Basic Cream Fondant

Ingredients:
4 cups sugar
1 1/2cups heavy cream
 2 Tbsp. butter
1/2cup hot water
1/4 cup corn syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
Dipping Chocolate

Directions:

1. In a heavy 3 quart pan combine sugar, water, salt, cream, and syrup and stir well. 
2. Put the pan on medium to medium hi heat and stir until it starts to boil then wash down the sides of the pan. 
3. Cook without stirring until it reaches 230 degrees (or 235 for a firmer fondant- do the firmer fondant next year, 2019 fondant was too soft). Note: Place on a small burner, won’t boil over. 
4. Put a few ice cubs onto your marble slab while cooking the fondant.  Once it reaches the desired temp then pour onto the cool wet marble slab. 
5. Let the fondant cool to luke warm to the touch then add butter and vanilla. Beat the fondant until it turns, it will look chalky. Remove from slab, cover and refrigerate.  The fondant may need to be refrigerated for 24 hour before rolling. 
6. When ready to roll, roll some of the fondant into snake like logs, cut and roll into balls.  Then place in a lightly powdered sugar covered container. Chill. 
7. Prepare chocolate and dip in melted dipping chocolate. (approx. 2 lbs. dipping chocolate per batch of candy.) 
8. It can be rolled into finely chopped walnuts or almonds. 
9. Store in an air tight container in a cool place.

Fondant Flavors:

Cherry center:

• Substitute the 1/2 cup water for 1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice
• 2/3 cup chopped maraschino cherries (add at the begging with sugar, cream and etc) 10 oz. bottle or approx. 20 cherries. 
• Substitute 1 tsp. of vanilla for 1 tsp of almond extract
• This typically is a softer fondant so bring to 235 degrees when boiling.
• Optional: Dip in melted dipping chocolate and roll in chopped almonds.

Cherry O-lets: (Jolene Cressall)
Make the cherry centers and roll into 3/4 inch balls. Melt 2 pounds of dipping chocolate. Chop or grate blanched salted peanuts. Add 2 cups grated nuts to chocolate and stir. Place candy papers into small muffin tins. Fill 1/4 full with chocolate and peanuts, place a cherry center that has been flattened some in and cover with chocolate and peanuts. Place in a cool place to set. Store in an air tight container.

Orange centers:

• Substitute the 1/2 cup water for 1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
• Add 2 drops of orange food coloring if desired. 
• Substitute the vanilla for 1 tsp. orange extract. 
• Dip in melted dipping chocolate or in white chocolate.

Penuche:
Substitute 2 of the 4 cups of sugar for brown sugar.

Raspberry:

• Substitute the 1/2 cup water for 1/2 cup raspberry syrup.
• Add 2/3 cup cut/crushed raspberries (sieve the seeds out of them)
• Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla.

Other flavors:
Substitute 1/2 cup of water for other flavored syrups (rum, maple, or another flavoring for the vanilla).

From Betty Cressall