Hi Patty!
Yes, I've made it with MERCKENS milk and or semi-sweet. The choc. mixture will be more oily than using the white, but it mixes into the fondant. I also have added some cocoa to darken the color. If I need a very dark choc. fondnat, I will start with my choc. fondant mixed up with semi then add some premade Pettinice dark choc. fondant. I personally don't like the flavor of the premade dark so that's why I add it to mine. Makes a nice rich color doing that and tastes YUMMY!
Jen 
Oooo...that's nice to know! Whoo hoo...yummy chocolate fondant!
Hi Jennifer--I am thrilled with your DVDs as well--I have been wanting to try your pearl clay recipe for months but somehow I never got to it--but once I saw you make it on the DVD--it's incredibly easy and I made some right away. It's declicious!!!! I'm definately going to try making the fondant next ASAP!
How long is the shelf life and do I need to keep it in the fridge?
Also, it took a really long time for the pearl clay to set up--I let it sit overnight and it was pretty firm--then I did the 2nd kneading as you recommended and after that it took more than 24 hours to firm up again and even then it was still a little soft--my pearls wouldn't come out of the mold in one strip like yours--they break into like 3 separate sections. My house is about 74 degrees--is that why? I used merkens and petinice--maybe too much corn syrup? Would putting it in the fridge help?
I'm still waiting for you to come to the NY area for a class! Any chance of that?? What do you make your flowers out of? Do you use the pearl clay or gumpaste?
Thanks again for these great DVDs!!! I love em and learned SO much!
Di
Question, Jennifer! Do you mix up the entire container of Pettinice (15lbs) or do you do it in batches? Thanks!
Hi Jennifer--I am thrilled with your DVDs as well--I have been wanting to try your pearl clay recipe for months but somehow I never got to it--but once I saw you make it on the DVD--it's incredibly easy and I made some right away. It's declicious!!!! I'm definately going to try making the fondant next ASAP!
How long is the shelf life and do I need to keep it in the fridge?
Also, it took a really long time for the pearl clay to set up--I let it sit overnight and it was pretty firm--then I did the 2nd kneading as you recommended and after that it took more than 24 hours to firm up again and even then it was still a little soft--my pearls wouldn't come out of the mold in one strip like yours--they break into like 3 separate sections. My house is about 74 degrees--is that why? I used merkens and petinice--maybe too much corn syrup? Would putting it in the fridge help?
I'm still waiting for you to come to the NY area for a class! Any chance of that?? What do you make your flowers out of? Do you use the pearl clay or gumpaste?
Thanks again for these great DVDs!!! I love em and learned SO much!
Di
Hi Diane!
I would love to come to NY!
I am so so happy you like the DVDs!!
I really don't know the shelf life of the pearl clay. I had someone tell me they had some in their frig for 3 years and it was perfectly ok. I use mine up to fast You can keep it in the frig or leave at room temp. If you are having problems with it firming up, put in frig. It will get rock hard, you might have to gently nuke it to SLIGHTLY soften, don't heat it to long or you'll have soup.
You really shouldn't have problems with 74 degrees. If it gets much warmer than that, yes. Were the worms nice and somewhat stiff??? If the clay is to soft, let them sit out and dry 15 or 20 minutes, then see if it works better for you. You could have put to much syrup in, hard to say. Just don't play with the dough to much, roll your worms quickly so you don't soften it up. If you have hot hands, dip your hands in ice water first.
Hope this helps!!! If you still have questions, I'm here to try and help!!
Jen
PS - I use gumpaste for all my flowers made of dough. I'm talking with quite a few people about classes now, not sure, but I think someone is trying to get one together in the NY area. Check the class schedule on the site in a few months, the new 2009 classes should be listed then. Or, you might consider hosting a class, it's easy! [/b]
Stacie -
All depends how many weddings I have. If I have several, I mix up the whole 15 #.
I do like to make it fresh.... not that you HAVE to, I just like to So I usually mix my fondant on Monday or Tues. for the weekends weddings.
If you have more questions, please ask away!
Jen
Jennifer....
all this talk of your fondant has me very interested. I think I will order your DVD to give it a try!!!
Once you have covered your cakes with the fondant, can it be put in the fridge for safe keeping like fondx? It sounds like you put melted chocolate in the fondant so I assume it would get hard but would be alright after it set out a bit?
About the worms--I rolled them in the morning and they weren't firm enough to work with until the late afternoon--and even then they weren't REALLY ready...today I think I'll try to put some worms in the fridge for a short time and see if that works...thanks!!!!!
How many people do you need to make up a class?
Hi McDonald!
Thanks!!
Yes, you can put your covered cakes in the frig, no problem. Once the cake/fondant come to room temp, they cut really nice.
One tip to tell your customers, don't use ANY knife that has serated edges... I tell my brides, use your fancy server set for pics, then make sure you have a long straight bladed knife to cut. What happens is this, the fondant clogs up the tiny jags in a serated knife.
Jen
Hmmmm Diane, that is VERY stange. I wonder if you did mix to much syrup into it.........
You have to be VERY careful putting the worms in the frig. If they get to hard, you can split your mold 
Was your Pettinice nice and firm when you added it?
Jen
Well it worked much better when I put the worms in the fridge for just a few minutes--the pearls look so beautiful--I can't believe it!
