Working with Fondant

The name ‘fondant’ comes from the French word fondre, which means ‘to melt’. It is a smooth, rich, opaque sugarpaste, achieved from a simple sugar and water syrup. It can be made into a confection by cutting it into designs, shaping it into a menagerie of animals or a floral centrepiece, or simply rolling it into a smooth and delicious sheet to blanket a cake. Its sweet taste also blends beautifully with fruits, nuts and chocolate, which means it can form the basis of many confections. Start making this the day before you need to use it.