Here's a link to an informative post on one of my favorite food blogs:

Fondant

DON'T use the Wilton stuff. I did that for a cake last year and NEVER had so many complaints. It's foul tasting and will ruin the whole cake.

Instead, why don't you give modelling chocolate a try--you can use milk, dark or white chocolate to make it, and it's at least edible. It's just melted chocolate and corn syrup. You can Google to get a recipe, to get the correct proportions and procedure. It's lovely to work with and adds a nice flavor to the dessert--unlike that awful fondant that will seep into the pores of the cake and contaminate the flavor of the whole thing.

I'll second the recommendation to NOT use Wilton's (aka "Plasticakes") fon-"dont". :-)

Here's a recipe for very easy Marshmallow Fondant that actually tastes good and is much cheaper than that yucky stuff in a can:

Marshmallow Fondant

16 oz white marshmallows
2 Tb water +/- plus you can add vanilla or other flavorings after melting.
2 tsp extract (whatever flavor you want)
1/2 T of Crisco
2 lb icing sugar, sifted (approx. 8 cups confectioners' or powdered sugar) I only seem to need about 1 ¾ lbs.

1. Melt marshmallows, water, extract, and Crisco in a greased bowl in microwave, do not overcook, Heat until melted.

2. Add 1/2 of the sugar and mix with a greased spoon.

3. Add remaining sugar and continue mixing add more powedered sugar as needeed until mixture comes together. Put the mixture onto a greased and cornstarch dusted board and knead (with greased hands) Dust the board as needed to keep it from sticking with cornstarch and continue kneading till it comes together good and is smooth.

TIPS
Grease your hands, spoon and bowl. Also, it is best to let this stuff rest overnight, do not refrigerate.
It will be pretty stiff when you try to knead it again, but it can be microwaved for five to ten seconds (start off with 5) and it will soften right up and be perfect for rolling out and playing with. But watch cause it could he hot inside, again grease your hands. Discard any crusty residues.

TO USE:
Fondant will be hard,after setting, heat it in the micro any where from 5 sec to 1 min, depending on micro, test it at 10 sec, and when you take it out let it set a bit, and watch when you start kneading it, the inside could be very HOT. *Dust work table with cornstarch, and knead for a couple of minutes.

Then roll as thin as you want with rolling pin dusted in cornstarch, you may also have to grease it. To avoid it from sticking to your work surface, turn rolled dough frequently, and continue dusting with cornstarch until you have reached desired thickness.

To color: Separate fondant & color with paste food colours to the desired tone. Heat in micro to soften then, knead until colour is smooth and completely uniform. This fondant does not set fast at all. so you have working time.

ADDITIONS:
Add 2oz melted vanilla candy melts to the melted marshmallows, if desired.

Definatly do not use Wiltons. I use Marshmallow fondant alot, it is easy to make and tastes good, but pretty sweet. Just do not roll it to thin, it tends to rip easily. Depending on the size of your cake you should make 2 batches, so you won't be tempted to roll it so thin. Frost the cake first with a smooth layer of frosting then apply the fondant over it. Good luck....

DH and I made our own fondant to top our wedding cake (the Art Deco cake from The Cake Bible, fondant recipe from the same). If I recall, the ingredients are basically confectioners sugar and shortening, it's pretty simple to make, and not as difficult to work with as we'd imagined. It can be made ahead and frozen if I'm remembering that correctly as well.

This is long! It's info and recipes about making fondants. I've never made it though. It's from my cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook (1950). Thought I'd post it for all the candy makers!

The recipes below are:

- Basic Fondant
- Butter Fondant
- Maple Fondant
- Candies with Basic Fondants (After-Dinner Mints, Burnt Almond Bonbons, coconut balls, fruit fondants, nut creams, jam sandwiches, creamed grapes, and chocolate bonbons)

FONDANT CANDIES

Fondant is a creamy, smooth confection made of sugar, water and some substance such as glucose, cream of tartar, corn syrup or lemon juice.

To insure success in making fondant, use a candy thermometer and remove crystals from sides of pan.

Add flavoring and coloring a drop at a time.

Because there are certain important rules involved in fondant making, all simple when they are pointed out, the following standard recipe is given in much detail, with a list of hints and explanations.

DOs AND DON'Ts OF FONDANT MAKING

1. Every particle of sugar should be melted before the syrup is allowed to boil. If this precaution is not taken and the sugar, being partly dissolved, is allowed to boil, these crystals will not dissolve readily and will cause the syrup to grain.

2. The glucose or cream of tartar is used to prevent too rapid crystallization of the sugar and should be added after the sugar is dissolved.

3. Do not stir or move the pan after the mixture boils, or the syrup will become sugar.

4. Allow the syrup to settle before creaming the mass.

5. Add the desired coloring and flavoring to the lukewarm fondant at the beginning of the beating period, if desiring one flavor and color for the entire batch; otherwise, add the coloring and flavoring extract to the fondant as it is used in various candies.

