Gelatin Rolled Fondant

Category: Filling > Gelatin Rolled Fondant

In my last post, I mentioned that I made my own gelatin fondant for the carnation cake. The Wilton's fondant tastes pretty bad. Other pre-made fondant tends to be a bit better than Wilton's. Duffs, for example, is better. However, to give Wilton's their due, their fondant is very pliant. If you are looking to make special designs with your fondant, like a bow, Wilton's works much better than a homemade fondant will. But if you just need to cover a cake, I would make your own. Not to mention that pre-made fondant is ridiculously expensive.

Many people shy away from making their own fondant because they think it is hard or messy. It can be a little messy if you are kneading and mixing it by hand. However, I found the following recipe, mixed with the bread hook attachment for the mixer, works well and isn't messy at all.

Recipe:

• 1 (.25 oz) Package Unflavored Gelatin
  
• 3 tbsp. Cold Water
  
• 1/2 cup Corn Syrup
  
• 1 tbsp. Glycerin
  
• 3 tbsp. Shortening
  
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
  
• 1/2 tsp. Butter Flavor
  
• 8 cups Powdered Sugar (2 pounds)
  
• Food Coloring
  

Combined gelatin and water and let sit until the gelatin thickens. It shouldn't take too long. In a double boiler, heat gelatin over medium heat until dissolved and turns into a clear liquid. Add the corn syrup and glycerin and mix. Stir in the shortening. Just before the shortening as completely melted, remove from the heat and add the vanilla and butter flavor. If you want to add a color, add it now.

Place 4 cups (1 pound) of the powdered sugar in your mixing bowl. Create a well in the middle of the sugar. Allow the rest of the shortening to melt in the gelatin mixture and for the mixture to cool to almost room temperature. Once cool, pour it into the well in the middle of the powdered sugar.

Using the bread hook attachment, mix the sugar and gelatin mixture together until it is a liquidy consistency. Scrap the sides of the bowl as needed. Once it is all mixed, slowly add the remaining powdered sugar. Hold back about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Remove fondant from bowl, onto a clean surface and knead remain powdered sugar in by hand.

Once done, store fondant in a zip lock bag. You can use immediately but it is best if you let it sit for a few hours before you use it.

Baking Tips:

• You can use any flavoring you like, you don't have to use the vanilla/butter combination.
  
• You don't have to add food coloring. If you want white fondant, don't add any food color. If you want your fondant many different colors, create white. Once your fondant is done, you can break off as much as you need and knead the food color into it.
  
• You can find glycerin at Micheal's or Hobby Lobby in the cake decorating section.
  

Pumpkin Mousse

Category: Fillings > Mousse > Pumpkin Mousse

I like pumpkin so when I came across a recipe for pumpkin mousse, I really wanted to try it. It tasted alright, a little like pumpkin pie. However, it wasn't as firm as I thought a mousse should be. It actually tasted a little like a pumpkin flavored whipped cream.



After serving it by itself, I ended up making a ginger snap pie crust and using the left over pumpkin mousse as a pie filling. Overall, if you are a fan of pumpkin, I'd suggest trying this recipe. If not, I was pass.



Recipe:

• 1 (15-ounce) can Pumpkin
  
• 3 cups Heavy Cream
  
• 3/4 cup Sugar
  
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
  
• 1/4 tsp. Ginger
  
• 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
  
• 1 tbsp. Vanilla
  

Combine pumpkin, 1 cup cream, sugar and spices in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Cool fully.

Whip remaining heavy cream and vanilla to soft peaks and fold into cooled pumpkin mixture. Pour into a serving dish and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Marzipan

Category: Fillings > Marzipan

Marzipan has been around for a long time. It is a sweetened almond paste. Marzipan can be used to cover a cake, like fondant. If can be covered in chocolate and eaten as a candy or it can be a cake filling. However, probably the best known usage of marzipan is shaping and coloring it into little fruits and other sculptures which are then eaten.

Many people wonder what the difference between almond paste and marzipan is. Almond paste is just a paste made of almonds. Marzipan is almond paste which has had sugar and egg whites added to it. The only flavoring that is allowed in traditional marzipan is maybe a little rose water but a lot of modern marzipan has almond extract added to increase the flavor.

After you make marzipan, it will look and fill kind of like play dough.



You can add food coloring to make different colors. If you knead marzipan too much, it will become oily. This almost always happens as you mix the coloring into it. If it gets too oily, you can wipe off the oil with a paper towel. I suggest letting your marzipan sit in the refrigerator a little bit after you add the color before you shape it to help with the oil.

Marzipan sticks together well, so you don't need any adhesive when sculpting.







Recipe:

• 2/3 cup Water
  
• 2 cups Sugar
  
• 1/8 tsp. Cream of Tartar
  
• 4 cups Almond Meal
  
• 2 Egg Whites
  
• Powdered sugar for dusting
  

Sprinkle powdered sugar over a clean counter or work area where you will be kneading the marzipan. Fill a large pan with cold water. Make sure your pan is large enough that the pan you are cooking your marzipan in can fix it.

Place water and sugar is a large saucepan and heat on low until the sugar dissolves.
Add the cream of tartar and increase heat to medium. Bring to a boil and cover for 3 minutes. Uncover and boil until the temperature reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Place the bottom of the saucepan in the cold water you’ve prepared, stirring the sugar mixture constantly until it becomes thick and creamy. Stir in the ground almonds and the egg whites, the place back over low heat and stir for 2 minutes more until the mixture is thick.

Place the marzipan onto your prepared work surface, and turn it with a metal spatula until it cools down enough to touch. Coat your hands in powdered sugar and begin to knead the marzipan, working it until it is smooth and pliant.

Your marzipan can now be used immediately or stored by wrapping it in plastic wrap and keeping it in an airtight container.

Homemade Vanilla Pudding

Category: Fillings > Puddings > Vanilla

Who knew that homemade pudding was so easy to make. I never did but if I knew how easy it was, I wouldn't have been purchasing store pudding mixes. Homemade pudding is as easy as any cook and serve pudding. Instance pudding is still faster but has a different taste.



Recipe:

• 2 cups Milk
  
• 1/2 cup Sugar
  
• 3 tbsp. Cornstarch
  
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
  
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
  
• 1 tbsp. Butter or Margarine
  

In medium saucepan stir and combine milk, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into serving dishes. Cover and chill before serving.

Baking Tips:

• When covering, press the plastic wrap right on top of the pudding. That will help prevent a film of skin from forming.