends and draped it over my oval pan to shape. NOW MY QUESTION: Will the fondant harden enough to be like a handle and stand up in two weeks of drying or will it droop. I tried to make my rolls for the braid thin but not too thin. I can post a photo if anyone would like to see just let me know.
Thanks for the help. I love this site... I just can't seem to get to bed at night as I'm online reading all kinds of great tips and viewing all kinds of wonderful cakes. ( My PC time is after the kids are in bed... ) I hope I can be as good one day. I love that everyone shares all this helpfull information and is supporting each other! Thanks to all for that too!!!
- Paula 
You can mix 50/50 Fondant & Gum paste if you want it nice and hard.... also some people add tylose Powder (sp?) or gumtex to their fondant and that makes it dry faster and harder.
I want to experiment with my MMF this weekend, but have some questions:
1. When would you add gumtex to it? With the powdered sugar? Or would you kneed it in the dough after it is made?
2. How much to add?
3. Is there any other way to get MMF to dry harder - I'm in humid Louisiana and need all the help I can get in that department!
4. I heard that a food dehydrator can be a big help in drying - has anyone tried it? Is it worth my time finding it in my classroom storage and bringing it home?
Ok, I'll stop there for now!
TIA!!!! 
Daisyz, the fondant will just "skin" over its hard, but not too hard to cut or eat.
Jules
I dont use gumtex, but tylose and people tells me it similar, so here's a few tips to try
I add the glue to the paste after its made
I use 1 heaped teaspoon to 100g of paste, we dont use MMF in SA, but fondant so Im not sure if this qty will be right, but experiment
To dry faster u can add a little more gumtex, or place the items in an fan assited oven on the lowest setting. This apparently does not work for MMF, it just goes into meltdown 
, so only try this with fondant. I use the pettinice brand and it really works!
HTH
OK I'll have to take in the suggestions on the next one... and hope this works by just letting it dry for 2 weeks as I've already made it. However since I'm just playing around I'm going to get the gumtext and add it and make a second (backup) one just in case. So, how much gumtex do you add to how much fondant??? Is it a powder or a gel/paste? I've not gotten to this stuff yet in our Wilton classes. I wish I could find other classes here in St. Louis.
Thanks !
- Paula
I have used fondant in a dry state to make my castle cake (in my photos). I cut out the pieces and let them dry on cornstarch for about a week prior. Keep in mind that mine was really thin (and I kept flipping it), but because you have made a handle I assume it is thick and heavy it may take a lot longer to hold it's shape. I was at an ICES day of sharing recently and they bought one of those screens from a hardware store that are adjustable (the ones where you can put them in and out of a window and they only allow your window to be open about a foot) to dry fondant pieces on. She said this allows the air to get to all sides of you pieces after they are strong enough to hold the basic shape you are looking for.
One thing that comes to mind is be careful how soon you put the handle into your cake...the fondant will start to absorb moisture from your cake and icing thus getting limp.
Riana,
Thanks for the advice - the gumtex I bought is in powder form. Is tylose powder or gel?
I have some MMF left over, so I think I'll try adding the powder and kneading it in a little at a time and see if I can feel a difference. If not, I am going to make a new batch adding the powdered gumtex with the powdered sugar. I think there was a recipe for gumpaste on the gumtex canister. I will use that as a guideline to figure out how much to add to my MMF recipe.
tylose is a powder. I also think experimenting will be the best way good luck
Should I run the wire through it or just use it as a shaping guide. I draped it (the original... i've not remade it yet.) over the oval pan to check for length and such and it seems fine. Would it be better when I make a back up with the gumtext to add a wire? I'm not sure I'm understanding right.
Also someone posted about the fondant getting moisture from the cake when it's assembled and how was I going to attach... well so far I just have 2 toothpicks out of either end of the handle to push into the cake. If it absorbs the moisture from the BC and cake it cold infact wilt and droop then and I understanding correct? Can I put a wax paper or foil or something there where the two meet and cover with leaves or something to prevent the most contact? Just thinking out loud,.. would love the suggestions. I can post a pic of what I've made and I will post a pic of the cake when done. I can't wait to do this one... I've been making RI flowers like crazy. 
Thanks for all the tips and suggestions... keep them coming as I want this one to be good because it's also my Mother In Law's birthday cake!
Thanks all!
- Paula
If you start adding Tylose, gumtex (which is gum karaya) etc to fondant you are creating Gumpaste. The more of these tree sap gums ( that have been dried) you add the more rubbery the fondant now gumpaste will get. It will also dry out much faster. If you want a STRONGER gumpaste than add gelatin it takes longer to dry but is REALLY strong when it does.
www.kincaellan.com
OK folks,..
I found last night while searching some people did exactly what I am trying to do with the fondant but used Royal Icing piped over a wire/coat hanger shaped as the basket handle. They did one side, let it dry, and did the other. Any thoughts or comments on this versus using the fondant?
Anyway, I checked my original handle and it's harder but it's still not hard all the way, and I'm worried that it might soften when it actually gets on the cake against that BC. I posted about putting a foil or wax or something paper between it and the cake but no one commented so I guess maybe that wouldn't work. I would cover each end still with BC when attaching my flowers and leaves but that would crust and there wouldnt' be direct contact with the constant moisture from the BC on the cake and the cake itself. Am I making sense? I hope so.
Thanks to all who've posted with their help and comments!
- Paula
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