In bowl of stand mixer, sift the sugar and make a well in the center.

In a small saucepan, add the water and sprinkle the gelatin on top to soften for about 5 minutes. Begin to heat the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is dissolved and clear. Do not boil. Turn off the heat and add the glucose and glycerine, stirring until well blended. Add the flavoring. Pour into the well of sugar, and mix until all of the sugar is blended. Use hands to knead icing until it becomes stiff. Add small amounts of confectioners sugar if the mixture is sticky.

Form the mixture into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place in an airtight container. This icing works best if allowed to rest at room temperature for about eight hours before using, particularly if the weather is humid. Do not refrigerate.

To cover a cake with fondant: Dust a clean pastry cloth, or a smooth, clean surface, with cornstarch and roll the fondant with a rolling pin until it is approximately 1/4 inch thick. Make sure that the fondant is large enough to fit over the top and sides of the cake. Slide both hands under the fondant and carefully center it on top of a cake that has been freshly iced with buttercream. (The icing makes the fondant adhere to the cake.)

* if using glucose syrup, increase water a little

Recipe using 8 cups sugar yield a bit more than 32 ounces. 1 square inch uses between .18 and .2 ounces of fondant. So a 10 flat square requires about 18-20 ounces

0.035 grams Ounces 7 round 300 11 8 round 350 12 9 round 350 12 10 round 400 14 11 round 450 16 12 round 500 18