# Fondant recipe



## Bens-Bees (Sep 18, 2008)

alexcc1 said:


> I don't think that it has anything that will hurt the bees. I'll skip the almond extract. What do you guys and gals thing about the gelatin in there?


Powdered sugar often has corn starch mixed in with it to prevent it from clumping. Corn starch may be an issue for the bees. 

Gelatin may also be an issue for the bees.

But most of all, why fool around with all those ingredients when there are other fondant recipe's out there that don't use them? Like this one:

15 lbs of granulated cane sugar
3 lbs white corn syrup or glucose
4 cups of water

heat to 242 degrees 
remove from heat and stir until the temperature is 181 degrees


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## Bodhi (Aug 30, 2009)

SgtMaj said:


> But most of all, why fool around with all those ingredients when there are other fondant recipe's out there that don't use them? Like this one:
> 
> 15 lbs of granulated cane sugar
> 3 lbs white corn syrup or glucose
> ...


I've seen this recipe before, and used it, only difference was it called for 1/2(?) tsp cream of tartar. It worked well and the bees took to it just fine.

So, what does the cream of tartar add to the recipe? I've read a lot of things it may or may not do.


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## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

I dont know what you call it but I used a recipet that calls for 16 pounds sugar and three cups water. Mixed with hands, let dry and put on hives.

Is there anything wrong with it. The bees love it.


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## RDY-B (May 20, 2007)

[QUOTE So, what does the cream of tartar add to the recipe? I've read a lot of things it may or may not do.[/QUOTE]

IT INverts the sugar  RDY-B

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_sugar_syrup


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## Bens-Bees (Sep 18, 2008)

RDY-B said:


> > So, what does the cream of tartar add to the recipe? I've read a lot of things it may or may not do.
> 
> 
> IT INverts the sugar  RDY-B
> ...


Actually it just accelerates the process... but heating it does the job just fine without the extra catalyst.


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## RDY-B (May 20, 2007)

SgtMaj said:


> Actually it just accelerates the process... but heating it does the job just fine without the extra catalyst.


corect as long as the solution is AQUEAUS-:applause: RDY-B


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

alexcc1 said:


> I found this fondant recipe on the internet. I don't think that it has anything that will hurt the bees. I'll skip the almond extract. What do you guys and gals thing about the gelatin in there?
> 
> Snip


 

I believe your right about skipping the extract... 

Skipping the gelatin would also be good.

If you're thinking of using Karo Syrup... it contains vanilla and that too could be skipped.

Oh! you might skip the glycerin as well.

The acid inversion (cream of tartar) of syrup was a technique used years ago but there are some toxic effects associated with using it. 

Just *skip* down to the recipe posted by SgtMaj:

15 lbs of granulated cane sugar
3 lbs white corn syrup or glucose
4 cups of water

...but don't use Karo corn syrup

Or just feed dry sugar: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZYtGNa6S6c


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## dickm (May 19, 2002)

OK Beecourious,
I made some and didn't use corn syrup. If I don't use Karo, which is corn syrup, where can we find the clear stuff in Our neck of the woods (CT.) BTW, where does the idea that vanilla will hurt bees, come from?

dickm


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## soupcan (Jan 2, 2005)

You guys are a making this way to tough & expensive.
Sugar only!!!!!
100 pounds to about 4 or 5 quarts of water.
Bring to a boil & boil untill it looks like startch.
Careful not to burn it!!!
Then pour the hot mixture in to what ever size molds or a candy rim & let cool.
No need for wires & this other monkey business to hold the candy in place.
Easier to recycle the left over candy for next years cooking.
When it gets near spring you can mix ( pour ) your soya flour, brewers yeast or what ever you like to use to help rear brood into the center of the cooling mixture of hot sugar.
We had a beek that just passed away in the past few weeks that was 88 years young.
He and many other old timers saved a many a hive over the years with a " simple " candy board in the winter months.
Not many beeks back then trucked bees up & down the highway to winter bees.


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

dickm said:


> OK BeeCurious,
> I made some and didn't use corn syrup. If I don't use Karo, which is corn syrup, where can we find the clear stuff in Our neck of the woods (CT.) BTW, where does the idea that vanilla will hurt bees, come from?
> 
> dickm


Fondant is easier to buy...

A bakery supply company such as Otto Brehm sells it (in Yonkers). They will also have un-flavored corn syrup.

I have never read or heard that vanilla harms bees. 

I've never read that gelatin or glycerin harms bees.

I've never read that Egg-Nog harms bees either. 

As soupcan suggests, making candy is simpler... (doesn't contain corn syrup).


