Fondant Fancies Recipes

MARY BERRY'S FONDANT FANCIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm/8in square tin with two strips of parchment paper.
• For the sponge, beat together all the sponge ingredients until smooth. Tip the cake mixture into the tin and tap lightly to level out.
• Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a metal skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and allow to cool completely on a wire rack, before putting in the fridge to chill (or alternatively place in the freezer for a few minutes until chilled but not frozen).
• While the cake is chilling, make the buttercream. Beat together the softened butter and icing sugar in a bowl until lighter in colour, and smooth.
• Place 100g/3½oz of the buttercream in a piping bag and allow to slightly firm up in the fridge. Keep the rest in a bowl for the cake sides.
• For the marzipan topping, heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan and sieve it into a bowl.
• Brush the top of the cake with the sieved apricot jam.
• Roll the marzipan out very thinly, cover the top of the cake and chill again.
• Cut the cake into 25 equal squares (each 4cm/1½in square). You may need to cut off the edges if they have rounded and pulled away from the sides of the tin - all the edges must be straight and neat.
• Cover four sides of each square with buttercream (not the marzipan top or the base). Using the buttercream in the piping bag, pipe a blob in the centre of each square on top of the marzipan. Leave to set in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• For the icing and decoration, cut the fondant icing into small cubes. Place in a sturdy free-standing mixer with a paddle. Churn the icing until it stars to break down, adding a splash of water if it's too hard. Very gradually add the water - the icing will become smooth and more liquid.
• Add flavouring and food colouring to taste - be careful not to add too much at once, you can always add more but can't undo it!
• Melt the chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Once melted, place the chocolate in piping bag and set aside.
• Take the cakes out of the fridge and place one onto a fork.
• Dip each square into the icing one at a time and carefully set onto a cooling rack, with parchment underneath to catch the drips. Try not to get finger prints on them - for this reason it is best to insert the fork at an angle so that you can slide the cake off onto the cooling rack easily.
• Leave the fondant to set, but do not put in the fridge as the icing will lose its shine.
• Using the piping bag of melted chocolate, drizzle the chocolate over each fancy in a zig-zag pattern.
• Leave to set and then place on a cake stand to serve.

FONDANT FANCIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180C, fan 160°C Grease a 20cm (8in) square tin and line with two pieces of nonstick baking paper (leaving an overhang to help you remove the cake once cooked). In a bowl, beat he butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well between each addition. Fold in the vanilla extract and flour, then tip the mixture into the tin and smooth surface. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Warm the jam in a small pan and sieve to remove any lumps. Brush the top of the cake with the jam. Dust a clean surface with icing sugar and roll out the marzipan thinly. Cut a 20cm (8in) square sheet and place it on top of the cake. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• To make the buttercream, beat the butter and icing sugar until smooth then beat in the vanilla extract.
• Cut the cake into 25x3.5cm (1 1/2in) equal squares. Spread the four exposed sides of each square with a thin layer of buttercream and then, using a piping bag, pipe a blob of buttercream on top of the marzipan on each square. Chill for 1 hour or overnight until set.
• Put the fondant icing in a mixer with a paddle attachment and churn (or beat in a bowl with an electric hand whisk) until the icing starts to break up. Gradually add 75-90ml (3-3 1/2fl oz) water until it reaches a pouring consistency. Divide between three bowls and add a few drops of different food colouring to each, stirring to combine to give the desired colour.
• Stick a fork in the base of each cake and spoon over the fondant icing, turning the fork until evenly coated. Place on a wire rack. Repeat until all 25 cakes are iced in different colours. Leave to set for 10 minutes.
• Spoon the melted chocolate into a piping bag fitted with a 2mm (1/8in) nozzle and quickly pipe it over the cakes in a zig zag pattern. Leave to set for 2 hours in a cool, dry place, but don't chill while they're drying or the icing will lose its shine.

FESTIVE FONDANT FANCIES

Steps:

• Put your ready-to-roll icing block in a large bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. After 10-15 mins the icing should be soft. Pour off water, and mix icing in bowl, adding a dribble more hot water until you get a smooth, runny but thickish icing. Divide evenly in 3 and add a little blue colouring to one third, and a little blue and green colouring to another third.
• Slice a 20cm square, or a 30 x 20cm traybake cake into roughly equal, portion-sized squares, and sit them on a wire rack above a large tray.
• Spoon some icing over each cake to cover, then decorate with sprinkles, sugared almonds, mini marshmallows and small gingerbread men.

FONDANT FANCIES

Steps:

• Place marshmallow creme, butter, vanilla and salt in large bowl; beat with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended.
• Shape into balls with hands lightly dusted with additional powdered sugar. (If necessary, refrigerate marshmallow creme mixture 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle.) Place balls on wax paper-covered baking sheet or tray. Refrigerate until firm.
• Melt chocolate in microwavable bowl as directed on package. Cool slightly. Add balls, 1 at a time, to chocolate; stir gently to evenly coat with chocolate. Remove balls from chocolate with fork; scrape off excess chocolate on rim of bowl. Return to baking sheet; refrigerate until set.