Using a reliable chocolate fondant recipe can elevate the taste and appearance of your cakes to an almost professional level. Most people love chocolate, so a cocoa-flavored frosting definitely wins taste points over the blander and more traditional fondant. A cake that's covered in dark-brown layers and striped with white or accented with buttercream looks elegant and classic. You can buy chocolate fondant or make it with a base of commercial white fondant, but it's more economical and often tastier to make your own.
Instructions for Chocolate Fondant
The following recipe makes enough chocolate fondant to cover two to four single-layer cakes, depending on how thick you roll it.
Ingredients
- 1 T. unflavored gelatin
- 1/4 c. cold water
- 1/2 c. light corn syrup
- 1 T. canola oil
- 2 T. vegetable shortening
- 8 c. confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling out the dough
- 2 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate, or 3 T. Dutch-process cocoa powder
- Cornstarch for rolling out the dough
Procedure
- Combine the gelatin and water in a small saucepan. Place the pan over low heat, and stir the mixture with a whisk until the gelatin dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat.
- If you're using chopped bittersweet chocolate, place it in a small heatproof bowl and microwave it on HIGH in 30-second intervals until it is smooth and melted.
- Put the corn syrup, canola oil, shortening, and melted chocolate (if using chopped chocolate option) in the bowl of an electric mixer.
- Turn the mixer on low speed, and sift in the confectioners' sugar gradually. Sift in the cocoa powder if you are using it.
- Keeping the mixer on low speed, add the gelatin mixture to the frosting. Continue beating until the mixture turns into a paste.
- Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes or until the paste firms.
- To use the fondant, coat a kitchen counter or flat surface and a rolling pin with a sprinkling of equal parts confectioners' sugar and cornstarch. Use the rolling pin to roll the fondant to 1/4-inch thickness, and cut out the shapes that you need.
Similar to Modeling Chocolate
Chocolate fondant is a bit like modeling chocolate or chocolate modeling clay. The texture is similar, and both substances can be used to mold and model small objects, but a primary difference is in the composition. Modeling chocolate is made of just corn syrup and melted chocolate, which is then refrigerated until it's firm. However, a chocolate fondant recipe usually has the base of traditional fondant ingredients with the addition of melted chocolate or cocoa powder.