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## Pife (Dec 31, 2009)

I agree with Soupcan, why make this difficult and time consuming? I make candy with 2 cups sugar, 1.5 cups water, two TBS light corn syrup and 1/8 tsp of cream of tarter (I just shake a little in) and boil to 240 degrees in about 10 minutes after it starts a boil. Multiply for larger quantities. I make small candies in cupcake tins or pour it right away onto the bottom side of the inner cover and let is cool. The bees absolutely love it and it is a good way to feed in central Ohio in January. I put the candies near the cluster. 

I have never sprinkled sugar in but that sounds similar.

Pife


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## Jonathan Hofer (Aug 10, 2005)

So, do these recipes make a soft product, or is the end product/fondant hard?


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## Pife (Dec 31, 2009)

It is hard to semi pliable. The bees eat it all the same whether hard or a little bendable. I think the key is to watch the temperature with a candy thermometer and as soon as it reaches 240 get it off the stove. I pour right away into the inner cover or into the cupcake tins. Good luck. 

I can't wait until I can check on them next. It has been very cold here in central ohio the past week and I am always on pins and needles when it is cold. 

Last year I used a cake type fondant and the bees never touched it. They died without eating any of it. 

Greg


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## beekuk (Dec 31, 2008)

I have fed fondant only to bee's for several years now,no syrup at all,i buy the ready made stuff,which comes in 25lb box's,is very soft and contains only sugar,water and glucose.

This is the recipe we sometimes use if only a small quantity is needed.

Bakers Fondant

2lbs sugar
1/2 pint or less water
1 tablespoon liquid glucose

Heat water, sugar and glucose together until sugar has dissolved, bring to boil, boil to 240f. Put the pan into a sink of cold water and start stirring with a flat wooden spatula. It is important to keep the mixture moving, when it gets harder to stir and has cooled sufficiently to work with hands pour out onto a clen worktop splashed with water, knead the mixture like bread until cool. Wrap in cling film. The glucose keeps it supple.

Also a link to more imformation on feeding fondant below.

http://hirschbachapiary.com/Feeding_bees_with_Fondant.aspx


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## davejw (Aug 9, 2008)

Right on "Soupcan". I made 10 pounds of fondant yesterday using 5 pounds each time I mixed it. I heated the mixture very slowly. I used one cup of water, 5 pounds of sugar, and heated it until it just started to boil. (this seemingly took forever). Once I took it from the heat source I noticed that this mixture begins to harden NOW. I re-heated it slowly again and then mixed in about 10 drops each of lemongrass oil and spearmint. After mixing this while hot, and then getting up off of the floor from being overcome with spearmint "gas" I regained my composure and poured the stuff into the top of a nuc with foil over top. This set the stage for what I thought would be a perfect size mold. The mixture never got to the corners of the foil becouse of rapid cooling and I ended up with a not so perfect rectangle. All went well enough for me to do it again and with the same results. I allowed the stuff to cool and wrapped the chunks in parchment paper. (I could have used foil). I am 110% sure the bees will devour this. My daughter and I both had to taste it just to make sure it tasted as good as it smelled.
Dave


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## mixofsam (May 30, 2009)

Is there a min outdoor temp where you would not open your hive to put the fondant in? Up here in Wisconsin it's generally going to be in the single digits for the next week. I'm assuming the fondant is placed on the top of the frames (like patties)....is this correct?

Checked on my hive this past weekend. Used an old stethoscope on the outside of the hive. Heard the low hmmmmmm of the cluster, pretty amazing stuff!

Thanks,
Chris


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## beekuk (Dec 31, 2008)

Chris
take a look at the link i posted in the post above,just above freezing is fine to place fondant,best on an excluder to avoid soft fondant sagging down between frames,if your going to use hard candy then excluder not needed,but bee's need to collect water to use this hard stuff,i always use fondant,not candy.


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## Pete0 (Mar 30, 2002)

We have a recipe and video on making fondant on our club web site: http://www.colonialbeekeepers.com 


Pete0
Bena, VA


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## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

WI-beek said:


> I dont know what you call it but I used a recipet that calls for 16 pounds sugar and three cups water. Mixed with hands, let dry and put on hives.
> 
> Is there anything wrong with it. The bees love it.


I would really like to know if there is anything wrong with this recipe or why you would not use or recommend it. Here is where I got the recipe
http://www.mdasplitter.com/docs/MAKING CANDY BOARDS.pdf

Thanks for any info/opinions on my candy.

WI-beek


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

Nothing wrong with that reciepe. I know guys who use that same one.


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## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

peggjam said:


> Nothing wrong with that reciepe. I know guys who use that same one.


Thank You

WI-beek


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## erochow (Mar 9, 2010)

hi everyone, 

i would like to make fondant, but i have not been able to find any corn syrup that does not contain vanilla. 

has anyone made fondant with corn syrup that has vanilla in it? 

the other option is glucose, but i'm not sure just where i would buy this. 

thx for all the help here. eric.


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