Fondant haters of the world unite!
Lots of mail overnight. I seemed to have popped the cap on a deep well of fondant hatred out there. I can sympathize with it to some extent, since fondant of the rolled type can be annoying when it’s laid on too thick. I’ll also say that commercially made fondant can taste a little…synthetic, and that’s no fun on a wedding cake. Unfortunately much of the fondant that’s used on cakes these days is pre-made, shipped to bakeries in 50-pound plastic-covered blocks that are fun to practice judo kicks on late at night in the middle of the bread shift. Not that I’ve ever done that.
Pre-made fondant makes a lot of sense for a commercial bakery because a.) home-made fondant takes time and attention and b.) it doesn’t store well as it tends to dry out even when it’s wrapped. So really, professional cake makers, unless they’re really into staying up nights making their own rolled fondant, have little choice but to use pre-made.
However I’ll say that most people who’ve ever tried home-made rolled fondant quickly change their mind about fondant in general. It’s lighter both in texture and in taste. I should also add that if you like fudge, you like fondant, since fudge is nothing more than chocolate-flavored fondant. Fondant is also what’s used to fill the candies we all look forward to on Valentine’s day (“cream” fillings are actually flavored fondants). So don’t hate on fondant too much if you can help it. When used and/or made properly it really is quite delicious and versatile stuff.
I actually prefer homemade marshmallow fondant for cake decorating. It’s easy, tasty, inexpensive, quick … and fat free if you use glycerine instead of crisco. My kids love it!
Thanks, Jennifer!
– Joe
Another vote for marshmallow fondant if you have to have the rolled stuff. I still don’t like it, precisely, but I don’t pick it off, it’s a million times easier to make, and it takes no special ingredients.
Poured fondant, though? I LOVE that stuff. That recipe is actually what led me to your site many moons ago!
Funny that! Thanks Nicole!
– Joe
So glad you stayed, Nicole! 😉
– Joe
Hey Joe… Perhaps you’ve already done this, but… You should clarify to your readers the difference between rolled fondant and poured fondant, the latter of which I always called “neutral” fondant. Two very different animals, don’t you think?
Neutral fondant, you say. Fascinating.
– Joe
I am all for butter cream!
It’s my preference on most things too, HBM. Don’t tell anyone.
– Joe
I *love* rolled fondant.
I make mine from scratch though. Make the marshmallow and use that. The taste compared to commercial one is just ridiculously good.
I’ll admit, colouring it can be a PITA to get nice strong colours like the commercial ones though!
C from DU
Oh hell yes. Kneading and kneading…it really can take forever. The results are usually worth the effort though.
Thanks CFDU!
– JFTUS
yup- another fondant hater here. but that really could be because i’ve only ever had the commercial type. and i’m just a content-over-style kind of person, so i’d much rather have delicious cake and frosting than delicious cake and waxy fondant. now that i know, though, that poured fondant is a different beast (thank you) i’m willing to keep my haterade in check!
Hehe….let it flow if it feels good, Yasmin! BUt do try the poured stuff sometime. It’s a whole lot different.
Cheers,
– Joe
hate fondant…In fact know amongst my baking buddies for my regular *u*k fondant rants 😀
The poured and marshmallow ones are tolerable…
Hehe…thanks, Malini!
– Joe
I use premade fondant. I don’t like it. I can’t say I hate it, I mean, no one ever held a shotgun against my head when I was eating a fondant covered cake. You just simply peel it away and munch on the inner goodness 🙂
Two friends of mine, though, actually like the premade fondant to the extent that our designs always feature some element that is only made from fondant.
I don’t get it either.
But hate?
Nah, that feeling should be reserved for stupidity and evil.
Ha! Fair enough, Tjasa. My grandparents told me it was fair to hate sin and the Devil…but not much else!
Thanks for the comment!
– Joe