A garlic press easily makes fondant grass.
Cakes are so much more than your typical sheet cake with one-colored frosting and a birthday wish written on it. Cakes have become an art form. Fondant, a rolled frosting-like substance, covers the cake and makes sculpted cakes look clean and precise. One decorating technique using fondant is making grass. Many decorators choose to use green buttercream frosting and a star-tipped pastry bag to make it. Making grass with fondant, however, takes little effort and allows you to use items you have in either your kitchen or your child's toy box. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Making Grass
1. Knead the fondant until it is pliable and ready to roll. Sprinkle your work surface, the fondant and rolling pin with powdered sugar.
2. Tear off 1-inch pieces of fondant. Roll them into a ball. The number of balls you need depends on the amount of grass you need.
3. Place the balls inside of a garlic press. Squeeze the handle to extrude the fondant through the holes of the press. Alternatively, use a clean play-dough play set or a cookie press.
4. Attach the grass to the cake. Apply some buttercream frosting that is the same color as the grass to the cake where you want the grass. Then place the extruded fondant grass on top.
Fondant Recipe
5. Place the miniature marshmallows in double boiler. Add 2 tbsp. water. If you do not have a double boiler, place a glass bowl over a pot full of water. Turn the heat medium. Stir the marshmallows and water until the marshmallows melt completely and the water is incorporated. Remove the bowl from the heat.
6. Grease a clean countertop with shortening. Grease your hands with the shortening as well.
7. Pour 1-1/2 lbs. powdered sugar on top of the melted marshmallows. Dump the sugar and marshmallows on the greased countertop.
8. Knead the mixture with your hands to incorporate in the sugar. The mixture willl be sticky. Once the sugar is combined, add the remaining powdered sugar. Continue to knead until sugar is completely incorporated. Add more shortening to your hands and counter when the mixture sticks too much or a more water if the mixture is dry and breaking. The kneading is done when a tight, pliable ball forms.
Tags: powdered sugar, your hands, buttercream frosting, double boiler, fondant grass, garlic press