The Basics: Marshmallow Dough

I've got a quickie for you this week. And here I am, just under the wire. Again. Another busy busy week. I keep waiting for "things" to slow down but I'm slowly coming to the realization that that may never happen. This is it, the pace of our life. Soon enough I'll be complaining that my children are all grown up so I guess I'll just shut it and enjoy the ride. Wheeeeee!

This week, I've got a super simple. I mean SUPER SIMPLE recipe for you. Two ingredients simple. Some may call it Marshmallow Fondant but I've seen recipes for that and it involves melting marshmallow, adding stuff, mixing, greasing, bla bla bla. Way too much work. I call this "Marshmallow Dough", or "Poor Woman's Fondant". I've used it in place of traditional (i.e. EXPENSIVE) fondant and it works like a dream. I've covered cakes, decorated cookies and sculpted roses. The only difference I've seen between this handy concoction and fondant is the cost (way cheaper) and flavor (way better, tastes like marshmallows). So mix some up and get to experimenting. I'll post later on how to cover cookies so stay tuned.

Here's all you need: 1 jar marshmallow creme (7oz.-ish) and powdered sugar (3-1/2 cups to start and more for kneading and dusting.)

Just dump it in a bowl and start stirring. Takes a bit of elbow grease but keep working it until all the sugar is incorporated. Half way through you'll be convinced that you have too much sugar but KEEP GOING. It will get there. You may have to get your hands in there (dust them with powdered sugar) and knead it, do what ever you have to do, just get all the sugar worked in.

Alternately you can use the dough hook on your mixer. BUT. . .make sure you have a pretty powerful mixer; only use the dough hook, NOT the beater or whip; and watch your mixer close to make sure it's not stressing the motor. If it starts sounding or smelling funny, turn it off IMMEDIATELY! Do not use a hand mixer, you'll burn it out. OK, fair warning.

Half way through it will look crummy, like this. But keep going.

Eventually it will look like this. If you aren't using it right away wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in a zipper bag, squeezing out all the air.

I really like this for covering cookies because it's firm enough that you can stack or wrap the cookies but it isn't completely hard when you bite into it. I used it on these cookies adding the detail with royal icing.

And these cookies, possibly the coolest cookies in the universe. I'll show you how I did it later next week. For now, mix up a batch of marshmallow dough and play around.

Marshmallow Dough

1 jar marshmallow cream (7oz.)

3-1/2 C. powdered sugar.

Combine marshmallow cream and sugar in a large bowl stirring until most of the sugar is incorporated. Finish working the sugar in by kneading. Wrap tightly until ready to use.