6. Allow the fondant to ripen for one hour before using it to make candies.

TO SHAPE BONBONS

Take any quantity of fondant. Add any desired flavor and color and knead thoroughly until well blended. Break off small pieces of the fondant and shape or cut into balls, cubes, strips, patties, diamonds, or odd shapes. Let stand for several hours to dry.

TO PREPARE FONDANT FOR DIPPING

Place 1 cup of fondant in top of a double boiler, or in a dish placed in a pan of water. Heat, keeping water just below the boiling point. Stir only enough to blend, adding a very small quantity of stock syrup or boiling water if mixture is too stiff. When melted, add the coloring and flavoring desired; stir as little as possible to prevent crystallization. Remove from heat and lower the centers, one at a time, into the mixture on a dipping fork.

NOTE: Work quickly so the fondant will not become too thick to manipulate; in that case, however, add a few drops of boiling water to bring mixture back to correct consistency.

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BASIC FONDANT

6 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 Tbsp glucose, or pinch cream of tartar

Place sugar and water in large saucepan and heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved; then stop stirring. Wash down inside of pan to the syrups edge with small brush dipped in water, or with fork wrapped in damp cloth. When syrup begins to boil, add glucose or cream of tartar.

Continue boiling, without stirring, until thermometer registers 240 degrees or until few drops form a soft ball when tested in cold water. Remove from heat at once, allow to stand 4 minutes, or until air bubbles disappear; then pour into large wet platter or onto marble slab between candy bars. (The syrup should not be deeper than 1½ inches.) Set in a cool place and when lukewarm (110 degrees) beat with a wooden spoon or a hardwood paddle.

Turn sugar backward and forward, leaving no part untouched, until whole mass becomes white and opaque.

Knead until smooth and free from lumps. Wet and wring a small towel, place it over fondant and allow it to remain there for at least 1 hour. (This is called the curing process.) Remove the cloth and knead just as you would bread dough, until creamy and smooth. Store in an airtight jar. (If left exposed to the air, the fondant will get hard and dry.)

BUTTER FONDANT

3 cups sugar
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 teaspoon glucose

Place sugar, milk and butter in saucepan; when dissolved, add glucose and cook to 240 degrees or to soft-ball stage.

Remove from heat and pour into platter which as been rinsed with cold water. When cool, beat until creamy; then knead until smooth. Keep in airtight jar. When wanted for use, make into balls for centers.

MAPLE FONDANT

4 cups brown sugar
2 cups maple syrup
2 cups hot water
1 Tbsp glucose

This fondant is cooked and tested in the same way as the Basic Fondant, but usually requires longer beating to make it creamy. It makes delicious centers, which must be allowed to dry before they are crystallized, dipped in melted fondant or chocolate.

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CANDIES WITH BASIC FONDANT

AFTER-DINNER MINTS

Melt the fondant as for dipping, using such flavor and color combinations as:

(Color) - (Flavor)
White - peppermint, vanilla
Pink - wintergreen
Green - spearmint, almond, lime
Red - cinnamon, clove

The melted fondant may be either dropped from the tip of a spoon or poured through a funnel onto waxed paper or a greased, flat surface. When firm, loosen and lift on a clean, soft cloth.

BURNT ALMOND BONBONS

1 cup blanched almonds
1 cup ground almonds
2 cups flavored Fondant

Brown and chop the blanched almonds. Melt fondant and add both the browned almonds and the ground almonds. Stir well and pour onto a buttered slab. Roll small portions in strips, and then cut the strips into small cushions. Put on waxed paper to dry. Coat with melted fondant, melted chocolate, or glacé syrup.

COCONUT BALLS

Work into 1 cup of vanilla fondant as much chopped, shredded coconut as possible without it becoming too stiff to mold. Roll in balls, allow to dry and dip in melted fondant. Roll in chopped coconut before fondant coating becomes firm.

FRUIT FONDANTS

Into 1 pound of unflavored fondant, knead the following: chopped raisins, chopped dates, chopped figs, and the desired chopped candied fruits. Press into a flat cake about an inch thick and cut into bars. When dry, dip in melted chocolate or melted fondant, or both.

When dipped in melted fondant, decorate with chopped nuts, silver dragones, tiny candies, or small pieces of candied fruit.

NUT CREAMS

Tinted and flavored fondant is very delicious combined with chopped nuts and shaped into balls. Whole nut meats may be pressed into the tops, or the balls may be dipped in chocolate. These balls are good when merely rolled in cocoa or cinnamon.

JAM SANDWICHES

Cut fondant into small squares, putting two squares together with a little strawberry or raspberry jam. Dip in melted chocolate.

CREAMED GRAPES

Cut Malaga or Tokay grapes from the bunches, leaving the steams as long as possible. Wash and dry thoroughly. Holding them by the stems, dip them, one at a time, into some melted flavored fondant; then place on waxed paper to dry. Whole nut meats, pieces of candied fruits, small stemmed fruits and bits of marzipan may also be coated with melted fondant, using a fork to lift them into and out of the fondant.

CHOCOLATE BONBONS

4 squares grated chocolate
½ pound vanilla fondant

Knead the chocolate into the fondant on a slab. Form into small balls and allow to dry on waxed paper. Dip in melted fondant or in melted coating chocolate.