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This project was a bit over-the-top and would only happen in March in Michigan, when it's cold and sloppy outside. This was an excuse to try my hand at homemade fondant and hard candy-making. The cupcakes can be your choice of dairy/egg free cupcake. I used the Vegan Lunchbox recipe for Fluffy White Cupcakes. Divvies or Cherrybrook Kitchen would work too.
For the fondant, I used Peggy Weaver's excellent recipe and instructions for homemade marshmallow fondant. It's incredibly messy to make (pick a time when the kids are well-occupied and no diaper changes are imminent), but lasts a long time and is sooo cool to use. It's like sweet edible play-doh. I think I smiled the entire time I made it and played with it while decorating. I colored the fondant with Wilton concentrated gel color, there are more color choices than with the dropper-stuff (and it doesn't taste funny). I also bought some basic fondant tools at Hobby Lobby (2nd home for most Midwest Moms) like a small roller and a cutting-wheel which worked really well. The fun extra that I picked up at Hobby Lobby was the edible Pearl Dust that you brush on and make everything sparkly!
The jewel candy was fun also. I think finding the jewel shaped candy molds at Hobby Lobby is what started this whole crazy project. I used both the hexagon and rectangle break apart molds from LorAnn Oils, a Michigan-based company. I think a recipe came with the molds and candy concentrate flavoring, but I lost it and used the Stove-Top Hard Candy recipe from their website. Here is my condensed version for the candy.
Hard Candy Jewels
Hard candy making requires the use of very high cooking temperatures. Caution should be used at all times to avoid being burned.
Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
¾ cup water
1 dram LorAnn flavoring oil (1tsp.*) (or as desired)
Food coloring (as desired)
Directions:
Have all ingredients and tools assembled and within easy reach of the stove. The use of metal spoons and measuring utensils is recommended. Lightly spray the clean, dry candy molds with cooking spray .
In a 2-quart saucepan, mix together sugar, corn syrup and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Insert candy thermometer if using, making certain it does not touch the bottom of the pan. Bring mixture to a boil without stirring, washing down any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush.
Remove from heat precisely at 300 degrees F (temperature will continue rising), or until drops of syrup form hard, brittle threads in cold water. After boiling action has ceased, add several drops of food color (if desired) and flavor. Stir to combine. USE CAUTION WHEN ADDING FLAVORING TO AVOID RISING STEAM.
Pour candy into prepared molds, it is better to underfill than overfill.
Cool completely. Pop out of molds and store covered in a dry place.
I can't wait to use the left-over fondant for other projects. Stay tuned! And if my brother looks at this post and doesn't tell me how cool I am, I'm going to send sticky left-over fondant projects via snail mail into the Arizona heat for him to enjoy opening.
5 comments:
It's a good thing I read this post all the way through. You're so wicked awesome that I even pulled your blog up during study hall and showed speedbump to my kids. They loved the cupcakes.
Yeah, I have my moments of wicked awesomeness...usually overly tempered with moments of chicken nuggets and tater tots.
Really though, my kids loved the cupcakes. I had to give a little background about speedbump.
I've heard about marshmellow fondant before but I was too scared to try it, thank you for this post. Those cupcakes are so cool! I think I'm ready to try it now...well...maybe I'll let my 14 yr old try it, she's more creative in the kitchen than I am.
Wow, those are so neat!
Welcome to the Daring Bakers, good luck with this month's challenge!
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