My bees have eaten through most of their fondant, so it was time to make some more yesterday. For the first time, I tried making "cold fondant." Anyone who's made large batches of fondant knows it's a house fire waiting to happen, carefully trying to keep the flammable concoction from overflowing until it hits 240°. It also requires whisking vats of 200° syrup, which makes everything within a few feet a sticky mess. So I tried something new and made it without heat as follows:
For each hive, thoroughly mix 4 lbs of sugar and 1 cup of water. Spread the mixture on wax paper or (for small batches) in a baking sheet. Let it sit for a day to dry out, flipping it with a spatula once to let the bottom dry too.
Viola, you've got "cold fondant." I guess it's not really fondant since it wasn't cooked, but that's what I'm calling it. The finished product is nearly indistinguishable, and I doubt the bees will notice either.