BASIC FONDANT
3/4 c  Boiling water
2 c  Sugar
1/8 ts Cream of tartar
CHOCOLATE-DIPPED FONDANT
Basic Fondant
1 lb Dipping/coating chocolate,
Shave into small pie

BASIC FONDANT-Heat water to boiling in 2- to 3-quart saucepan and
remove from heat. Add sugar and cream of tartar. Stir with wooden
spoon until all sugar dissolves, 6 to 8 minutes, taking care not to
splash mixture on sides of pan. Place syrup mixture over medium-high
heat. Heat almost to boiling. Cover pan tightly with lid and remove
from heat. Let stand 3 minutes. Uncover, return to heat and boil
briskly. Do not move pan or stir during this time. While syrup cooks,
wash any crystals that form on sides of pan by wrapping damp cloth
around tines of fork and wiping crystals out with upward motion so
that no crystals fall back into syrup. Continue cooking until syrup
reaches soft-ball stage, exactly 238~ on candy thermometer, about 35
minutes. Remove from heat and let stand very few minutes, or just
until bubbles disappear. At once, pour onto marble slab or large,
shallow platter. Do not scrape pan. Let cool undisturbed until slab
or bottom of platter feels comfortably cool to palm of hand (about
105 degrees), about 50 minutes. Now start turning edges of candy in
toward center, using spatula or wooden spoon. As candy turns creamy
and crumbly, gather mixture up in your hands and knead as you would
bread until you get a smooth, white ball of fondant. Wrap fondant in
plastic and store in glass jar covered with tight lid. Let fondant
mellow 24 hours to 3 days. Remove fondant ball from jar and form into
small balls. Makes about 3/4 pound.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED FONDANT-Place chocolate in top part of double
boiler. In lower part, place enough warm water (100 to 120~) to touch
top pan. Keep water temperature constant. Melting chocolate takes
time. Do not hurry. When chocolate is softened, remove top of double
boiler from water and stir vigorously until smallest lumps are all
worked out. This creaming develops chocolate texture; it must be
repeated often throughout dipping. Exchange warm water for cooler
water (85~) in bottom of double boiler. Make sure chocolate does not
come in contact with steam or water, even trace can spoil it. Pour 1
c chocolate onto marble slab or into small bowl. Work back and forth
with fingers until chocolate feels cool, 83~ is perfect. (Knowing
when chocolate is cool comes with practice. To test, let it string
from tip of hand into melted chocolate. If it holds ruffly appearance
on surface for a few seconds,