Fondant Fancies Food

MARY BERRY'S FONDANT FANCIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm/8in square tin with two strips of parchment paper.
• For the sponge, beat together all the sponge ingredients until smooth. Tip the cake mixture into the tin and tap lightly to level out.
• Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a metal skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and allow to cool completely on a wire rack, before putting in the fridge to chill (or alternatively place in the freezer for a few minutes until chilled but not frozen).
• While the cake is chilling, make the buttercream. Beat together the softened butter and icing sugar in a bowl until lighter in colour, and smooth.
• Place 100g/3½oz of the buttercream in a piping bag and allow to slightly firm up in the fridge. Keep the rest in a bowl for the cake sides.
• For the marzipan topping, heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan and sieve it into a bowl.
• Brush the top of the cake with the sieved apricot jam.
• Roll the marzipan out very thinly, cover the top of the cake and chill again.
• Cut the cake into 25 equal squares (each 4cm/1½in square). You may need to cut off the edges if they have rounded and pulled away from the sides of the tin - all the edges must be straight and neat.
• Cover four sides of each square with buttercream (not the marzipan top or the base). Using the buttercream in the piping bag, pipe a blob in the centre of each square on top of the marzipan. Leave to set in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• For the icing and decoration, cut the fondant icing into small cubes. Place in a sturdy free-standing mixer with a paddle. Churn the icing until it stars to break down, adding a splash of water if it's too hard. Very gradually add the water - the icing will become smooth and more liquid.
• Add flavouring and food colouring to taste - be careful not to add too much at once, you can always add more but can't undo it!
• Melt the chocolate either in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Once melted, place the chocolate in piping bag and set aside.
• Take the cakes out of the fridge and place one onto a fork.
• Dip each square into the icing one at a time and carefully set onto a cooling rack, with parchment underneath to catch the drips. Try not to get finger prints on them - for this reason it is best to insert the fork at an angle so that you can slide the cake off onto the cooling rack easily.
• Leave the fondant to set, but do not put in the fridge as the icing will lose its shine.
• Using the piping bag of melted chocolate, drizzle the chocolate over each fancy in a zig-zag pattern.
• Leave to set and then place on a cake stand to serve.

FONDANT FANCIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180C, fan 160°C Grease a 20cm (8in) square tin and line with two pieces of nonstick baking paper (leaving an overhang to help you remove the cake once cooked). In a bowl, beat he butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well between each addition. Fold in the vanilla extract and flour, then tip the mixture into the tin and smooth surface. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Warm the jam in a small pan and sieve to remove any lumps. Brush the top of the cake with the jam. Dust a clean surface with icing sugar and roll out the marzipan thinly. Cut a 20cm (8in) square sheet and place it on top of the cake. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• To make the buttercream, beat the butter and icing sugar until smooth then beat in the vanilla extract.
• Cut the cake into 25x3.5cm (1 1/2in) equal squares. Spread the four exposed sides of each square with a thin layer of buttercream and then, using a piping bag, pipe a blob of buttercream on top of the marzipan on each square. Chill for 1 hour or overnight until set.
• Put the fondant icing in a mixer with a paddle attachment and churn (or beat in a bowl with an electric hand whisk) until the icing starts to break up. Gradually add 75-90ml (3-3 1/2fl oz) water until it reaches a pouring consistency. Divide between three bowls and add a few drops of different food colouring to each, stirring to combine to give the desired colour.
• Stick a fork in the base of each cake and spoon over the fondant icing, turning the fork until evenly coated. Place on a wire rack. Repeat until all 25 cakes are iced in different colours. Leave to set for 10 minutes.
• Spoon the melted chocolate into a piping bag fitted with a 2mm (1/8in) nozzle and quickly pipe it over the cakes in a zig zag pattern. Leave to set for 2 hours in a cool, dry place, but don't chill while they're drying or the icing will lose its shine.

LEMON & LAVENDER FONDANT FANCIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, yogurt, flour and baking powder in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until smooth. Tip into your cake tin and smooth the top. Bake for 45-50 mins until risen and golden, and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Grind the lavender to a powder using a pestle and mortar. To make the butter icing, beat the butter and icing sugar together until pale and fluffy. Divide the mixture into 2 bowls, add the lemon zest to one batch and the lavender to the other, then mix each to combine. Transfer the icings to 2 piping bags.
• When the sponge has completely cooled, use a large serrated knife to remove the top and give you a flat surface. Flip the cake over so the flattest side becomes the top. Carefully trim off the edges, then cut the sponge into 16 squares. Use a ruler if you want them to be the same size. Brush the top and sides of each sponge square with a little jam. Pipe a small dome of butter icing onto each sponge, 8 with lavender icing and 8 with lemon. Chill the cakes for at least 1 hr.
• Sieve the fondant icing sugar into a large bowl, and add enough water to make a thick but pourable icing. Spoon a little white icing into a sandwich bag or piping bag to use later. Divide the remaining icing into 2 bowls, dye one batch lemon yellow and the other pale lilac.
• Remove the sponges from the fridge and transfer to a wire rack, sitting the rack on a tray to catch any drips. Spoon a little icing over each sponge, lilac for the lavender-flavoured fancies and yellow for the lemon. Use a small palette knife to spread the icing down the sides of the sponge to completely cover each one. Leave to set for 30 mins, then cover the cakes with a second layer of icing to give a smooth surface. Drizzle the white icing over the cakes and decorate with a little lemon zest and lavender buds. Leave to set for 1 hr at room temperature before serving. Will last 2-3 days in a tin.