I just received my mat and thought I would try it out today. I don't know what I am doing wrong but I seasoned the mat with shortening like she said. When I roll out my fondant the fondant has what looks like pock marks. I tried it three more times and gave up. Went back to the old fashioned method of rolling fondant. Can anyone tell me why this is happening? I used MMF.
I just got mine and tried it. Love that I can roll it out thinner but I got the pock marks too. I also used MMF so I'm wondering if that might be the reason. I wonder if I just didn't smooth all the air out or something. I have some Satin Ice so I might give that a test in a few days. Even with the slight pock marks, it was much better than anything I've been able to do without the mat.
Oh, how I love all the helpful info on here! I've always been a 'research before you buy' person and LOVE that I stumbled upon this thread. I've been looking for a new mat for a few weeks now. Been a hobby baker for about a year and a 1/2 and now more ppl are asking me to do cakes for them. Most of the time I'm lucky if I have the chance to do a cake every couple of months but I've done 3 in just the past couple weeks---all involving fondant! I asked the DH if we could take a weekend trip to Nashville (we r just in cinci) and he said 'that would be a fun trip.' Saw the look in my eyes 
and asked "what cake store is there?" lol SO EXCITED
Probably going to order before a trip can be made!
lol right I know...............I was asking how people liked cricut cake before getting it, and about 98% loved it......now I got it 98% hate it ........so much for that ....I am still learning so I dont know if I love it or not....more plus so far though...hope your mat is a win win.........
hey Kathy.......I am having so much fun....if I can just figure out now how to quite getting food coloring all over myself and my kitchen with new airbrush lol....are you having fun?
wHAT A LET DOWN~~~ i have heard all these things about a "MAT" so i searched out this thread to check it out, like all of you, watch the video and get totally sucked in, proceed to "purchase" and then get smacked with a $35 postage charge?!@!@ AHHHHH.... for a sheet of food safe plastic? i think not--i'll stick to rolling out on my pastry mat and just using the good old fashioned skill of elbow grease and speed to achieve a smooth cake- no elephant skin for me, but no $53 charge on the credit card either!! What a rip off... i know postage is expensive--i'm always sending things to and fro from the states--but that is just an absolute joke!
I would very much appreciate feedback about pock marks. I've used Fondx, Pettinice and Satin Ice, but mostly Pettinice. Have those of you with the mat who use these products had a smooth or pitted result? I'm waiting to see where this thread goes before I order.
PLEASE don't use vinyl or other plastic sheeting that is not approved for food use to roll out your fondant! The problem with these materials is that they contain polymer free-radicals.... the crafty little polymer molecules that managed to avoid connecting with other molecules during the chemical reaction process that produced the vinyl or plastic. The "bad" thing about polymer free-radicals is that they are organic compounds and react very well with the organic molecules in our bodies! Many of them (in higher concentrations) have been identified as carcinogens or are materials to which people develop severe (i.e. lifethreatening) allergies at some level of exposure. A simple example of un-reacted polymer molecules that we can all relate to is the "new car" smell that is due to the unreacted chemicals in the plastics in our cars. The haze that forms on the inside of the windshield in a new car is the same thing. These chemicals are also present in vinyl sheeting.
Thanks for explaining this! My DH is also a chem engineer, and when I brought home some vinyl from the fabric store for me to use with fondant, he wouldn't let me use it--actually made me throw it out!
I'm so excited. I just found out I'm going to Nashville for work in a couple of weeks. I booked an early flight so I could stop by Sweetwise pick up The Mat and hopefully a few other goodies. I can't wait
I'm so excited. I just found out I'm going to Nashville for work in a couple of weeks. I booked an early flight so I could stop by Sweetwise pick up The Mat and hopefully a few other goodies. I can't wait
Jealous!!! Have fun! Buy lots of cool stuff and we will all shop vicariously thru you.
