Fondant Fancy-United Kingdom #71

Fondant Fancy- United Kingdom #71

Fondant Fancies are small tea cakes. The sponge cake has a layer of marzipan, buttercream frosting on the sides and coated in a pourable fondant. They make a very impressive presentation.

Cake:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. self-rising flour, sifted
2 T. apricot jam
1/2 c. melted chocolate

Marzipan:

1/2 c. almond flour
1 c. confectioners sugar
1-1/2 tsp. light corn syrup
1/8 tsp. almond extract
water, as needed

Buttercream Frosting: (this is very easy)

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. confectioners sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Beat butter and confectioners sugar until smooth .
2. Add vanilla. 

Easy Pour Fondant Icing:

3 c. confectioners sugar
4 T. water
1-1/2 tsp. corn syrup

Cake:

1. Preheat oven 355F. Grease and line an 8"square pan ( leave an overhang of parchment paper to help remove the cake).
2. With a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the eggs, beating well.
4. Add vanilla and flour.
5. Pour into pan and bake 40-45 mins. or until skewer inserted into middle comes out clean.
6. Cool completely.
7. Warm the jam and sieve to remove any lumps.
8. Brush the top of the cake with the jam.

Marzipan:

1. Sift the almond flour and confectioners sugar together into a bowl. Mix until they are well combined.
2.  Mix corn syrup and almond extract together. Add to flour mixture.
3. Add water slowly, no more than 1/2 T. at a time, working the mixture until it becomes dough-like.
4. Roll into a log, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator.
5. When ready, roll into 8"x8" square. Place on the top of jam covered cake.
6. Chill cake in freezer.

Buttercream frosting:

1. Cut the cake into 1-1/2" equal squares.
2. Spread a thin layer of frosting on four sides of each square.
3. Using a piping bag, pipe a blob of buttercream on top of the marzipan on each square.
4. Chill.

Easy Pour Fondant Icing:

1. Place confectioners sugar, water, and corn syrup in a small saucepan and stir until well mixed. Stir until dissolved. If glaze doesn't look opaque enough, add more confectioners sugar. Don't let the temperature exceed 100F. on a candy thermometer. 
2. Separate fondant into 2-3 bowls. Add food coloring.
3. Stick a fork in the base of each cake and spoon over the fondant icing, turning the fork until evenly coated.  This is very messy. Do it over a pan to catch the drippings. Place on a wire rack. Leave to set for 10 mins.
4. Pipe melted chocolate over the cakes in a zig zag pattern. 
5. Let air dry. Don't chill while they're drying or the icing will lose its shine.

Results: First, let me say, they tasted better than they looked. Second, they were a lot of work, and I will never overlook them again in a bakery. Third, making each part was easy. It was very time consuming, 3-4 hours. The worse part was coating the fancies with the pourable fondant. The directions said to put a fork in the bottom of each piece and dip in the fondant. I was able to do one; the second one fell apart. I then tried pouring the fondant over them. What a mess!!!! Viola, that is the mess in the picture. Having said all that, I served them at a birthday party and no one was the wiser. So, if you google Fondant Fancies you will notice a bit of a difference, to say the least. 

Bottom Line: As good as they were, I won't be doing this again. 

Please share this blog with fancy people in your life and anyone who wants a baking challenge or likes to see what I'm doing. Thanks.