I am sooooo frustrated with MMF. I made it twice last fall and both time it seemed to be great. The last 5 times I made it, though, it has been awful! It has so many pock marks that it looks like it had bad acne as a teen or something. Terrible! The marks cannot be smoothed away, and they are not air bubbles that need popping.. rather they look like bubbles that had already popped. Hundreds of them.

I searched all over CC a few weeks ago and saw some people say that it happens if you use a mixer because you get too much air. Thinking that was my problem, this time I used just a wooden spoon and my hands. But no, I got the exact same look again!

What am I doing wrong??! I want to give up on MMF totally, but it tastes good and I see so many of you have it so smooth in your pictures. I use only name brand powdered sugar, jet puff marshmallows, I don't overheat (just until they are all about melted then stir the last bit down), I work quickly, don't overmix. Can anybody help me? I have another cake to do for this weekend, and I'm thinking of trying MFF instead, but will I have the same issue there or is the marshmallows that are so finicky?

I haven't made MMF but I have made MFF, and both times I had the little pock marks you talked about. I do think it has something to do with the mixer, but I'm pretty sure you need the mixer to make that one since it doesn't harden up until it sits.

I did make fondant from a recipe in one of the yearbooks last week since it was a last minute decision and I didn't have time to make the other recipes. You mix it together with a wooden spoon then kneed in the rest of the powder sugar. I didn't have the little pock marks in it.

I use the recipe that uses ONLY a wooden spoon and a greased, glass bowl. However, I think its important to NOT heat the "mini" marshmallows and water, all at once. I only melt them at 20 second intervals, and stir at each interval until soupy. Then I stir in powdered sugar until its too hard to stir with spoon, then dump onto work surface (dusted with P.S.) and continue adding P.S. and kneading in, using bench scraper to roll over and gently knead, until the 2lb. of P.S. is kneaded in. (Sometimes, it doesn't take the entire 2lbs., depending on the humidity...

The only time I've had those holes like that is:
1. When I didn't knead enough powd. sugar in and
2. I didn't knead it well enough

Question, when mixing, do you use the paddle attachment or the dough hook? I unknownly at the time ( when I was new at making MMF) would use the paddle attachment and would get those little pockets. I switched to the dough hook and have not had that problem since. Oh, I also melt the marshmellows until it is completely in a liquid form. I start with two 30 second intervals and then 15 seconds after that until it is completely liquified..I stir the mixture inbetween intervals. By doing this I found that it has made a big difference. I hope this helps

I don't own a microwave, so I heat my marshmallows on the stove. I have a greased bowl and the sifted powdered sugar ready on the counter so I can pour the melted marshmallow/water/vanilla combo in there as soon as it's melted and start stirring with a wooden spoon.

I mix it as much as possible, then grease my hands and knead the rest right in the bowl until it is fully incorporated and doughy. Cover completely and let it rest overnight before using.

I have never had the pockmarks, it's always smooth and perfect. This is the only fondant I use. HTH!

I made mountains of MMF and finally had to say goodbye - it was just too tempermental. I bought a tub of Satin Ice and I will never go back. That stuff is smooth, soft and tastes better than MMF. Best of all, it really stretches and covers like crazy. I bought a 20# tub and have done 3 different 3 tiered cakes and still have way more than 1/2 a tub left.

When I was working with MMF, the microwave was my best friend but I did notice that the more you micro it, the harder and faster it dries out on you.

Yes...time to give up. Try Michelle Foster Fondant.....best tasting stuff ever. No pock marks, no messy counter...no sticky mess...pure heaven!

Thanks, everyone. I do melt them at 30 second intervals, stirring between. I do use almost the full 2lbs bag, sometimes all of it, depending on the feel. And, if I use the mixer, I have tried both the paddle and the dough hook, with neither giving a good result.

I think I will try MFF and come back to MMF again some other day. Satin Ice is my dream, but it's too expensive as a practice fondant, as I'm just beginning to learn to do nice cakes!

i want to say the recipe says specifically...not jet puff marshmallows. i use store brand and have not experienced pock marks.

I think it depends on the recipe. Several say they MUST be jet puffs, so it must be up to the recipe writer's opinion or something? I was told to never use store brand, but have seen about half of the people here say that store brand works well. Perhaps I'll have to try that, too.

i use rhonda's ultimate recipe, i just change the amounts of the flavorings a little but other than that same recipe. i have been happy with it.

Oh interesting! Her's is what I use, too, except I have it saved on my computer and it says nothing about the type of marshmallows. It's others that I've seen specify name brand. I assumed I should use it here, too. Does yours say not jet puffed? I wonder if she updated it on the site. I'll look into trying it again, but I wonder why the brand would matter...

I do adore the taste of her recipe, which is why I have tried it so many times. And, like I said, for some reason it worked twice last fall, and I did use name brand back then, too. So strange.

I have never been able to get consistent results with MMF, many times getting the pock marks like you. I have changed powdered sugar and marshmallow brands and did it with the mixer and by hand. I finally gave up and tried MFF and Satin Ice. I love them both and have a much easier time with them. I wish I knew what was wrong since it is so much cheaper to make, but I refuse to waste any more time on it.

ha ha i just looked at the ultimate recipe and i don't see anything about which brand to use...now i don't know where i got that from!

lol, no problem! Like I said, I have seen both opinions posted all over these forums, so I have no idea why one version works for one person but not another!

I think it's the jet puffed marshmallows...........I mistakenly got those last time, and it did that with me...........so no more jet puffed for me!!!!!!!!

I will forever loathe MMF because it blew up my trusty 18 year old KA. Sorry, just had to get that off my chest. Carry on...