Ways to harden fondant

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Fondant is a rolled sugar that is popular as a covering on cake, giving it a smooth finish. The fondant can be rolled, cut or molded into different shapes. The shapes are then placed on the cake as a decoration. Fondant dries fairly slowly, which is beneficial when working with it. Once the fondant work is complete, it is typically dried before placing it on the cake. Drying the fondant hardens it- it will not melt or droop if the temperature gets too warm.

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1. Slow Air Hardening

   • The typical method of hardening and drying fondant is to simply use it and allow it to sit out. The air makes the fondant harden up. This can take several days to get the fondant completely hard, depending on the thickness of the fondant. Fondant shapes or figures will take longer to dry and harden than a thin cake covering.

   Quick Air Drying and Hardening

   • If you need your fondant to dry and harden more quickly, you have to help it along. Place a fan in front of the fondant and allow it to blow dry air on it. Place the fondant on a baker's cooling rack so the air can get to the piece from all sides and angles. Turn the fondant periodically so the fan blows on it from every side.

   Adding Ingredients

   • To make the fondant dry even faster, you can add two different ingredients: gum paste or gum tragacanth. Both of these ingredients can make the fondant harden more quickly- they also make it harder than fondant alone. Add these ingredients when you are kneading your fondant. Store-bought fondant often contains gum tragacanth- check the packaging before adding more to the mixture.

   Things to Consider

   • Fondant never hardens completely. The outside may feel crispy and hard, but once broken open, the inside will still be gummy. If you make fondant figures or shapes early and pre-dry them before making the cake, the fondant designs can become inedible because they were made so far in advance. This may not matter to you since many people do not eat the fondant decorations to begin with.

Source: www.ehow.com

Tags: fondant harden, make fondant, fondant harden more, harden fondant, harden more