Fondant

Fondant is the foundation for nearly all French creams. It is necessary to have a marble slab or a piece of slate on which to stir the candy if you want the best results. Great care should be taken to follow explicitly the directions given. Take 2 cupfuls of granulated sugar and 1 cupful of water; stir them together in a granite saucepan; take out the spoon and do not stir while the candy is cooking; let it cook rapidly until the bubbles form thickly over the surface; watch the sides of the pan and if any granules appear wash them off with a sponge or cloth wet in cold water. Try the candy by dipping your fingers into a bowl of cold water, then into the syrup, and immediately back into the cold water again; when the syrup forms a soft ball between your fingers it is done (or when the temperature reaches 235 degrees F. or 114 degrees C., if a thermometer is used). If it forms a hard ball, put in more water and continue boiling until it reaches the proper degree. Turn it slowly on the marble slab; then with a wooden spoon or potato masher stir it round and round until it becomes white and loses its stickiness. Be careful to stir all evenly, so none of it will be sticky. Scrape it all free from the marble and gather it up in your hands, working it till it is quite smooth and free from lumps; it is then ready for use, and will keep an indefinite time; it can be used for icing cakes as well as for candies.