Sillywabbitz
Have fun! Can you also check out the rolling pins? I'm looking for one that will be heavy, so its easier for me to roll.
No comments on the pock marks? I'm interested too.
Madge You are an absolute trip and a half! I can just picture you with that airbrush. Look at it this way. If you air brush yourself blue by mistake you can be a smurf for Halloween!
Madge You are an absolute trip and a half! I can just picture you with that airbrush. Look at it this way. If you air brush yourself blue by mistake you can be a smurf for Halloween!
Hysterical! When I read Madge's post, I pictured the commercial where the guy is cleaning his porch with a power sprayer and it goes all over like a fire hose. I could just see Madge spraying her entire kitchen!
Apti OMG yes! That commercial is hysterical. I could picture my brother-in-law doing something like that. He was always the guy getting hurt. Like falling off the roof and landing in the pool in the fall! Too funny. All I know is I want some of Madge's "happy" Off to making pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes!
Wow, I just saw the you tube video. I want one & I rarely due fondant covered cakes.
That's what I would like to know handymama. I tried several times and still had pock marks all over the fondant. There were so many marks that you couldn't smooth them out. I had to make a two tier cake and couldn't waste anymore time with the mat and rolled my fondant out as I usually do with cornstarch and powdered sugar. I would love to know how to fix this as I hope I didn't waste 25.00 on a piece of plastic.
Iluvpeeks, I will definately check out the rolling pins and let you. I still use the large Wilton white one and I'm sure there is a better one than that
Sillywabbitz
Have fun! Can you also check out the rolling pins? I'm looking for one that will be heavy, so its easier for me to roll.
No comments on the pock marks? I'm interested too.
Madge You are an absolute trip and a half! I can just picture you with that airbrush. Look at it this way. If you air brush yourself blue by mistake you can be a smurf for Halloween!
iluvpeeks,
my Wilton instructor uses a 3 inch dowel rod that you can get at a hardware store and just cut it into 24 inches. She swears by it.
Okay, so here's an update on my use of The Mat.
I used it for the second time yesterday. This time with a softer MMF, no PS or CS. I did get the pock marks this time, though I did not add any more Crisco since the first time I seasoned it.
I think I did put too much Crisco on initially, but since the fondant I used the first time was very hard, that stopped the pock marks for some reason.
I was able to get rid of the pock marks by pulling off the top layer of The Mat and rolling directly on the fondant. Afterwards I wiped off as much Crisco off The Mat as possible and believe that with continued use this problem will be alleviated.
HOWEVER, I still see the value of The Mat for the following reasons: 1. Even if you have to take the top layer off, the bottom still helps you transport the fondant to your cake and helps with proper positioning; 2. It's food safe; 3. I'm still able to work my fondant without using PS or CS; 4. I was never able to get my fondant as thin as I can with The Mat.
So ... I'm still Loving The Mat!
...
I was able to get rid of the pock marks by pulling off the top layer of The Mat and rolling directly on the fondant. Afterwards I wiped off as much Crisco off The Mat as possible and believe that with continued use this problem will be alleviated.
HOWEVER, I still see the value of The Mat for the following reasons: 1. Even if you have to take the top layer off, the bottom still helps you transport the fondant to your cake and helps with proper positioning; 2. It's food safe; 3. I'm still able to work my fondant without using PS or CS; 4. I was never able to get my fondant as thin as I can with The Mat.
So ... I'm still Loving The Mat!
Good idea! I didn't think about rolling a few times on top without the mat. I also love that I can use the mat to position. That was always my downfall.
Question - which side of the fondant do the pock marks show up on?
The marks were showing up on both sides (because I put Crisco on both sides of The Mat). Once I took off the top layer of The Mat, I was able to smooth out the marks ... I think on both sides.
If I'm wrong about smoothing both sides at once, then one could always smooth out the top of the fondant , peel it off The Mat and flip, then do a quick smooth of the other side while on The Mat, then apply to cake.
HTH!
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