Easy To Use, No Mess Marshmallow Fondant Recipe

Ingredients

80g mini marshmallows
1 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp glucose/corn syrup
Food colouring (optional)
3 1/2 cups icing/powdered sugar
2 tbsp corn flour/corn starch
200g satin fondant (optional)

*Makes about 650g of fondant without the added 200g.

Disclaimer

Depending on what you want to use this fondant for, you can decide on whether you want to add the last ingredient or not. I know that the whole point of making your own fondant is so that you don't have to use store bought fondant, that and it tastes much better. However, when you want to use your fondant to cover cakes, marshmallow fondant is a bit tricky as it hardens very quickly. For smaller things like covering cupcakes or making toppers, this fondant recipe is completely sufficient. However, if you want to cover cakes I will highly recommend adding a bit of store bought fondant. This will give it more elasticity, making it easier to work with, but will also still eliminate the taste of store bought fondant.

Method

1. Place the marshmallows in a microwave safe mixing bowl and add the water. Give it a quick stir.

2. Place the marshmallows in the microwave for 20 secs. Remove it from the microwave and stir it again. Keep it outside for at least 30 secs before placing it back in the microwave for another 20 secs.

3. Remove from microwave and stir in the butter. Microwave it for another 10 secs.

4. Remove your mixture from the microwave and stir it again to ensure that the butter is incorporated well. Check that the marshmallows are completely melted and that the mixture is smooth. If there are lumps, try to stir them out or microwave the mixture again for about 8 secs at a time until the lumps disappear.

5. Transfer the mixture to your electric mixer's bowl and attach the flat beater.

Left- flat beater. Right- dough hook.

6. Add the glucose/corn syrup and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Note that if you are using a very thick form of glucose you may need to add it in during step 3 so that it can melt with the butter.

7. Add food colouring to your mixture and mix until incorporated. 

8. Add the icing/ powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue mixing.

9. When your mixture starts coming together, switch your mixer attachment to a dough hook. At this stage you can also add another 1/4 cup of icing/powdered sugar if your mixture is still sticking completely to the bowl.

Mixture coming together.

10. Knead your mixture for about 5 mins and then add the corn flour/corn starch.

11. Knead in the store bought fondant if you wish to add it.

Store bought fondant.

12. Continue kneading until your fondant forms and is no longer sticky to the touch. Add more corn flour/corn starch if your fondant remains too sticky.

13. To work with this fondant, dust a surface with corn flour/corn starch and begin the creating. When the fondant hardens place it in the microwave for about 10 secs to soften it up again.

14. You can store this in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just allow it to defrost and then place it in the microwave to soften it again.

Notes

• In the ingredients list, I added '/' many times, these ingredients are all exactly the same thing, they just have different names here in South Africa than they have in some other countries.
• Same thing with the measurements, South Africa uses a different system, but if you'd like to know, 650g=23oz and 200g=7 oz.
• See the picture above: Roses- without added store bought fondant. Cake- with added store bought fondant.
• If you are curious as to how I made the above cake look like a chalkboard, I simply melted some white chocolate onto a spoon and once it hardened I used it to draw on the fondant.

Feel free to leave any questions in the comments below or send me an email and I'll get back to you! :)

Tips for gourmet tasting cupcakes using premixes

If you’re someone who loves a cupcake that both looks and tastes great, but more than that you’re all about convenience, then cupcake premixes are probably your go-to. This can also apply if baking is simply just not for you and the easier the method the better. Well, I’m here to tell you that you can have the best of both worlds. Here are some tips on how to turn your premix cupcakes into gourmet tasting beauties.

For this method, you can also use muffin premixes instead of cupcake premixes. I like to use Golden Cloud’s vanilla muffin mix. This makes the cupcakes a little less sweet and allows for more frosting. However a cupcake premix will work perfectly as well.

The substitutes

Your first step will be to empty your premix into a large mixing bowl. Then you want to look at the mixing instructions on the packaging. Muffin mixes often times require water to be added, while cupcake mixes require milk. If your recipe requires water, substitute it with the same amount of milk.

The additions

Firstly, you want to look at the amount of eggs your recipe requires and then double this amount when you make your cupcakes. More eggs leads to a richer and creamier taste.

Your second addition is greek yogurt or plain yogurt, either one works. This adds moisture to your cupcakes. Look at the amount of cupcakes your premix makes (it should be stated on the packaging). For 12 cupcakes I like to add 1 tbsp of yogurt, if you have a larger premix that makes 24 cupcakes you can add 2 tbsp.

Please note that because you are adding a lot of liquids, your mixture is likely to be more runny than usual. This is completely fine.

The method

Once you have all your substitutes and additions together, you can follow the rest of the recipe exactly as it is (usually your only other ingredient to add is oil). The only adjustment to the method is the baking temperature and time. I like to bake my cupcakes at 20℃/70 ℉ lower than the temperature on the premix instructions. This will usually be at about 160 ℃/320 ℉. Due to the lower temperature you will also want to adjust your baking time, it shouldn’t take more that about 8 minutes longer, but it’s best to test your cupcakes with a skewer or a toothpick after the original baking time has passed. Doing this will prevent the cupcakes from browning too much and the tops from cracking.

Summary

1. Replace the water with the same amount of milk.
2. Double the amount of eggs.
3. Add in 1 tbsp of greek/plain yogurt per 12 cupcakes.
4. Lower the baking temperature with 20℃/70 ℉.
5. Add about 8 minutes to the baking time.               

I hope you find these tips useful, feel free to leave any questions in the comments below and I’ll answer them as soon as I can.