I just love using modelling fondant. It takes me back to my childhood…… playing with play-doh 😍. Remember those days, being creative and mixing up colours? Well you can still be a kid😁. I get my son involved too. When I’m making leaves, we spend time in the garden picking leaves together. It’s so simple, no tools needed! Just press (so the veins of the leaf appear) the leaf against rolled out green fondant. Cut around it, fold it down the middle and let it dry upside down. Use a folded paper for it to rest against.
Not only is it fun to work with, but you get to use it, to decorate your cakes. I tend to make mine a week before I actually need it. This gives me time to play around with the colours, shapes and sizes. Without stressing about baking and icing the cake. It is also a great way, to help make a cake look complete and alive.
To help you use fondant. I have pulled together a few tips:
1. Make sure it is modelling fondant you are using, and not fondant you use to roll out on a cake. The latter fondant, will not harden and may collapse in the heat. It can also feel sticky and difficult to keep its shape.
2. You can buy different colours of modelling fondant. But a lot of the time, you will need to mix colours to make the desired figures. You can mix two different coloured fondants together, to give the colour you want. Or add a little gel paste food colouring. To ensure you get an equal colour throughout, roll the fondant in a ball in your hands and keep stretching it and rolling it into a ball until you have an equal colour throughout.
3. Once I have opened a packet, if I don’t use all the fondant. I wrap it really well in cling film. This keeps it airtight and reusable. If you don’t do this you will have fondant that is gritty, and unusable.
4. It’s fine if it feels hard to start with. Don’t worry as you work it with your warm hands it will become softer. If it feels too soft to work with, just pop it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
5. If you do not like your model. You can just take it apart or bits off, and start again. That’s the beauty of modelling fondant 😅
Look at my Pudsey bear the first time I did it. He came out so fat, so I managed to slim him down.
6. Once you are happy with your model; to harden it, let it air dry. Sometimes that is not enough. So pop it in the oven with the light on for about 10-15mins. Make sure you don’t put the heat on.
7. Store them in an airtight container. They should stay hard and easy to put on your cake.
Check out my video on how to make roses fondant roses. Have fun!! You can do this with the kids… as long as they are not eating it at the same time.
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