I THINK my petinice was firm enough when I put it in--I took it right out of the package and right into the chocolate mixture...I'll pay more attention to that next time...
Thanks!!
Di
YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!! I'm so happy you got them to turn out!!!
Jen 
Jennifer, you so need to come to Atlanta, GA! I would be there in a heartbeat!
I just re-watched your Fondant DVD, and I swear you answered all my questions that I have been asking you for the past couple of days on the DVD...I am such a dork 
, but such a HUGE THANK YOU for answering me anyways...you're the best!
Let me know about Atlanta! Also, when is your gumpaste DVD coming out? Can't wait for that one!!!!
Hi Stacie!
Not a problem at all asking questions, even if I covered it in the DVD. It's a bunch of info to process
I would love to come to Atlanta! Maybe you should consider hosting a class, it's easy!
If I get my investment back from these, I promise I'll do a gumpaste flower DVD!! Hope so!!!
Jen
Hi Patty!
That is my plan, but need to recoup $$$ from these first two, first.
Jen
I wish I had a bigger place, and I would definitely host your class! The owner of the caterering business I rent from is going to be moving to a larger facility in the next couple of months, so maybe I can swing something then.
Anybody else in the metro Altanta area have a big enough space for a class? Huh, huh, pretty please?!?!
I actually think Jen only needs a place to rest her dear head & the place to give her class doesn't have to be too big. Jen, I am going to see what I can find out about enough people who would like to take a class next year & try & get you to come to Kauai, let me know all the requirements, it would be wonderful.
Dang, my spelling stinks! Catering business not Caterering! Sheesh 
Ok. Here are the results of my Satin Ice/Choc. Fondant experiment. I decided to take a play day today and make a little cake just for the heck of it! I had made a batch of Jennifer's chocolate fondant yesterday using Satin Ice. I let the fondant sit overnight. Today it did seem a little soft, but it was very workable. It rolled out very nicely, I rolled it quite thin. Maybe about 1/8". It didn't tear or stretch when putting it on the cake. Of course I was only using a 4"round. I'm not sure if I was putting it on a larger cake if it would have gone on as easily. I think the next time I might roll it just slightly thicker. I did have some air bubbles, but used a pin and was able to work them out. I put a little buttercream, and a thin piece of the fondant on a few cake scraps for a taste. WOW! It was really good. This fondant could be very dangerous for my diet!!
I am definitely not a fondant expert. I have only covered a few small tote bag cakes and my Shoe cake with fondant. Other than that I have only used fondant for accents and modeling. Now that I have tried this I am definitely going to be using it more. I think people will really like it.
Unfortunately I can't really compare using Satin Ice to the Pettinice, but I hope to maybe get a chance to do that in the future to see if the Pettinice is more firm. If anyone trys to compare the 2, please let us know the results.
I posted today's Chocolate Fondant cake in my pics if you would care to take a look at the results! I incorporated elements from 3 of my favorite cake artists! I used Sugarshack's icing, JenniferMI's Choc fondant and pearl clay, and Aine2's modeling .
June - I would LOVE to come back to Hawaii to teach! LOVED in last year on the big island.... let me know if you want to talk further.
Price - Sounds like it worked pretty good for you.... I wonder if covering a big cake would make a difference.... not sure.... glad you liked the taste! My customers LOVE it!!
Jen
Price, I also bought both DVD's LOVE them!!!! I can only get Satin Ice in my area and the regular white Merkins. Did you use the same ratio as the Pettinice? Thanks!!!!!! Jen , I can't wait for more instructional videos. You all do such a GREAT job explaining.
Jen, I have just sent you an Email, I really want to make this happen.
Price, your cake is wonderful, all your work is great, you are talented. If it worked at 1/8" on the small cake, there is no reason it wont work on a large cake. I think that I will have to do the same thing using my Fondx as I don't have an order at the moment for a fondant cake.
Great looking cake Price. I love your dog. The fondant looks delicious. I'm going to cover one on Tuesday for practice and take it to work. I found some peanut butter wafers on Saturday and made a batch of the chocolate fondant with them. It tasted good, but I would have liked a bit more peanut butter flavor. Maybe I could have put some Lorann Oil (peanut butter flavor) in it. I'll try next time.
Jennifer,
What needs to be done to host a class? Sounds like there are some NYC folks interested in attending one of your sessions (I'm also booked for your class in MD). Is what I'm paying for that class the standard price?
Is there a certain number of people needed, can it be done in a house (I have a large area for working as long as I send DH away on a golf or gambling vacation 
)? When you say a 'place to lay your head' is a guest room/private bath good enough or do we need to book you in a hotel?
p.s. love both your DVDs and the set of peony cutters I got from you. Yet another question 
, do all of your cutters have detailed instructions like the peony does?
Thanks!
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie!
Hosting a class is easy! Yes, we can do it in someone's home. We need space for average, 10-12 people. I usually stay at someone's home, no need for a hotel. I need a ride to and from the airport, too. Yes, that is my standard price, 250.00 for two very full days of class. I do require 8 to do a class.
Glad you like the DVDs and cutters. If someone buys cutters/veiners from my site, I am happy to supply my class instructions upon request.
If you have more questions, please ask away!
Jennifer
PS - you can always e-mail me
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%