Fondant

Fondant is popular as a center and coating for candies and, when softened, as a sweet, shiny icing for cakes and pastries such as eclairs. It can be purchased commercially or made at home.

Fondant is made by boiling sugar syrup to the soft-ball stage, then cooling it and working it by hand to keep the sugar crystals very fine, until it becomes white and creamy. The consistency of finished fondant can vary from stiff but pliable to hard.

For use as an icing, fondant is softened over gentle heat and slightly diluted until it reaches the correct consistency. The fondant should never be heated beyond 100°F/37°C or it will lose its gloss. Flavorings such as peppermint extract and sometimes colorings can be added to the finished fondant icing just before use. For chocolate fondant, melted semisweet chocolate is added when softening the fondant.