Fondant - very easy to make!

[Red Bee]

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

So you don't boil the mixture to 240F?

 

[emilyp]

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.

thanks, psa

 

[Liam C Ryan]

When did you add the honey

 

[Liam C Ryan]

was it liquid glucose and when did you put the lemon juce in and why

 

[broandy]

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.

 

[Liam C Ryan]

Why the honey

 

[broandy]

read again
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.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

read again
I didn't use glucose syrup (too much trouble to find it!)

Adding it along with the sugar to next weeks on-line shooping order. So in effect free to me, as long as "Er in doors" does not spot it!

 

[peteinwilts]

most of the supermarkets also sell liquid glucose from Silver spoon..comes in a blue tube in the home bake section.

 

[Stiffy]

read again
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.

Admin please remove if you feel inappropriate .

I bought a bulk amount of liquid glucose and have some for sale on Bid4 's


Cheers
S

 

[madasafish]

was it liquid glucose and when did you put the lemon juce in and why

Yes liquid glucose: added as iI was heating.
Lemon juice.. to lower the PH - make it more acidic.. like honey... Added when heating...

(as far as I recall my chemistry I think I have the PH bit correct!).

I just boiled gently untill al sugar dissolved. Stuff 240F. What's a thermometer?
Edit: Glucose from our new Sainsbury... (we've gone up in the world!)

 

[broandy]

(we've gone up in the world!)

lol

 

[louiseww]

I don't have a themometer (must buy for next year) so just used the eye to see if it melted and simmered (obviously boiling) for only a few minutes. The bees are muching away happily - the stuff wrapped in my cupboard is still nice and soft. Things can sometimes be far too complicated - I go for the simple approach and only having two hives making my own seems sensible as it costs a lot for a small amount of fondant.

 

[louiseww]

I wondered what the lemon juice was for - agree stuff all this complicated rubbish that isn't how I cook! ha!

 

[oliver90owner]

Funny how the penny suddenly drops.

Once you know the percentage water, which works for your recipe, it only needs to be dissolved and obviously not boiled to reduce the water in the mix. Repetition is the by-word here.

RAB

 

[fox403]

Ok i have borrowed long term 5th avenue white it says its a fast drying fondant that u can freeze , can this be used for the bees? Im hopeing so as i have about 100kg of the stuff

 

[Liam C Ryan]

Thanks for explaining the use of lemon juice and honey

 

[victor meldrew]

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

I use 1 kg bag (saves weighing), .5 pint of boiling water, otherwise proceed as yourself; except I sprinkle cold water on prep bpoard before kneading , no icing/castor sugar needed .

John Wilkinson

 

[Hombre]

I just pour into cartons, just like the big guys pour it into the blue poly bags, no need to Knead.

They obviously know a little more about repeatability than I do though.

I would have thought that the citric acid in the lemon juice would have the effect of partially inverting the sugar, not just changing the ph level?

I use spirit vinegar as I have no lemon juice.

 

[Bead]

Louise, thanks for the fondant recipe. Just made some up and it turned out well. Didn't have any glucose so used a couple of drops of olive oil to keep the fondant plastic. It has set well to a firm but pliable non-crusty consistency.

By the way peeps, if you're out of icing sugar you can make your own by whizzing a couple of tablespoons of granulated sugar in the blender (don't forget to put the lid on!).