Fondant Fancies

I was published again this month in Vintage Life magazine, and while it's an utter thrill to see my articles and recipes in print, this time around I'm rather disappointed (and it's not the first time...)  The article I wrote has been shortened without me being asked first and the recipe sadly has been misprinted.  I am therefore providing both the full article (Read that here) and recipe here.  I hope you enjoy it!​

INGREDIENTS
Makes 25

Sponge:
200g gluten-free self-raising flour
25g cornflour
225g soft unsalted butter
225g caster sugar
1 large lemon, zest only
4 eggs
1-2 tsp lemon extract

Buttercream:
250g soft unsalted butter
200g icing sugar, sieved

(Optional) Marzipan:
3 tbsp apricot jam
200g ready-made marzipan

Icing & decoration:
1kg white fondant icing
150ml water
Food colouring of your choice (I would suggest yellow)
1-2 tsp Lemon extract
100g dark chocolate

METHOD:

• Pre-heat the oven to 160/140 fan/gas 3.  Grease and line a 20cm square tin with 2 strips of baking paper.
• For the sponge, mix together the flour and cornflour in a small bowl and set aside.  In another bowl or in the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, mix in the lemon extract, then add in the eggs one at a time with a spoonful of the flour mixture in between each.  Once fully combined, fold through the lemon zest then pour and scrape into your prepared tin and bake for 25 - 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

• Allow it to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out to cool completely.  Once cool pop it in the fridge and make the buttercream
• To make the buttercream, add the butter to a bowl or a bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy, then beat in the sieved icing sugar (being careful to avoid the icing sugar cloud) until fully combined.  Add the optional lemon extract at the end then blend in.
• Place 100g of the buttercream in a piping bag and allow it to firm up in the fridge.  Keep the rest in a bowl for the sides of the cake.
• Next, you will need to create the marzipan layer.  This is optional, but it will add flavour and ensure you have a neatly topped fancy.  Roll out your marzipan very thinly to slightly larger than the cake and set aside.
• Heat the jam in a small saucepan until loose, then brush it over the top of your fridge cold sponge.

• Lay the rolled out marzipan on top of the jam topped sponge and trim the edges (if necessary).  Pop it back into the fridge to chill.

• Once chilled (this will probably take about 30 minutes), cut the cake into 25 equal squares (4cm each).  Trim the edges of each cake as necessary - you want each one to have neat and straight edges

• Cover each of the four ‘naked’ sides with the buttercream you saved in a bowl earlier ensuring not to touch the marzipan covered top or the bottoms
• Now using the chilled buttercream in the piping bag, pipe a blob on top of each cake and then chill for 20 minutes

• While the cakes are chilling, make the icing.  Cut the fondant icing into small pieces and place in a bowl or the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Churn the icing until it starts to break down, adding a splash of water if it is a little too hard at first.  Slowly and gradually add the water to make a smooth and liquid icing

• Add your flavouring and colouring slowly and in small drops until you have the taste and colour you desire.  You can always add but you can’t take away so take your time with this!
• Melt the chocolate either in the microwave or in a Bain Marie (a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water – making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water).  Once melted, pour it into a piping bag and set aside
• Remove the chilled cakes from the fridge and with each one in turn, dip it into the icing and carefully place it onto a wire rack with baking paper or parchment underneath to catch any drips.  The easiest way to do this is by carefully placing the cake onto a fork and dipping in.  Leave the fondant to set, re-coating where necessary.  It may help to take a small spoonful of the icing and gently pour over the top where the blob of buttercream is to ensure full coverage

• Once the fondant icing has set, use the piping bag to drizzle the melted chocolate across the top of each of the cakes in a zig-zag pattern.  Leave to set then serve on your favourite plate or cake stand

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