294295 Thu Oct 02 18:19:15 -0700 2003 11 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1613608 I have never had rolled fondant before, but every petis four recipe I've seen, seems to call for it. What does it taste like? Is this the only way to make sure every petis four looks identical. Thu Oct 02 18:19:15 -0700 2003 0 Elle 1 1613617 It generally tastes like crap. Thu Oct 02 19:22:16 -0700 2003 1613608 0 JBG 2 1613618 I concur. However, thanks to the advice of a fellow chowhound, I found white chocolate fondant, which I'm using to cover a wedding cake. Not exactly delicious, but much better than the regular fondant I've tried. I've linked the post below. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/293682#1608191 Thu Oct 02 19:32:58 -0700 2003 1613617 0 kjhart 3 1613628 I'm just curious, it probably does taste awful, but why do so many folks use it? Thu Oct 02 23:19:44 -0700 2003 1613618 0 Elle 4 1613643 It provides a pretty, durable,long lasting coat that won't deteriorate while sitting around or being handled.And you can dye the stuff,too.Like plastic. Fri Oct 03 05:44:31 -0700 2003 1613628 0 M.K. 4 1613684 Most of Nigella's cupcake recipes call for it -- I guess it comes in a mix form (or ready-made) in Britain. Thought I might have been missing out on something, but I guess not. Fri Oct 03 13:09:01 -0700 2003 1613628 0 emily 4 1613686 Some people love it. I used it on my wedding cake (flavored with almond oil and with a thick coat of buttercream underneath) and a few of our guests raved about the taste. That being said, it can go rancid, and then it's awful, so quality control is very important. It looks pretty, keeps a cake very fresh underneath, and is reasonably unoffensive in taste. Fri Oct 03 13:23:55 -0700 2003 1613628 0 Caitlin Wheeler 3 1613629 I'm just curious, it probably does taste awful, but why do so many folks use it? Thu Oct 02 23:21:40 -0700 2003 1613618 0 Elle 4 1613713 Rolled fondant doesn't HAVE to taste bad, but it generally does. I agree about the white chocolate fondant being the best I've ever had -- but even the best fondant I've ever had is not anything better than okay. It generally tastes like somewhat sweet clay. The better the fondant is the more "sweet" you get and less "clay" flavor, but that comparison never really goes away. Fondant is used for many reasons -- but the primary one is that it looks fantastic, and unlike any other cake covering. When done correctly, it is completely smooth, and is a beautiful backdrop for other, even more elaborate decorations. I've seen cakes covered with white fondant with accents of whole sugared fruit and flowers. The affect just wouldn't be the same with a white buttercream -- the fondant made the it look like the little sugared fruits and flowers were scattered up some pure white marble steps. Also, a new way to decorate cakes is to make them look a bit like China (Wedgewood is one of the most successful themes) with elaborate small designs of formed fondant of a different color (such as white on Wedgewood blue for the Wedgewood look) applied over the colored background. You cannot create this effect with any other frosting. Another bonus about fondant is that it near-completely "seals" the cake. If done correctly, it creates a soft but durable "shell" around a cake. This means a cake can be made into many many layers, with multiple fillings and tastes inside. The most successful rolled fondant cakes, in my opinion, are those with a really high-quality, moist an flavorful cake on the inside, accented by varied and full-flavored fillings (like a complementing mousse, fruit filling, and buttercream all in the same cake tier, in succeeding layers) so that the cake eater gets a lot of interest "inside' the cake rather than deriving the flavor from the outside coating. This may mean that the outer layer of fondant gets left on the plate, but if the entire middle of the cake is good and gets eaten, and the outside was beautiful, that's okay! Rolled fondant, usually, is saved for "very special occasion" cakes only. For a wedding, for example, where it's nice to have the cake look beautiful and formal and professional -- or significant anniversaries, or formal receptions of that kind. This kind of beautiful (but less than fabulously tasty) cake covering is NOT necessary for things like child's birthday parties, family holidays, picnics, etc. Fri Oct 03 16:43:00 -0700 2003 1613629 0 Mrs. Smith 3 1613631 Probably the same reason people get plastic surgery- they think it looks better. Thu Oct 02 23:33:58 -0700 2003 1613618 0 JK Grence (the Cosmic Jester) 1 1613662 This is probably because it is simpler. There is another type of fondant that is more like a glaze and can't be store bought. Fri Oct 03 11:03:38 -0700 2003 1613608 0 rjka 1 1613665 I made a cake with rolled fondant from Rose Levy Berenbaum's Cake Bible. It just tasted sweet, that's about all. It's just powdered sugar, corn syrup and shortening mostly. It's like a sheet of soft candy really. It was a novelty to the people I served it to at the party I made for. Fri Oct 03 11:15:28 -0700 2003 1613608 0 raj1