Full recipe here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/fondant_fancies_88368
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 225g/8oz self-raising flour
- 225g/8oz baking spread or softened butter
- 225g/8oz caster sugar
- 1 lemon, grated rind only
- 4 free-range eggs
For the buttercream
- 250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened
- 200g/7oz icing sugar
For the marzipan topping
- 3 tbsp apricot jam
- 200g/7oz marzipan
For the icing and decoration
- 1 kg/2lb 4oz white fondant icing
- 150ml/5fl oz water
- food colouring (any colour)
- flavouring (any flavouring)
- 100g/3½oz dark chocolate
Method
Step One: Make the Sponge
For some stupid reason, I decided that I was going to make 3 different cakes, 3 different toppings and 3 different icings... I am an idiot.
I made caramel, chocolate and confetti sponges. Mary's a big advocate of the all in one method for sponge, but I always cream my butter and sugar first. Always sift the flour too. After you've creamed the butter and sugar 'til it's pale and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time, along with a tablespoon of sifted flour, to stop the mixture from curdling. Don't do what I did, which was to divide the mixture into thirds and add caramel flavouring to 1/3, a tablespoon of cocoa powder to another 1/3 and hundreds and thousands to the last 1/3.
Preheat the oven to 160C (140C fan). Grease and line your tin. I used my magic tin which means I didn't need to do any cutting - the one thing I did right in this whole disaster! If you're using a magic tin like mine, grease well up the sides and pipe your mix in, otherwise you just end up with a mess. Smooth the mix so it is level, then bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Step Two: Top the Cakes
Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. If you want to speed the cooling process, pop the cake in the fridge for half an hour. While the cake is chilling, make the buttercream. DON'T do what I did, which was to make chocolate ganache and caramel to top your fancies with. It sounds amazing but IT DOES NOT WORK. Repeat after me - just buy them from a shop!
If you are fool enough to make these yourself, beat the butter until it is really soft, then add the icing sugar and whatever flavourings you want. Cut the cakes into equal squares and trim the tops off so you have a nice flat top. I didn't and my fancies were grotesque! I stupidly made 3 different butter creams - vanilla, caramel and chocolate. Please don't waste your life doing this!
Once you've cut and trimmed your fancies to the right size, spread a thin layer of buttercream over the tops and the sides - known as the "crumb coat" as it stops crumbs from the cake spoiling your fondant finish. I didn't bother with the marzipan on top - life's too short. Then pipe a blob of buttercream (don't use ganache or caramel, they won't hold their shape) on top of the cakes. Put the iced and topped cakes into the fridge to set.
Step Three: Cover the cakes in fondant
Just give up now. Chuck it all in the bin, go to to the corner shop and buy a box of French Fancies for a quid. If you really enjoy torturing yourself, cut the fondant icing into small cubes and place in your free-standing mixer. Add a splash of water and start to mix. Gradually add more water until the icing breaks down and becomes liquid. Add the amount of liquid that Mary says - no more or it will run off and create a new Jackson Pollock masterpiece in your kitchen, like mine did!
Jane's method on GBBO was the most efficient - stand your fancy on a masher, then use a spoon to drizzle fondant all over it. Do not make my mistake and try to make different flavour or colour fondant, it's a waste of time and makes your fondant too runny. Leave the fancies to set on a cooling rack, then drizzle with melted chocolate.
This is how mine turned out! Beautiful, eh?
My score: 0/5 Never EVER make these! Just buy them and pretend you did!
Julia's Top Tips
- Don't make them.
- Don't waste your life.
- Buy them from a shop.
Keeeeeep Baking!
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