So I've been experimenting and searching to find the perfect fondant recipe or brand and this is what I've finally come up with. Of course I realize that fondant can be fickle and the climate you live in has a big effect on it, along with the weather the day you use it, the humidity level, the current position of the stars, etc. But so far, knock on wood, this mixture has been ideal for me - no cracking, just the right amount of stretch, smooth, easy to work with, good taste....all of it.

So what I do is make a batch of Michele Foster fondant. Then I buy Wilton fondant. Then I mix them together 50/50. That's it. I don't like the taste of Wilton fondant on its own but mixing it with the homemade stuff really helps! Also, it's nice because I can buy it at Walmart and avoid having to pay shipping or having to wait for it to arrive. Plus, it saves money because it is so much cheaper to make your own fondant so it helps stretch those dollars all the more. When I've just used the homemade fondant on it's own, I've found it to be unpredictable. Sometimes it turns out great, other times it's a nightmare. By adding the pre-made stuff, it has made it more reliable. And when the homemade batch doesn't turn out perfect, mixing it with the Wilton's seems to take away the imperfections. I know some people on here refuse to use Wilton fondant and I was one of those until a time when I was in a desperate situation and tried this combination out. I hope this idea can be useful to somebody! Happy caking!

Thank you for sharing this. I too have mixed satin ice(along with other c/er's on here) and got great results. I have made michelle's recipe(great tasting). so now i will mix it with the wilton fondant.When Sharon Zambito had a thread on wilton fondant tasting better that it use to. I belived her. (One of the best decorators on this site!!! I also mix wilton fondant with modeling chocolate(more fondant that chocolate) got this from this site also. I really like using the chocolate also. So now , i will make some of michelle's fondant and mix it with the wilton. Carrie Bigger's fondant is also great tasting. Her recipe is in her dvd. I wish i could share it. lol!!!Need to add, I like the way wilton's fondant is pliable and easy to roll, etc. It really is.

I've never tried mixing fondant with chocolate. Sounds yummy though! Guess I'm going to have to try it!

countrycaker - I don't use the Wilton fondant, but i know that Michaels, JoAnn Fabrics and AC Moore all sell it and you can use a coupon to buy it. This week JoAnns has a 50% off. All these stores take each others 40% or 50% off coupons. Not sure where you live, but maybe you can try one of those stores to save $$.

Yes, I totally agree! There's nothing wrong with experimenting and trying your own things - I too self-thought myself and I love to mix different fondants to achieve a blend of their best properties (or features if you like) so what I use most of the time is my home made marshmallows fondant and cheap Tesco's Ready to roll fondant icing. Mixing MMF with melted chocolate while still warm makes a wonderful modelling chocolate, smelling delicious cheaper and much better than any commercial stuff! The only thing I need to learn and experiment with now is the RKT - unfortunatelly, my current customer is vegetarian, so I can't use marshmallows there at all. In that case, I mix Tesco's fondant with marzipan - makes it tougher, and when making this, I grease my hands a lot to prevent icing from cracking.

I thought marzipan and fondant were the same thing. Are they not?

Oh yes, I do check carefully about marzipan. I warn people about marshmallows as well, and their unsuitability for vegetarians, surprisingly not everyone is aware of their gelatine content. But you're right - marzipan is so much better to work with, polishes nicely, and when making e.g. flowers, holds the shape very well, plus dries quickly and stays very firm (stone-hard!). And it picks up the gel colours with much more saturation. The only trouble with it is - the cost! It's more pricey then the fondants. And there's a lot of people with DANGEROUS AND LIFE THREATENING nut allergies. So yes, you always need to check with the customers, and provide the finished cake with printed allergy advice - that's a must (well, it's what I always do). I am just lucky that the vegetarian lady objects to MM, but is ok with marzipan. It saves me a lot of trouble!