Ok, I worked with fondant for the very first time this weekend for a baby shower cake. (You can see the cake in my photos; it is the crying baby). I used the MMF recipe and followed the directions. I made it the night before and wraped it tightly so no air could get to it. The next morning I kneaded it so I could work with and colored it. When I started rolling it out, it started to get dry and crumbly. I was lucky to get the first cake layer covered, but when I started rolling it out again for the second layer, it was just a disaster. It wouldn't stay together at all. So, I worked in some shortening to help make it easier to work with. That made it WORSE! So, I called a local cake store and they gave me a tip to add more powdered sugar to get it back to the "play dough" consistency. (Weird, you would think that would make it even more dryer). That actually worked, but it still wasn't right. So, I melted some more marshmellows and kneaded that in, and luckily I was able to roll it out and work with it. But, the edges still cracked when I put it on the cake. (Also, I used corn starch to roll it out. I think that may have dried it out)

Does anyone have any tips on what I did wrong or what I should do in the future? I'm scared to use MMF again, but it did taste good. I'm tempted to try a different recipe....any recommended recipes to try?

i love working with MMF, it is the only fondant i use. if you used the recipe from here, then there is a slight problem with it. I NEVER add as much ps as the recipe calls for, its too much. I add about half, and then knead in more until i get the right consistency.

sorry your first experience wasn't very good

As will all fondant recipes, you have to stop adding sugar, once the dough is no longer sticky.

When you roll it out, it helps to roll it on greased plastic, rather than sugar or cornstarch. You can then use the plastic to transfer the fondant to the cake.

This recipe works well for me every time: http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/Fondant.htm

I used to use an entire 1/2 cup of crisco like it says, but I don't anymore.

Another thing that will help if your fondant gets dry and crumbly is to add some glycerine. Sometimes MMF will get dry and crumbly when you color it. If you need a large amount of one color, it works better to add the color to the marshmallows, then add the powdered sugar. It doesn't get as crumbly that way.

i agree with kimberlina25 i tried the recipe on here and the PS was too much so i ended up melting another batch of marshmallow and using the remaining sugar.

I use this recipe and it always works great for me
(a sweet lady gave it to me that she had gotten from another sweet lady named bunny)

Marshmallow fondant
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 tbsp water
1 1/2- 1 3/4 cup powder sugar

Place marshmallows in a standard 1 cup measuring cup and push down and pack them in. Place in a microwave safe bowl and add the water. Put in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Just long enough for them to soften and puff up. Take out and stir with a spoon until it is combined well. At this point it looks kind of soupy. Then add the sugar and mix and fold until all is incorporated and it is no longer sticky. I take it out of the bowl when it gets to the point where most of the sugar is incorporated and I knead it in my hands. This takes roughly about 5-7 minutes. Take a fondant roller or a regular rolling pin and roll out just as you would Wilton's fondant. You can get this fondant almost paper thin and it also repairs well. It's cheap, easy to work with, and tastes great too.

You can make a large batch of this fondant as well by doing this:

Large batch of Marshmallow fondant
1- 16 oz bag of mini marshmallows
2 tbsps water
2 lbs powdered sugar (8 cups)

Do the same procedure as above.



Tips for success from Bunny:
I add any flavor Lorann Oil flavorings to this. Something that will compliment my cake well. What I do is cut back on the water and add about 1/8 tsp Lorann flavoring. You can certainly add more (especially if I make the large batch) for a more of a pungent flavor, just adjust the water amount accordingly. *****The more liquid you add to this will make it stickier to work with. Try to be accurate in measuring the liquid.*****

Stickiness??????
If it is way to sticky to work with then cut back on the amount of liquid that you used by about 1/2 tsp. This will help.
Let it sit out and "air dry" for about 10 minutes.
Use a small amount of Crisco on your work surface and hands. A little goes a very long ways so don't go over board with the Crisco.

Knead the dough with a spoon!!!!! Do not attempt to pick it up and knead it too soon. This dough is hot when comes right out of the microwave!!!!! I say this because I have had people contact me saying they received a burn from it. I can almost knead it fully with a spoon.

Dough that is not in use must stay covered with plastic wrap or it will dry out. Or place it in a Ziploc bag. That works too.

Dried out Marshmallow fondant: place it back into the microwave and nuke it for a few seconds to revive it back to its original state. The bigger the batch the more time on the microwave. Example: small batch 3-5 seconds.......large batch about 10 seconds. Microwaves vary too so keep that in mind.

Coloring: well I have experimented with this several different ways. If I want to make the whole batch of Marshmallow fondant one color then I have added the color, just Wilton paste color, Americolors, or Chefmaster colors.....any will work for this, when I pull the bowl out of the microwave when it looks "soupy". Stirred it up and then added the powdered sugar. Otherwise I have added it after it has come together and kneaded it in by hand. I use plastic gloves too when I do this, because otherwise your hands are never the same!!!!

You can work with this just as you would the regular fondant. Pizza rollers cut this very well. Ribbon cutters work fabulous too for this. I can make bows and drapes, push molds etc with this. I love the taste of this stuff. Great on the pocketbook too!!!!!!

I usually add only 3/4 of the bag (2 lb.) of confectioner's sugar to my MMF recipe. I also toss in a heaping spoonful of Crisco into my MM before nuking.

Also, I nuke it for a few seconds (5???) right before use to make it easier to work with. Careful not to burn yourself.

I use a bag of mm, 2 tsp. flavoring. grease bowl add mm & flavoring microwave 1 minute. Stir and add coloring. grease counter and pour ps in heap on counter. Make a hole in the middle and scrape in mm's. Grease hands and knead in more ps as needed. I usually use around 1/2 to 2/3 of a bag of ps. When it's the consistency of taffy it's ready. If you arent' going to use it right away, grease it before you wrap it in saran wrap.

When I started experimenting with MMF I actually had the same problem happen to me. It was coming off in chunks, crumbling, refusing to stick together...I ended up chucking it in the end. Figured out that the ingredients ratio just didn't work for me.

When I make a batch I will microwave two 10.5 oz bags of marshmallows w/ 1 TBSP water until they are melted, then throw in 1 TBSP flavoring. At this point I will stir in my coloring - the powdered sugar does practically nothing to lighten it. What you see is just about what you get. Then I will pour about 1/3 of my 2 lb bag of ps in with the marshmallows and stir it up to help eliminate some of the kneading (I am so very messy with this stuff). I pour it out onto a greased counter and start kneading in the rest of the powdered sugar. Rarely have I had to use more than the 2 lb bag, and it is generally about the perfect amount. And I only measure out 1/3 cup of shortening. I don't get anywhere near 1/2 cup. If possible, I try to keep it at about 1/4. I will also add water at about 1/2 tsp at a time if needed.

Anyway, that's just how I do it. There are certainly plenty of different ways that should work. Find the one that is easiest for you.

Good luck!!!