Cooked Fondant Recipes

Steps:

• 1. Sprinkle marble slab lightly with water. 2. Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then cover the pan and allow the sugar syrup to boil for 2-3 minutes. 3. Remove the lid, and continue to cook the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches 240 degrees. 4. Pour the sugar syrup onto the prepared baking sheet. Allow it to sit at room temperature for several minutes. After 2-3 minutes, lightly touch the syrup with a fingertip. When it is warm but not hot, it is ready to be worked. 5. Dampen a metal spatula or dough scraper with water, and use the scraper to push the syrup into a pile in the middle of the sheet. 6. Using a dampened plastic spatula or wooden spoon, begin to "cream," or work, the fondant in a figure-8 pattern. Continually scrape the fondant into the center, draw a figure-8, then scrape it together again. At first the fondant will be very clear and fluid, but it will gradually become more opaque and creamy. After 5-10 minutes, the fondant will become very stiff, crumbly, and hard to manipulate. 7. Once the fondant reaches this state, moisten your hands and begin kneading it into a ball like bread dough. As you knead, the fondant will begin to come together and will get softer and smoother. Stop kneading once your fondant is a smooth ball without lumps. 8. At this point, your fondant can be used for melting and pouring. If you want to make flavored fondant candies, it is best to "ripen" your fondant for at least 12 hours to obtain the best flavor and texture. To ripen the fondant, place it in an airtight plastic container, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the fondant, and seal the lid on tightly. Ripen the fondant at room temperature, or if it is hot, in the refrigerator. After ripening, the fondant can be flavored, rolled, and shaped in whatever manner you wish. If it is stiff, you can always knead it by hand on a surface dusted with powdered sugar, until it is easy to manage. This recipe produces about 3/4 lb fondant.

Steps:

• In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage, between 234 and 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour the mixture over a dampened marble slab. Sprinkle it with a little water to prevent a crust from forming and leave to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a triangular scraper work the sugar syrup scraping it from the slab and turning the sides to the center. Alternatively, work the fondant in an electric mixer with a dough hook. Work vigorously particularly when the fondant starts to thicken and become creamy. After 3 to 5 minutes it will suddenly become stiff. Break off one piece of fondant at a time and work it by pinching it hard in your fingers until pliable and smooth. Press all the pieces of pliable fondant together and knead in any flavoring or coloring. Pack into an airtight container and leave in the refrigerator or a cool place at least 1 hour, preferably 1 day to mellow.

Steps:

• Mix butter, sweetened condensed milk, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until fondant has the consistency of modeling clay. If fondant is too moist, knead in additional confectioners' sugar. Roll out on a work surface generously dusted with confectioners' sugar to desired thickness.

Steps:

• First get your moulds ready. Using upward strokes, heavily brush melted butter (use 50g in total) all over the inside of the pudding mould. Place the mould in the fridge or freezer. Brush more melted butter over the chilled butter, then add a good spoonful of cocoa powder into the mould. Tip the mould so the powder completely coats the butter. Tap any excess cocoa back into the jar, then repeat with the next mould.
• Place a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then slowly melt 200g good-quality dark chocolate and 200g butter, both chopped into small pieces, together. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about 10 mins.
• In a separate bowl whisk 4 eggs and 4 egg yolks together with 200g golden caster sugar until thick and pale and the whisk leaves a trail; use an electric whisk if you want. Sift 200g plain flour into the eggs, then beat together.
• Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture in thirds, beating well between each addition, until all the chocolate is added and the mixture is completely combined to a loose cake batter.
• Tip the fondant batter into a jug, then evenly divide between the moulds. The fondants can now be frozen for up to a month and cooked from frozen. Chill for at least 20 mins or up to the night before. To bake from frozen, simply carry on as stated, adding 5 mins more to the cooking time.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place the fondants on a baking tray, then cook for 10-12 mins until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of their moulds. Remove from the oven, then leave to sit for 1 min before turning out.
• Loosen the fondants by moving the tops very gently so they come away from the sides, easing them out of the moulds. Tip each fondant slightly onto your hand so you know it has come away, then tip back into the mould ready to plate up.
• Starting from the middle of each plate, squeeze a spiral of caramel sauce - do all the plates you need before you go on to the next stage.
• Sit a fondant in the middle of each plate. Using a large spoon dipped in hot water, scoop a 'quenelle' of ice cream.
• Carefully place the ice cream on top of the fondant, then serve immediately. Repeat with the rest of the fondants.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Cut off ends of russet potatoes, stand potatoes on end, and peel potatoes from top to bottom with a sharp knife to make each potato into a uniform cylinder. Cut each cylinder in half crosswise to make 6 potato cylinders about 2 inches long.
• Place potatoes into a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes to remove starch from outsides; pat dry with paper towels.
• Place a heavy oven-proof skillet (such as a cast iron skillet) over high heat. Pour in vegetable oil; heat oil until it shimmers slightly.
• Place potato cylinders with best-looking ends into the hot oil, lower heat to medium-high, and pan-fry potatoes until well-browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Flip the potatoes onto the opposite ends. As they cook, use a paper towel held with tongs to carefully blot out the oil from the skillet. Add butter and thyme sprigs to skillet.
• Pick up a thyme sprig with tongs and use it to paint butter over the top of the potatoes. Cook until butter foams and foam turns from white to a pale tan color. Season with more salt and pepper. Pour chicken stock into skillet.
• Transfer skillet to preheated oven and cook until potatoes are tender and creamy inside, about 30 minutes. If potatoes aren't tender, add 1/4 cup more stock and let cook 10 more minutes.
• Place potatoes on a serving platter and spoon thyme-scented butter remaining in skillet over potatoes. Garnish with thyme sprigs. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
• Peel the potatoes and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Heat the oil and butter in a flameproof dish, add the potatoes and brown all over. This will take about 5 mins.
• Season well, add the thyme sprigs and stock, and bring to the boil. Transfer the dish to the oven, uncovered.
• Cook for 25-30 mins until the potatoes are tender.