How I fixed my LMF issues with the new Wilton

When I first started using fondant, I was like most decorators and used commercially made.  I was taught to cover cakes w/Satin Ice and I thought (as many new decorators do) that because Buddy Valastro loved it then I should use it an love it too!  Even the 2 bakeries I worked at used Satin Ice exclusively!

One day I was puttering around on my computer and found a Facebook posting about this awesome fondant  called - LMF - I was like "what the heck brand is that?"  After a bit of Googling I found out that LMF stood for Liz Marek Fondant! Liz Marek is the owner of the Artisan Cake Company in Beaverton, OR. In addition to being an AMAZING decorator with mad skills, she came up with a very economical and yummy fondant. (Liz's Fondant Recipe)

I started using LMF pretty much exclusively. Now if you are familiar with the recipe - or - if you clicked the link above, you will note that Liz uses good ol' Wilton brand fondant  in the recipe.  It's just what regular MMF needs for that little bit of stretch.  However, recently the brain-childs at Wilton decided to "reformulate" the Wilton brand fondant - boasting a more palatable taste and better consistency and better color (it's really a white fondant!).  While all of these statements are true - it is now reeking havoc for LMF users!  The taste and color is not the problem, it's the softer consistency of the fondant that is the issue.  I've made several batches of LMF with the new Wilton and ending up with a nice, tasty and WHITE fondant but a much softer fondant as well.  While not impossible to work with - if you knew what to expect from it - it was a little more difficult.Decorators on the many Facebook cake groups I am a part of were complaining about LMF tearing and stretching soo much.  I had to agree...the fondant would tear on cakes and took much longer to dry.

My solution to the new problems with the LMF came quite by accident! This past weekend I had several cakes to make and was making 2 batches of fondant.  I normally buy the Wilton in the larger 5# box so I had one silver package that I had opened a week or so earlier and made a batch with.  I took the half of the silver pack that I didn't use and wrapped it in saran wrap and left it in my pantry till this past weekend when I needed to use it.  I prepared the recipe as usual and noticed that I got a nice, firm fondant - practically identical to what I used to get with the old formula Wilton.  I then made a 2nd batch with a new fresh piece of fondant from an unopened foil pack.  The results were the softer fondant that everyone was hating!  I came to the conclusion that the little bit of air exposure from the fondant being open and just wrapped in saran wrap  for a week or so was just the right amount of drying that the fondant needed to get back to it's original consistency.

Open, saran wrapped Wilton (l) and unopened pack (r)

So if you are a frustrated LMF user, give this a try.  I plan on opening all my foil packs of Wilton and helping them "cure" to the correct consistency/texture from now on.  If this method works for you please let me know!!