Hello: I've started using MMF because I'm new to this and making a TON of cakes and can't afford to buy Fondant. Only problem with MMF is it cracks and tears. Am I adding too much powdered sugar, too little water?!?! Thanks in advance for all the help.

It sounds like it may be a little too dry. Try working in a drop or two of water and adding a little more Crisco.

The crisco tends to help with flexibility and the water will keep it moist. Be careful to only add a drop of water at a time, a little goes a long way!

HTH

When you make it try to put in less ps, you can always add more ps when rolling it out if it is too soft. Also put it in microwave for 5 seconds right before rolling it out and it softens it some.

When you roll out your MF to cover the cake, do you grease the counter or use PS to keep it from sticking?? Thanks for the other tips, I'll start adding Corn Syrup and add less PS initially.

Not Corn Syrup, Crisco or vegetable shortening! Corn syrup will probably just make it more sticky !

I always grease my countertop with crisco and then dust it with powdered sugar. I lift often as I am rolling it out (to prevent sticking). When I first started, I used a fondant mat from wilton (around $14 I think). It helped me judge the size and move the fondant ( I just picked the whole mat up and inverted it ontop of my cake). I wouldn't use it now, but it helped me get more familiar with the product.

HTH

Melting the MMs to long in the micro can cause it to be too dry, if it's not the ratio of MMs to PS. I only melt mine 1 min--no more than 1 min 20 secs.

Here's my recipe. It comes out perfect everytime (it's all I use, with the exception of Fondarific Black Buttercream fondant).

16 oz mini-marshmallows (NOT Jet-Puffed. I use Wal Mart brand)
2 T water
**Grease a micro-safe bowl, add MMs, sprinkle with water, melt 1 minute, stir; add**
1 T glycerine
1 t popcorn salt (or grind regular salt in a coffee grinder - you'll get crystals if you don't)
1 dram LoRann butter flavor, or 2 t Wilton butter flavor
**stir and add**
2 lbs powdered sugar

I use cornstarch to roll out my fondant. Crisco makes it too slippery and using powdered sugar is like posting a big *Welcome* sign for the ants and bugs ! Yuck ! The cornstarch makes the fondant very smooth and easy to work with and it doesn't stick to things .

Oh, forgot to add...it's also really important that your marshmallows are fresh. They should be dry and not sticky or sticking together, right out of the bag. Otherwise the MMF won't turn out right.

I've had major problems with MMF tearing if I roll it too thin or I add to dark of a color, like green. I usually roll mine out on crisco covered surface.

I roll my MMF out on sheets of parchment paper that I buy at Smart&Final for about $3. They are larger than a roll and there are so many sheets - one package lasts a very long time. I put two of them side-by-side to cover large cakes.

These are all wonderful suggestion! I will experiment more with my MMF until I have better results. Thank you all VERY much! Also, have any of you added Tylose to MMF? What were your results?

Tylose works OK, but not as well as as mixing in premade gumpaste. I use Wilton's because it dries so fast a bow will hold it's shape in a matter of minutes. I buy it with my 40% coupon at Michael's.

I agree, I have used Tylose, but I get better results with a 50/50 mix of fondant and gumpaste. I buy the gumpaste mix at Michaels and mix it up. Then I add about the same (sometimes 1.5 times more of fondant - to make more of it) It stays moist enough for work time and dries much quicker and sturdier than fondant alone.

However, tylose will work if you have some on hand!

HTH