Fondant Tips & Tricks

While Fondant is fun to work with, there are some things to keep in mind to make it look
perfect. Here are a few tips and tricks from my experience and knowledge….

1. Keeping fondant white and avoiding lint: I get asked quite often on how to keep fondant cakes white. The
   answer is not so difficult.
   a. Keep your workstation as clean as possible. Keep cleaning it with a damp cloth and then a dry one
   often. 
   b. Wash your hands with soap often. This helps in keeping your hands free from any colours\dust and
   also helps in keeping them cool. This is especially helpful for folks who have warm hands.
   c. After you wash your hands, dry them only on a kitchen roll. Do not use a tea towel. This will prevent
   the lint\fibre from getting on to the fondant.
   d. Dust your hands with very little corn flour once dry. This will absorb any remaining moisture.
   e. Wear lint free clothes and a clean apron.
2. Perfect Canvas: While covering a cake, be sure your cake is level with smooth straight sides. This is your canvas
   for the fondant. If your canvas is pretty, your picture will surely be good.
3. Fondant Drying out:
   a. Always best to use fresh fondant to cover your cakes. Do not use a fondant which has been kneaded a
   lot. This kind, has started drying and will lead to elephant skin or cracks
   b. If there are slight cracks or elephant skin, rub a little shortening over it. It will act as a grease, as well
   as the heat of your hands will help repair the fondant.
4. Humidity: Fondant can be very frustrating in humid weather. With excess humidity, it will tend to get soft and
   soggy and will not give a good finish to your cakes.
   a. Best way to avoid these problems is to work in a temperature controlled room. Use an Air
   Conditioner.
   b. Add a little Tylose\gum tragacanth to your fondant. This will prevent it from becoming droopy. But be
   sure not to add too much as well.
   c. Use cornflour to dust the fondant. Avoid Icing sugar for this purpose as it tends to make the fondant
   sticky.
   d. Prevent water drops from falling on the fondant. It will dissolve the sugar at that spot creating a
   patchy look.
5. Fading: Keep coloured fondant away from sunlight. The colours tend to fade away with the light. Especially
   Pinks. Purple\Violet exposed to the sunlight will turn blue after a while.
6. Storing: Store fondant in a ziplock bag when not in use. Never leave it open on the counter.
7. Refrigeration: Cakes covered with fondant can be refrigerated provided you take care to control the
   temperature while taking them out. Follow the following steps to avoid condensation:
   a. Cover the cake in a cardboard box and store in the refrigerator. The cardboard absorbs any moisture
   and odours in the refrigerator.
   b. When it’s time to remove the cake, move it to a cold Air conditioned room. Let it sit there for a while
   till it comes to the temperature of the room.
   c. Now you can get it out at room temperature.
8. Colouring Fondant:
   a. Use only gel \ paste colours to colour your fondant. DO NOT use liquid colours. They tend to make the
   fondant sticky.
   b. It’s best to wear gloves while colouring fondant. This will prevent your hands from getting stained.
   c. It is best to buy pre-coloured fondant for dark colours like Red and black. It is difficult to achieve the
   perfect black and red without a whole lot of kneading and adding a lot of colour. The additional
   kneading may in turn may lead to drying out the fondant