what is it called, please!?

Question

What is the name of that stuff that bakers put over their cakes to make it nice and smooth. It is like a dough and it starts with an F.
is it edible, and what is the recipe?!
Thankyou
Taylyn, 14

Answer 1

Fondant.

Answer 2

Fondant is the smooth, white-as-snow covering of some particularly fancy cakes.

European Fondant is made by boiling sugar, water and glucose to 240°F. It is then poured onto a marble slap and sprinkle with some water to prevent crystallization. Once the syrup has cooled down to 110°F, start to work the sugar with a steel scraper, folding it onto itself. Do not attempt to work it before it cooled to 110°F or it will become tough and coarse. After a while it will start turning white. Work the fondant until it is smooth and creamy. It may take well over 40 minutes to achieve the right consistency. Once smooth and creamy store in an airtight container for later use. European Fondant should NOT be attempted by inexperienced pastry chefs without the appropriate supervision, as you may burn yourself badly.

Basic Recipe:

Fondant uncooked

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup hot water
1/3 cup corn syrup

European Fondant - cooked

1 pound sugar
1/4 pound water
1/5 pound glucose

Answer 3

I don't know where i learned this trick but if you icing your cake then use your blow dryer on Low setting but don't hold it to close. It also will make your cake look nice and smooth. good luck with your Fondant. I hope it turns out great.

Answer 4

It's fondant. Try a website like Martha Stewart.

Answer 5

Here is a recipe for fondant. You can add food coloring if you wish. I have always found fondant to be difficult to work with, although the pastry chefs on TV make it look easy.

Answer 6

I think you mean frangipan - it's that almondey-flavoured doughey thing, which is gorgeous! It's usually used on pastry rather than cake, but here's a link to the recipe:
http://www.frenchpastrychef.com/pastry/1208frangipan.shtml

Hope that helps! Incidentally, if you click on the word pastry cream, it will take you to that recipe too. It seems easy enough to make, just a bit time-consuming!

Answer 7

Yes, it's called Fondant...

CLASSIC FONDANT RECIPE adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum

1 tablespoon gelatin
1/4 cup cold water (optional: replace 2 tablespoons water with rosewater, orange flower water or freshly squeezed lemon juice)
1/2 cup glucose (can use 9 tablespoons light corn syrup which equals 1/2 cup glucose)
1 tablespoon glycerin
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
8 cups sifted confectioners sugar
2 - 3 drops liquid food color or flavoring as desired

INSTRUCTIONS:
Sprinkle gelatin over the water in a 2-cup heatproof glass measure and let stand for 5 minutes. Set into a small pan of simmering water and stir until the gelatin is dissolved. (This can be done in a microwave on high for a few seconds).

Blend in the glucose and glycerin, then add the shortening and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
Place the sugar in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the gelatin mixture and stir with a lightly greased wooden spoon until blended. Mix lightly with greased hand and knead vigorously in the bowl until most of the sugar is incorporated. Turn onto a smooth, lightly greased surface such as Formica or marble and knead until smooth and satiny. If the Fondant seems dry, add several drops of water and knead well. If it seems too sticky, knead in more powdered sugar. The Fondant will resemble a smooth, well-shaped stone.

When dropped, it should spread very slightly but retain its shape. It should be malleable like clay, soft but not sticky.

Rolled Fondant may be used at once but seems to work more easily when allowed to rest for several hours, preferably overnight. It is important to keep Fondant covered to prevent it from drying. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. It will firm slightly upon standing.

When ready to roll out, spray the work surface and rolling pin with nonstick vegetable spray.

From The Cake Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum
http://www.baking911.com/asksarahbb/index.php?showtopic=1196

CHOCOLATE ROLLED FONDANT RECIPE adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum
Makes 2 3/4 pounds or enough to cover a 9 x 3-inch cake and a 6 x 3-inch cake

Rose Levy Beranbaum is proud of this recipe. It's in her famous book, The Cake Bible. It is similar to chocolatic plastic, a mixture of chocolate and light corn syrup, that it can be rolled and draped on a cake, but fondant is sturdier and more pliable and holds up better to heat. This recipe is easier to work with than chocolate plastic because it has less fat owing to the use of cocoa powder than chocolate. Make fondant the day before you need it so it has a chance to absorb the moisture in it properly which makes it easier to work with.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon gelatin
1/3 liquid cup (2.75 ounces) water
2/3 liquid cup (7.5 ounces) corn syrup
1 tablespoon glycerine
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces) solid white vegetable shortening, plus more for kneading
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 1/4 cups powdered sugar or 1 pound 9 ounces (lightly spooned into cup)
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (7 ounces) Dutch Processed (alkalized) or 2 1/2 cups Natural cocoa such a Hershey's

INSTRUCTIONS
In a 2-cup heatproof glass measuring cup, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the water and without stirring, allow to sit for 5 minutes. Immediately, set in a small pan of hot, simmering water and gently stir the dissolved gelatin until it is thoroughly mixed. (You can optionally microwave a few seconds on high power, stirring once or twice in between.)

With the mixture still in the simmering water, blend in the corn syrup and glycerine. Add the shortening and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool slightly.

Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa in a large bowl and make a well in the center.

Add the gelatin mixture and stir immediately with a wooden spoon in large circles until blended. Then, with both hands, mix and knead vigorously in the bowl until it forms a ball.

Grease a smooth work surface lightly with shortening and with clean hands, knead until smooth, pliable and satiny. If the fondant seems dry or brittle, you may need to add a few drops of water at a time and knead well after each addition. This will make the fondant sticky and messy at first, but keep kneading until it holds together and becomes smooth, agaain.

Roll the fondant into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and place in an airtight bag or container. Let it sit a day so the moisture in it can distribute evenly throughout; it will become easier to work with.

When ready to roll out, lightly grease the work surface and rolling pin with shortening. Lightly grease your hands, as well. Tiny cracks will appear in the surface of the fondant at first, but as you knead it, the warmth from your hands or pressure from the rolling pin will make it smooth and satiny. Keep fondant covered at all times with plastic wrap as it will dry quickly.

Tips:
Make sure you sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder after measuring so there are no lumps present which prevent the ingredients from evenly incorporating into the recipe. You can also pulse it in a food processor for a few seconds until powdery. If you end up with lumpy fondant, process a small portion at a time in a food processor until smooth.

If the stored fondant seems stiff, microwave it a few seconds in the microwave befroe kneading will make it pliable, again.

If you don't have shortening, do not substitute butter because it streaks. You can use a small amount of canola oil or a similiar light colored vegetable oil, instead.

STORAGE
Roll the fondant into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and place in an airtight bag or container. Keeps 1 week at room temperature; 1 month refrigerated or 6 months frozen. Fondant can be refrigerated longer than 1 month, but loses flavor if kept longer.

Recipe adapted from The Cake Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum
http://www.baking911.com/asksarahbb/index.php?showtopic=1198

Pastillage - Fondant Recipe for Sculpting
http://www.baking911.com/recipes/cakes/fondant_sculpting.htm

Answer 8

fondant