Can You Freeze Fondant With Tips on How to Store It Properly

Can you freeze fondant icing? With that question comes a plethora of varying answers.

So I decided to conduct a fondant experiment for myself to discover the truth behind a question that has baffled many bakers.

Firstly, you need to understand that there are two types of fondant pourable fondant and rolled fondant. Citation 1 and 2.

But I decided to explore the possibility of freezing the most popular type of fondant used by most bakers, including myself which is rolled fondant.

What I have discovered is that “NO” you cannot freeze rolled fondant icing without altering the texture of the icing.

After freezing fondant for one month and defrosting it in the refrigerator, it had a slightly gummy texture which made it difficult to work with.

You see Rolled fondant is a very tricky icing that is very sensitive to air and moisture, putting it in a freezer and then defrosting it exposes it to these elements. Little beads of condensation form in the defrosting process that add moisture to the fondant and ultimately changes the texture of your fondant.

How I did my Fondant Experiment:

• Firstly I greased my already colored fondant with shortening.
• Then wrapped it twice in plastic wrap.
• Next, I proceeded to put it in a ziplock bag
• And then tossed it in the freezer for a period of one month.
• Finally, I defrosted it in the refrigerator without removing the wrapping.

What Fondant Is Like When it’s Frozen.

Now after carefully unwrapping the defrosted fondant, I found that the edges of the fondant had a dried-out texture that had to be cut off. While the majority of the fondant was still workable, it had a slightly gummy, soft textured that made it more difficult to roll out and shape.

This forced me to use lots of additional powdered sugar to soak up the moisture caused by the defrosting so as to make the fondant dough pliable again. And even after using the powdered sugar and some Crisco, the fondant was difficult to mold and shape so the answer was clear – I am never freezing fondant again.

This is why popular brands of fondant like Wilton specifically states that their fondant should not be frozen or refrigerated.

How to Properly Store Fondant

Now I did some research and experiments to know how to store fondant safely so as to prevent wastage and not have to spend hours to bring frozen fondant back to life.

So I went back to the basics to better understand Fondant.

Firstly Rolled Fondant is made from sugar, water, gelatin, vegetable fat or shortening, and glycerol. It is almost like a very sweet dough.

And because of the high sugar content in fondant, it has a good shelf life and I found it is best stored at room temperature.

Step by Step Guide to Store Fondant at Room Temperature

• First, wrap it very tightly in a double layer of clingfilm (plastic wrap)
• Next, put it in a resealable zip lock bag and squeeze all of the air out of the bag.
• Place the ziplock bag in an airtight plastic container and seal the lid tightly.
• Store in a cool place and preferably away from any light which can fade its colors. 
• Store leftover pieces of fondant separately by repeating the process and writing the date on the ziplock bag when the fondant was rolled out.
• Try using some sort of fat to grease the fondant with some shortening or Crisco before rolling it out.

Tips on How to Preserve Fondant

Now the best tips that I can give you to preserve your fondant is to:

1- Avoid long contact with air, which absorbs the moisture and thus dries it out.

2- You should also avoid water from coming in contact with fondant. This dissolves the sugar in the fondant and makes it soft and sticky and impossible to work with.