The best kids playdough.

I am always looking for easy cheap ways to entertain my kiddos. Since my mom and I are always making cakes this one kind of just fell in our laps. We were decorating a cake one day and the kiddos started playing with the extra fondant. It's so yummy too! Here's the recipe.

  (Marshmallow) Fondant 

Ingredients:

16 ounces white mini-marshmallows(They have to be jet puffed. No other brand works right, as much as I love natural marshmallows they don't work)
2 to 5 tablespoons water

2 pounds icing sugar
1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

Directions:

NOTE:  Please be careful, this first stage can get hot.

Melt marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave or double boiler. To microwave, place the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, open microwave and stir, back in microwave for 30 seconds more, open microwave and stir again, and continue doing this until melted. It usually takes about 2 1/2 minutes total. 

Place 3/4 of the powdered sugar on the top of the melted marshmallow mix.

Now grease your hands GENEROUSLY (palms, backs, and in between fingers), then heavily grease the counter you will be using and dump the bowl of marshmallow/sugar mixture in the middle.

Start kneading like you would bread dough. You will immediately see why you have greased your hands. If you have children in the room they will either laugh at you or look at you with a questioning expression. You might even hear a muttered, “What are you doing?” 

Keep kneading, this stuff is sticky at this stage! Add the rest of the powdered sugar and knead some more. Re-grease your hands and counter when the fondant starts sticking. If the mix is tearing easily, it is to dry, so add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time and then knead it in). It usually takes me about 8 minutes to get a firm smooth elastic ball.

Prepare the fondant icing for storing by coating it with a good layer of Crisco shortening, wrap in a plastic-type wrap product and then put it in a re-sealable or Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. 

MM Fondant icing will hold very well in the refrigerator for weeks. If you want to color it, I would suggest using gel colors, otherwise be careful, and maybe instead of adding the last few drops of water, use your liquid food coloring drops. Otherwise it may get sticky if you try to color it after the fact. If that happens just add more powdered sugar.