Italian Meringue Buttercream
"This is a tricky recipe and may not come out correctly the first time. It took me 3 tries to master the method. It does work, and is really a beautiful frosting/icing. HINT: Step 3 is the key I believe. You must JUST wet the sugar. Start by adding a Tbs of water at a time. 2nd HINT: Use a metal bowl for the eggwhites. Hope these hints help!"
- Ready In:
- 35mins
- Ingredients:
- 4
- Yields:
-
6 cups
ingredients
- 3⁄4 lb granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 6 egg whites
- 1 lb unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
directions
- Make sure that all ingredients are at room temperature.
- The first step is to start cooking the sugar.
- Pour water- just enough to wet the sugar, corn syrup and sugar into a 1-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium-high heat.
- When the bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan, insert a candy thermometer in the mixture.
- As mixture boils, do not stir and using a pastry brush and a bowl of water, brush down the sides of the pan to prevent crystalization
- Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy and slightly holding soft peaks.
- The sugar is ready when it reaches 240 degrees F, what is known as the soft ball stage.
- Make an Italian meringue by pouring the cooked sugar down the side of the bowl while you continue to whip the egg whites.
- Do not pour the hot sugar onto the beaters, or it will splatter.
- Continue whipping the meringue on medium-high speed until the outside of the bowl is warm but not hot, about 5 minutes.
- Add the butter 2 oz at a time and beat on medium speed until incorporated.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until the buttercream is thick, smooth, and shiny, about 10 minutes.
- At his stage, you can add flavoring, if desired.
- The buttercream can be used immediately or can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for several weeks if held in an airtight container.
- If it has been chilled or frozen, allow the buttercream to come to room temperature before using, then whip it with an electric mixer on medium speed until it returns to its initial volume and is once again thick, smooth, and shiny.
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Reviews
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I am not rating this recipe because I have not made this particular one, but I want to sound a warning to anyone looking to try it. Recipes such as these take time and patience to learn, but if you're willing to make that investment, you will end up with a very light, fluffy, and stable icing that can be flavored with any number of items. The biggest stumbling block I had in learning this tecnique was making sure the bowl is not too warm or too cold before adding the butter. If it is too warm, the butter will seperate, if it is too cold, the butter won't all encorporate before the meringue base is totally over-whipped and colapses.You must also make absolutely certain there is not even a trace of egg yolk in your whites, or the meringue will never get up and go. This is not a recipe and tecnique for the faint of heart, but if you are willing to stick with it, it will reward you handsomely in the end. This is how the pros make real buttercream. -
This is a hit or miss recipe. It has come out 2 out of 4 times. It takes much longer than 5 minutes for the frosting to cool enough to add the butter, which needs to be at room temperature before adding. When it comes out right, the taste and texture are really nice. -
I made 8 cups, and the buttercream never firmed up. It took 20 minutes to turn warm, not hot, not 5 minutes as stated. It had the taste and consistency of marshmallow fluff, even after chilling and rewhipping.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p>Click to feed animals I'm a retired teacher now living in the Jamaica Plain area of Boston. I have one daughter, 2 granddaughters, and 1 great-grandson(17 yo Dec '11)! I've travelled a bit throughout Europe and the U.S. as well as Honduras and Costa Rica. I think I may have some gypsy ancestors! I love to travel but am not able to anymore. So I do a LOT of reading instead. My current craft passion is knittng but I have dabbled in just about everything. I've done leaded glass work(stained glass), which I love; am working on counted cross stitch; and am willing to try any craft, at least once! I've also worked for a major insurance company as a case analyst. I have 2 cats, Teddy BB 11 .o. on the 19th of Feb, and CiCi who will be 5 years old on Mar 6th. src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/orn.jpg></p>
