Posted by Steve on December 10, 1997 at 13:22:05:
In Reply to: ISO Fondant that isn't fondant posted by Karen Upright on September 05, 1997 at 20:04:08:
: I have a client who wants the look of a fondant covered wedding cake, but doesn't like fondant. She also doesn't want poured fondant. Basically, she objects to the cloying sweetness (I admit I concur). I never use, and she won't eat, shortening based icings, so that's out.
: I've seen recipes for white chocolate dough. Has anyone worked with it? Any advice? Any other suggestions appreciated.
Sorry that I have just found this--three months late.
First--different rolled fondants have different levels of sweetness and palatablity. Maybe you could taste test a few--Regalice, Pettinice, Carma's "Mass Tacino"--and see which you and your client like best. You should never use a rolled fondant that is cloying, just like you should never eat a cheap cloying chocolate...but don't forget, rarely is rf eaten in isolation...
Second, you can alter your cake and filling to compensate for this "perceived" sweetness--try making a ganache from an extrabittersweet chocolate, 70% cocao solids approximately, and pair it with raspberry or cassis or brandied cherries, and maybe go to a dense chocolate cake, more like the consistency of a pound cake or brownie--the added mouthfeel and acidity may balance out the rolled fondant.
Third--you can cover a cake with marzipan easily--just knead some fondant--the pourable kind--into the marzipan for some added elasticity. I've used up to 20% by weight. But watch out, some marzipans have ALOT of sugar in them in relation to almond % and you may not be gaining anything.
Fourth--you can knead flavorings into rf just as you can color them. Mocha helps to cut the inherent sweetness--and works great if you are competent in chocolate decoration--other liquors change the sweetness to something more palatable, like kirsch or rum.
Fifth--there are pretty good commercially-prepared "chocolate" rolled fondants on the market that are better than using modelling chocolate.
Sixth--another thing that I do to compensate for the "sweetness" of rolled fondant is to make sure that I completely close the cake tiers with a good italian meringue buttercream before draping the fondant. Use real butter and I think you'll find that the "mouthfeel" from the fat will overcompensate for the sugar in the rf.
And remember, if the quality of the cake doesn't stand on it's own, it won't matter what you cover it with.