You may have come across fondants with a beautiful shine and an irresistible look. Seeing that, you might have wondered why your fondants don’t look the same. Don’t worry as it’s not as difficult as you may think, and there are several different ways of achieving that shine.

So, if you want to learn how to make fondant shiny, then this article will prove helpful. Let’s go over some easy methods of giving that shiny coating on your fondant.

Differing Shines

The methods that will be suggested not only differ in their steps but can also result in different shiny coatings. Alongside the method, the shiny coating on your fondant can differ due to external conditions like temperature and humidity. High temperatures will more than often result in a messy coating, so watch out.

Make Fondant Shiny

Before attempting to commit to using these methods, it is recommended to test them out on some throwaway fondant. This not only serves to help you familiarize yourself with the method at hand but also to see what kind of shine it brings to your fondant.

Easy Methods to Make Fondant Shiny

Let’s look at some of the popular and easy methods to make your fondant shiny.

1. Egg Whites

The first method features egg whites, which are very easily available to most people and a good starting point.

Egg Whites

What Do I Need?

Egg Whites

This goes without saying that you’ll need egg whites for this particular method. It is recommended to either use pre-pasteurized egg whites, which are available in stores, or pasteurize the egg and extract the egg whites. Pasteurization kills off the bacteria and ensures that it is healthy to consume.

After extracting the egg whites, place them on a small dish for easy access.

Pastry Brush

Generally, this method involves lightly coating the fondant with egg white. A food brush is very helpful for this as it makes applying the fondant easy, and it is easier to avoid coating it with excess egg white, which can ruin the fondant.

Pastry Brush

You can substitute this with a regular brush but make sure to have it cleaned properly so that it does not end up contaminating the fondant in any way.

Procedure to Follow

Preparation

If you haven’t bought pre-pasteurized egg white, then you will need to pasteurize them by placing them in a bowl of simmering water and waiting for some time. Then break open the egg and extract the egg whites onto a small dish.

Applying

Once you have your egg whites, take your brush (make sure it is cleaned up beforehand) and dip it lightly into the egg white. Once dipped, apply the egg white onto the fondant with gentle light strokes.

Egg Whites

Do not apply multiple strokes to the same area as it can cause egg white to build up and mess up your coating. If any egg whites are dripping or falling off, gently remove them without touching the fondant.

Drying

Once you’ve applied the coating using the brush, let the fondant dry for two to three hours. Make sure you don’t touch the fondant when it is drying, as it will leave marks on it.

Finishing

Once the initial coat has dried, inspect the fondant and see if the shine is to your liking. If not, you can apply some more strokes and let it dry again until it is to your liking.

2. Steam

Another method makes use of steam. It is a bit different compared to the previous method, but it is also effective.

Steam Make Fondant Shiny

What Do I Need?

Steamer

The essential item you need for this method is a steamer to spray the steam onto the fondant. A hand-held steamer will do quite well. Just make sure no detergent or chemicals are in it or clean it out properly before use.

Procedure to Follow

Preparation

Before beginning the process, you will need to prepare your steamer. First, use distilled water to fill the basin of your steamer. Then turn the steamer on and allow the water to heat up. You will want to use low heat as higher temperatures will cause the fondant to melt.

Applying

Once the water is heated up, hold the steamer a few inches away from the fondant. You must be quite careful when doing this as even with low heat, you can end up melting or damaging the fondant if you hold the steamer over the same place for 5 seconds or more.

Steam Make Fondant Shiny

It’s recommended to hold the steamer and move the fondant around to get a uniform shine and avoid melting the fondant. The process shouldn’t take too long.

Re-Steaming

The problem with this method is that while it is quite fast and gives a nice shine, the shine doesn’t last too long, usually for an hour. So if you want to, you can re-steam it as you did before to make the fondant shine again.

If you want to have fondants on display, it is recommended to use the first method.

3. Gum Arabic

Gum Arabic is often used in both candies and icings and is generally safe to consume. It’s also helpful in making your fondants shiny.

Gum Arabic

What Do I Need?

Gum Arabic

The essential item you’ll need. Gum Arabic is used in many places outside of making confectionery, including painting, so it’s possible to sometimes find them in stationery stores. Gum Arabic is indigestible and is safe to consume, so it can be used on fondants.

Pastry Brush

Similar to the egg white method, you will need to add the coating via a brush. Make sure it is properly cleaned beforehand.

Procedure to Follow

Preparation

In a small cup or glass, combine the Gum Arabic and water. Make sure the ratio of Gum Arabic to water is 1:2. After adding both of them, stir for some time.

In between stirring, allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes before resuming your stirring. This ensures the two are evenly mixed.

Applying

When the mixture has been prepared, dip the brush into it lightly and gently apply strokes onto the fondant. Do not make repeated strokes in the same area, and try not to touch the fondant when applying the mixture as you’ll leave fingerprints.

Fondant Shiny

Drying

Once the coating has been applied, leave the fondant to dry for a whole day. While this process takes the longest, the shine also lasts the longest and looks good.

Conclusion

Making your fondants shine shouldn’t be hard at all since you have now learned how to make fondant shiny. The methods discussed are quite easy to perform, and it is recommended to test them out and see the results for yourselves.