Fondant Cracking/Drying Out
I need help with Fondant. I was coloring fondant yesterday and after getting the color I needed I noticed that while kneading the fondant it looked dry and cracked in some spots. Is this because of overkneading or could the color do that to the fondant. I wrapped it up and I am hoping that when I am ready to roll it out to put on the cake it will not be like that, If it is still looking like that when I'm ready to roll it out does anyone have any suggestions.
Is there a certain way or technique to knead fondant? Please help me as the cake is due this Saturday. Thanks so much!!! :)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ruth Dunlop on
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rub shortning onto the ball of fondant,then wrap and bag it...if still to dry,knead in some shortning,hope that helps
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Permalink Reply by Teresita (Terry) Hernandez on
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Thank you so much for responding. I did rub shortening as I was kneading it but it kept getting that cracking look. Hopefully it will be back to normal when I roll it out.
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Permalink Reply by metria on
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warm it up a little in the microwave before you work with it...it might help it "relax"
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Permalink Reply by Karen Vazquez on
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Teresita,
That is a very good question... I try to knead it in with Crisco, but a lot of times it has to do with either temperature changes (high altitude places) or the base of your food coloring or the base ingredients of your fondant.
This is just based on my experience....
***I've found that food colorings with a water base may make your fondant too pliable and those with a gel paste can dry faster. Some things we do at our shop are:
1. We mix both a water base and a gel paste base to our icing to accomplish a certain color
2. Opt. to airbrush cake
3. Begin with a colored base fondant base (i.e. Satin Ice in Color) mixed in with white and food coloring.
4. Use vegetable shortening and plastic wrap tight (make sure your air conditioning unit is not turning on while you are working on it...heat helps in this case...so microwave the icing if you need to for 5-10 seconds at a time :-). If you over microwave as it begins to set it can crack too so be careful not to do too much of it.
I've also learned that certain fondant brands work better in certain places depending on humidity levels and altitude. For instance: I love Chocolate base fondant...but the oil base of the chocolate tends to separate from the rest of the ingredients making the icing more prone to "elephant skin", cracking, or breakage when used in a high humidity place like Florida.
Higher glycerine base fondants like: Wilton, Satin Ice, Fondarific, etc. work wonderful in higher altitude or dryer places because their base is more pliable (user friendly).
Other fondant brands like: Petinice and Carma work better in high humidity places but require more kneading...
Also, try using a plastic mat to roll your fondant...if you are kneading it on a granite top or stainless steel table where you are continuously adding confectioners sugar to avoid the icing from sticking...then the icing is getting dried up by the sugar or corn starch being added. I use a silicon mat :-)
If your fondant is too sticky use a silicon roller to roll (pardon the redundancy of :-). If your fondant is dryer use a wooden roller.
Hope this helps :-).
Take Care!
KV
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Forgot to say...the color could do that to your icing. We use (Americolor Colors in gel and in airbrush). Usually the airbrush colors are water base and the gel type not so mixing both has proven to help us in our shop. Another tip...low glycerine fondant is harder to convert into the following colors: purple, green, fuschia, grey, etc. If you need to accomplish these colors and you are using a low glycerine fondant...mix in with a high glycerine colored fondant to help the icing absorb the color.
Hope it makes sense...feel free to e-mail me or call my cell with any questions...If I know the answer...I will definitely share ;-)
Kind Regards,
KV
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Permalink Reply by jeri c on
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Great info Karen. I colored some Satin Ice Orange a few years ago and it gave me fits no matter what. Was too sticky, then it cracked, streatched etc... so I just try to buy the precolored fondant and mix it for bolder colors. I do like the Americolor gels the best for fondant though if I have to go that route.
I found that my Ateco Mat... (I know I push this thing all the time) has saved almost any and all problems I ever had rolling out fondant. I NEVER use shortning or cornstarch on it. It just works like a dream. If you can... I'd start with an Ateco Silicone Mat.
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I TOTALLY AGREE JERY!!!!! That is all I use at my cake shop and have had no problems with it. Just the first few times I cure it with vegetable Shortening and glue it to my stainless steel table with vegetable shortening too so that it does not move (we cannot use tape because it is considered a cross contaminant :-). Thank You Jery!!!!
jeri c said:Great info Karen. I colored some Satin Ice Orange a few years ago and it gave me fits no matter what. Was too sticky, then it cracked, streatched etc... so I just try to buy the precolored fondant and mix it for bolder colors. I do like the Americolor gels the best for fondant though if I have to go that route.
I found that my Ateco Mat... (I know I push this thing all the time) has saved almost any and all problems I ever had rolling out fondant. I NEVER use shortning or cornstarch on it. It just works like a dream. If you can... I'd start with an Ateco Silicone Mat.
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I just wipe the surface with a bit of water and the mat sticks right to the water. My Ateco Mat is one piece of equipment I'd never be without! I have 2 of them because I accidently cut a hole in the first one so I cut it in half and use it for flowers and small projects and keep the big one for rolling out fondant for cakes. I dont' tape it down because I pick the mat up and flip it over on top of the cake and peel it off and the fondant is so nice and smooth as a babys butt!
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You are so wright!!! I cannot leave without y roller and my matts. I have two too...one I cut through and I use for flowers and cutting. The other only for rolling fondant.
jeri c said:I just wipe the surface with a bit of water and the mat sticks right to the water. My Ateco Mat is one piece of equipment I'd never be without! I have 2 of them because I accidently cut a hole in the first one so I cut it in half and use it for flowers and small projects and keep the big one for rolling out fondant for cakes. I dont' tape it down because I pick the mat up and flip it over on top of the cake and peel it off and the fondant is so nice and smooth as a babys butt!
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Thank you so much for responding Karen. You are great. I just hope one day I can make my cakes look close to yours. "Elephant Skin" is the perfect word for describing the way my fondant looked in some spots. I do live in Florida and there was a fan running. I'm thinking maybe that had something to do with it along with the fact that the gel color I was using was a little dry. I am trying to achieve a "lime green" color and currently it is a dark minty color. Any suggestions for achieving the color I need. God Bless you for being so nice and taking so much interest in helping me. I truly appreciate it.
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Teresita...You can call my cell 239-398-3334 it is also my business line. I have a doctors appointment but will be available by noon. I can guide you over the phone as to what you are looking at and possibly we can figure out the cause. It could be the food coloring, temperature inside or outside your shop, fondant brand or recipe, fondant storage (if you plastic wrap it should go inside a plastic container too as the plastic wrap alone with a running AC unit can dry out and crack...)
Hope this helps :-).
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Thank you so much. I decorate cakes on the side but am currently at work but I will try to call you. How late can I call you since we have a time difference? Thanks again.
Karen Vazquez said:Teresita...You can call my cell 239-398-3334 it is also my business line. I have a doctors appointment but will be available by noon. I can guide you over the phone as to what you are looking at and possibly we can figure out the cause. It could be the food coloring, temperature inside or outside your shop, fondant brand or recipe, fondant storage (if you plastic wrap it should go inside a plastic container too as the plastic wrap alone with a running AC unit can dry out and crack...)
Hope this helps :-).
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