Fondant - very easy to make!

[louiseww]

I have just made some fondant for my bees as it is freezing cold here - like most places in the country.
I used 2lbs of white granulated sugar and about 7fluid ounces of boiling water. Put it in a saucepan and put it on a low heat to melt the sugar. Simmered for a few minutes until the sugar was thoroughly melted. Filled my stainless steel sink with cold water, put the saucepan in and stirred until it started to thicken. Once it was soft and thick I tipped it onto a large board with icing sugar and neaded it adding icing sugar as I went.
I didn't use glucose syrup (too much trouble to find it!) so used a tablespoonful of their own honey when the mixture was cooling instead. DO NOT USE PURCHASED HONEY FROM ANYWHERE BECAUSE OF DISEASE!
Went up to open up the roof at 1.30pm and all the fondant from a week ago was gone! Put more onto the crown board - I have an insulating board over the crown board so they can munch away quite snugly!
Will not bother to buy fondant now as this took half an hour to make and I know exactly what is in it.
Hope this helps anyone thinking of trying it.
Louise

 

[wilderness]

I'll be making some tomorrow as I know mine are getting a bit light already.

 

[DianeJones]

Hi Louise, I've just started making it and noticed that Icing Sugar contains Tricalcium Phosphate (E341) is that ok to give the bees?

Also, do you use an eke or do you put the roof directly on top of the fondant?
Thanks
Diane

 

[peteinwilts]

most supermarkets sell Glucose.

It is important to get the temperature right. I followed the bakers fondant thread on the sticky.
I personally try and keep chemicals to a minimum and am fussy where I buy my sugar and would not use icing sugar. There have been countless threads regarding the brands of sugar to use as some are produced from Sugar Cane and some are used from Sugar Beet.

After having a strop witha Bako Salesperson, I also made my own this year. 9 hives, 10Kg per hive.... that is a lot of fondant!

Financially, for me it worked out about £8ish per 10Kg + Electric for cooking. Good for an emergency, but next year I will be buying it again!

 

[peteinwilts]

You also need to think is it really a good idea opening whilst it is so cold with the raw wind. 1Kg of fondant won't go far and it is best to leave the bees alone in Winter.

It is better to wait for a warmer spell to add the fondant. The bees shouldn't need it this early regardless...

 

[madasafish]

Louise
Thanks for a simple recipe which works.. No thermometers etc..
Followed iinstructions on cooking.. did not use icing sugar but used glucose and lemon juice.

Nice soft fondant... easy peasy...

Edit: does as trial . Do not intend to feed before Feb.. -5C here..

 

[louiseww]

Hi Diane,
We use icing sugar to sprinkle on the bees in the summer to help them groom off the varroa so it is okay.
I put my fondant over one of the holes in the crown board and flatten it then put my insulating board back on before I put on the roof. The space between the insulating board and crown board is enough for the bees and should keep them warm. Hope this helps. What is an eke? Louise

 

[louiseww]

Mine are new colonies from this year. What about opening up for treatment of oxalic acid in winter, which seems to be quite normal.

 

[louiseww]

Make sure you wrap in cling film and put in a plastic bag with air removed and tie it. I am sure it will keep. I am making mine as I go and feeding now as they are new colonies and do not have enough stores. Apparently some beekeepers put in fondant throughout the winter so they can choose to use it or not!

 

[oliver90owner]

Summertime sprinkling is a little different that them eating it and not getting out for a pooh for weeks on end.

I depends on how much and what else is in it. Pure sugar is best. And why icing sugar? Surely that is about twice the cost (or more?) of simple white granulated?

Naturally bees contend with about 2% protein and 98% carbohydrate. The 2% will be the pooh. Nothing else to make it with.

RAB

 

[louiseww]

I only used a bit of icing sugar to nead the fondant, so it didn't stick to everything. Fondant from bee suppliers is expensive so that is why I have made my own, I am very suspicious of the bakers fondant everyone talks about - if it is the rolling icing like in the supermarket it has lots of umentionable things in it that would be good for the bees.

 

[Beeinspector]

Ambrosia fondant is best, specially formulated for the bees and not as expensive as you would think.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Ambrosia fondant is best, specially formulated for the bees and not as expensive as you would think.

How much B I, including delivery per 12.5kg block,and per ton.?

 

[oliver90owner]

bakers fondant everyone talks about - if it is the rolling icing like in the supermarket it has lots of umentionable things in it

Exactly my point. There is only sucrose, glucose and water in my Baker's fondant. Nothing else. I've looked on the ingredients. So it is not the same - necessarily.

Big word, that little 'if'.

RAB

 

[Beeinspector]

I will get back to you.

 

[Beeinspector]

How much B I, including delivery per 12.5kg block,and per ton.?


Call Neil on 0790 4146040

Regards

 

[Hivemaker.]

Thank you B I.....£13.50 per 15kg block,not ambrosia but i believe, fonda bee...but same kind of thing, maybe little bit of discount by the ton, delivery cost on top,unless a wagon happens to be passing,so maybe free,it depends.

 

[emilyp]

I don't need any yet but when and if I do, will Sainsburys Silver Spoon Fondant - Ingredients:Icing Sugar, Dried Glucose Syrup - be OK?

thanks

 

[Dishmop]

What is an eke

A thin frame to increase space between boxes.

 

[psafloyd]

I don't need any yet but when and if I do, will Sainsburys Silver Spoon Fondant - Ingredients:Icing Sugar, Dried Glucose Syrup - be OK?

thanks

I have found that this stuff is rather hard and none of my bees went for it in the last week, whereas they took about 250g of home made (slightly looser) fondant.