Marshmallow Fondant - cooking recipe

Ingredients

vegetable shortening, for greasing your implements
16 ounces marshmallows
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla flavoring, clear
2 lbs confectioners' sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Grease a large microwave-safe bowl, the bowl of your stand mixer, the dough hooks for your stand mixer, a large spoon, and a spatula or two.
Place the water and the marshmallows in your greased microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments (about 2 or 3 times) until your marshmallows are melted.
While the marshmallows are melting, measure out 1 cup of the confectioner's sugar and set aside. Place the remaining confectioner's sugar in your greased mixing bowl, and make a large well in the center of the sugar. Add the salt to the sugar.
Stir the vanilla into the melted marshmallows, and pour the marshmallows into the well in the middle of the sugar. With the dough hooks in place, turn your mixer on the lowest setting and allow to mix. If the motor sounds strained, turn it up a notch, but be careful as it may cause sugar to puff out of your bowl.
Turn the mixer off once all the sugar has been incorporated (it may take about 5 minutes or longer).
If your dough is sticky, add the reserved cup of sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing well between additions.
Once you have a smooth dough, turn out onto a piece of greased plastic wrap. Lightly grease the top of your dough, and wrap tightly in the plastic wrap for at least two hours to rest.
If the dough becoms stiff, microwave about 20 seconds to loosen it back up.
When you are ready to roll the fondant out, lightly grease your pastry mat and rolling pin so the fondant doesn't stick.