I've read so much about working with Fondant, and watched the tutorial's etc... but can't figure out how to get the smooth consistency in my MMF that is needed to hold a shape! My MMF is almost like a buttercream icing. I'm kneading it, adding crisco, adding powdered sugar, but it won't keep a shape, it just falls apart. It feels really greasy to me, but adding sugar just makes it dry out. I'm adding small amounts at a time, but can't get it right. This is for a baby shower cake (paid) due tomorrow and I'm a little nervous. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
nervous in Germany

What are you using it for? If you are trying to make figures out of it, you need to add some gumpaste to it so it will harden. (I use a mix of 50/50 for things like that)

In my experiences with MMF, it stays soft longer than the kind you purchase. It shoud be fine for rolling out to cover a cake even if it is a little soft.

i don't use it a lot but I did use it this weekend. I read on here where someone suggested using cornstarch instead of powdered sugar and someone else suggested the Pam cooking spray. I used both of those, the cornstarch on the wax paper for kneading and just sprayed a little but of Pam on a corner of the wax paper and just dabbed the mmf in it as needed. It worked really well. Hope this helps some. Sorry can't give credit to the ones that suggested these!!

Good luck

Charlotte

It almost sounds like you have too much liquid in it. I would try heating up some more marshmallows to add to the mix. Add PS to your mix now, even if it becomes dry, and then add more marshmallows. Don't had any flavoring or liquid when you do this.

You might also try sticking it in the fridge in a airtight container for a little while. Let it firm up well. Put some crisco on the container so you can just pop it in the microwave to make it pliable when it is ready.

~BellaRosa

I have had a lot of experience with MMF so here are my 2 cents. It sounds like you need to add a lot more Powdered sugar. It may seem dry but you just need to keep kneading in a small amount at a time until it is no longet sticky. Once you think it is the consistency you need, wrap it tightly and let it sit overnight or for as long as you can. As it rests, the PC will absorb the extra moisture so it will become the correct consistency. I would not recommend putting in the fridge, this will only make it hard and cold. Also, do not add too much crisco, as this will cause the sugar mixture to break down. Once you are ready to work with it, lightly grease your area with crisco and roll out the MMF. If it becomes too hard to work with, stick it in the microwave for several seconds, this will soften it and make it much more pliable. HTH!

Thanks so far,
I'm only using it to make ribbon accents down the sides of BC frosted cakes. I've had it in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. I pulled it out today to start working it. I've posted some pics in my gallery of it, maybe that will help.
thanks,
charlene

No refrigeration needed! It's better kept room temp.

I'm curious. Other than coating the bowl you melted the marshmellows in(assumed in the microwave), how much MORE Crisco have you added?

The only extra I use is to coat the spoon I use to stir while melting and then enough rubbed on my hands and surface while kneading & rolling.

From looking at your picture I would stick it in the microwave for just a few seconds and then try and knead again. I think it is just from sitting.

well, the picture kind of represents what it looked like from day one. It never really had a good consistency to me. I melted the marshmallows in a double boiler. Did not grease the boiler or spatula, was a sticky mess. I also can't get the BAG of PS, we only have boxed pure cane sugar so I used two boxes. I didn't really measure the Crisco, just kind of plopped it in when it felt too dry. Then today, I added more because I thought that would help make it more plyable. OH MAN! I really have no idea what I'm doing! I liked working with the Wilton ready to use Fondant but it is inedible if you ask me! So I wanted to learn this MMF method. Is this batch save-able? I don't really want to make a new batch tonight because if I get the same result, I have a butt-load of fondant that I have no use for and I HATE to be wasteful. What to do, what to do.....

I'm wondering if maybe the marshmallows you get in Germany are made differently from those we get here. Or, maybe the bags are packaged differently and you're inadvertently using way too many. ????

well, i'm not sure about the marshmallows. they're the jet puffed brand, but not sure where they're made? it's a military commissary that gets a lot of it's stuff from the U.S.

have you tried just making a small batch? I would try that and see if it comes out the same way. Much easier. That way you would know if it was going to work or not. Here is the recipe if you want to try.

1 cup marshmallows (packed in the measuring cup)
1 tablespoon of water
1/2 to 1 tsp of flavoring
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of confectioners sugar

melt marshmellows water in a microwave for 30 seconds (i sprayed the bowl with pam first) take out and stir. You may need to put it back in for a few seconds depending on your microwave. Then add the flavoring and coloring if you want.

add the sugar a little at a time until you can no longer mix with a spoon. You may need to use your hands a little (sprayed or crisco) and then knead it on wax paper with either crisco or cornstarch. Alternate between the two.

Maybe the problem is in the sugar. When you say boxed pure cane sugar, isn't that just regular sugar, not powdered sugar?

If so, wouldn't that make a difference in the consistency?

I'm thinking that she means the PS in the box and that it's the Pure Cane brand. Hopefully 'Cause if not that would definetly explain the problem!!

If you are using regular sugar, because that is all that is available, you could put it in a food processor for a while to get powdered sugar.

Will this recipe for the MMF cover a 2 layer cake? How much will it make.

Never worked with this yet, but it sounds interesting.

Thanks

Jen

I use the 1 cup mini marshmallow recipe and I normally double it to cover a 9" cake. I always have leftovers, but I just do it to be safe.

Regular sugar ? as in garnulated ? why ?

I would just start a new batch... use sifted powdered sugar.
Your Fondant look very "grainy", and kneading it for hours will not make it pliable, which is the consistency that you are looking for. sorry to hear you have such a problem.. it is really tricky at first..

BTW, no, i'm not using regular sugar. I'm using powdered sugar, but I can't get the Pure Cane brand, although the box says 10x pure cane sugar, Confectioner's Sugar. Someone else mentioned this may be the problem.??? I think I'm getting it to be close enough for what I need for this cake (luckily), but I'll have to play with it in the future. Thanks everyone for your help. I'll post again after it's complete. The fondant is only for the faux ribbon around the cake (package cake), and it was supposed to be for the bow on top, but that was a bust. I tried putting it together and it didn't work, plus half the pieces broke as I was trying to fit them in. So I put real ribbon on top and it'll have to do.
Again, thanks for everyone's help
charlene