Italian Buttercream

Italian buttercream is made from an Italian Meringue which firms the egg white meringue with a hot sugar syrup. Because the Italian Meringue is so firm and stable, this gives you a more firm and stable buttercream frosting. For the firmest frosting stabilize the whipped cream with gelatin.

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Planning

  • Prep Time:

    15 minutes

  • Bake/Cook Time:

    10 minutes for syrup

  • Chill/Set Time:

    1 hour

  • Servings:

    8 (1/2c each) or 4c Meringue The right amount for my macaron recipe.

Preparation

  • Materials

    Stand Mixer with Whisk and Paddle
    Hand Mixer with Whisk
    Hand whisk
    Melting Pot for Syrup
    Candy Thermometer

  • Prep

    Set the butter out to soften it to a cool room temp (65F-70F) (68F is ideal)
    Set eggs out to bring them to room temperature
    Separate the eggs - Put the yolks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
    Strain the egg whites and set in a bowl on the counter at room temp for 30 minutes to dry a little more.
    Boil water for making syrup.
    Add the boiling water and sugar to the metling pot and stir. Let it set on the stove until you are ready to cook it.
    Warm mixing bowl and whisks in oven on low (200-225F) 1 min or less to take the chill off.

  • Oven/Stove

    Preheat to 200F (for warming utensils)
    The stove is used to make the syrup

  • Shopping List

    Granulated Sugar
    Confectioner’s Sugar
    Cream of Tartar
    Eggs (large)
    Gel Food Coloring (Optional)
    Flavoring (Optional)
    Butter

Ingredients

  • Simple Syrup aka Hot Sugar Syrup

    Granulated Sugar  250g
    Boiling Water 125g

  • Italian Meringue

    Egg Whites 110g (Strained) (6 to 9 eggs)
    Cream of Tartar 3g (½ tsp)
    Confectioner’s Sugar 6 tbsp 
    Hot Sugar Syrup
    Corn Starch 1 tsp (if you need more thickening)

  • Italian Buttercream

    Butter 454g (16 oz) unsalted, diced cold then set to room temperature (65F-70F)(68F is ideal)
    Vanilla Extract 5m (1 tsp)

Steps

  • Simple Syrup aka Hot Sugar Syrup

    Pro Tip: Time the preparation of the egg whites and the sugar syrup together.

    Note: The ratio of water to sugar for syrup is 2:1This process should take about 10-15 minutes.

    STEP 1: Put the boiling water and the granulated sugar in the melting pot on the stove. The burner should be covered with foil to protect it.

    STEP 2: Melt the sugar in the water on medium-high while stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar thoroughly in the water. When all of the sugar is dissolved the liquid will be completely clear.

    STEP 3: Cook the mixture on medium without stirring. DO NOT STIR. 

    STEP 4: Let it start bubbling and as soon as it reaches a low boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it simmer to cook out water and it thicken. Don’t let it get too hot.

    As it starts getting hotter reduce the temperature a little to keep it at a gentle heat. There should be some bubble but no increasing height, rolling, or sputtering.

    STEP 5: When it reaches 210F add in any color or flavoring. Start whipping the egg whites for the meringue

    STEP 6: When it reaches 230F drizzle the hot syrup slowly into the meringue while whisking on medium low - you don’t want it to splatter.

    It should be “soft ball”:stage - thick but still liquid and easily pourable. Do not let it reach hardball stage. This is where it becomes heavy thick and a sticky mess.

  • Italian Meringue

    This process should take about 10-15 minutes. The hot sugar syrup is what gives the Italian meringue its glossiness and stability.

    STEP 1: Put the egg whites in the bowl of the stand mixer and start mixing on medium-low.

    STEP 2: Whisk in the cream of tartar and then 2 tbsp of confectioner’s sugar a bit at a time, dissolving each portion before adding more until it is all incorporated and dissolved.

    STEP 3: Increase mixer speed to medium, then medium-high (about 6-8 on a Kitchen Aid mixer). Continue to whip on high  (level 8-10 on a Kitchen Aid) to a strong soft peak.

    STEP 4: Once you have a strong soft peak, the meringue is ready for the syrup. If the syrup is not quite ready, drop the mixer speed to low while you wait on the syrup.

    You really want to time it so that the meringue is at soft peak and the syrup is at soft ball stage at the same time.

    You have added any color or flavor to the hot syrup. If you didn't mix it in before adding the hot sugar syrup.

    STEP 5: Slowly drizzle in a very thin stream of  the hot syrup with the mixer on level 6-8.

  • Italian Buttercream

    STEP 1: Switch to a paddle attachment on the mixer. 

    STEP 2: Mix in  butter 1 tbsp a time. Mix in each piece before adding another until all is fully incorporated.

    STEP 3: Mix in vanilla

    STEP 4:  Whip until smooth and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes)

Notes

COLORING
Meringue Buttercreams are tricky to color because they are meringue which requires gel color and butter which requires oil color.

Typically you want a gel food color for the meringue, but you want an oil-based food color for the butter.

My advice is to color the meringue with gel food color, then add plain butter.
Or
Color the butter with oil-based food color.

Do not add oil to meringue or gel to butter.

You can add either oil or gel food color to the buttercream after it is mixes if you want to make portions of the buttercream different colors.


If you want the meringue all one color you can add a few drops near the end of whipping. If you want a streaked or two tone, put one color batter in one side of the bag and another color in the other side. If you want a variety of colors put batter in a separate bowl for each color and mix in a few drops. You will need a piping bag and tip for each color.

FLAVORING
Italian meringue can be flavored with extracts and pastes. It can also be flavored with freeze-dried fruit powder. You can also add small amounts of alcohol or liqueurs but only small amounts. Add flavors to the meringue when you have reached or are approaching soft peak stage.

DECORATING
Italian meringue is the best choice of meringues for frosting and decorating cakes because it is firm. Especially if you stabilize it with a little gelatin. You can smooth coat cakes, use between layers, pipe designs, frost cupcakes, and top pies. This makes Italian Meringue Buttercream a good choice for cake decorating.

PAIRINGS
Italian meringue is smooth, glossy, and very stable. Use it for a variety of desserts as an ingredient or a topping or filling. Italian meringue is also my choice for making macarons. It is the most stable of the meringues.

SERVING
Top or frost desserts immediately when making Italian meringue. It will be easiest to spread and work with. Then you can let it set on the dessert and it will hold its shape well.

STORING
Use meringue immediately, It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days.

STRAINING THE  EGG WHITES
Another way to improve the quality of egg whites is to strain them. Pour egg whites through a strainer into a bowl. Egg whites contain a lot of water which is not what you want. The thin content that goes through the strainer - throw it away. It is mostly water. The thick part put into a clean bowl and this you use. I also like to pick out the tiny white pieces for a smoother consistency.

DRYING EGG WHITES
Here are some methods for drying egg whites:.

A) IN THE REFRIGERATOR
Age egg whites in refrigerator 2 days in ceramic dish covered with plastic. Poke some small holes in the plastic with a toothpick. When you are ready to use, remove the egg whites from the refrigerator and set the bowl on the countertop for 1 hour prior to using.(not more than 2 hours

B) ON THE COUNTERTOP
Set egg whites in an open bowl on the countertop at room temperature for 2 hours.

CLEANING PREP FOR  EGG WHITES
Wash your hands thoroughly with dish detergent - even if they are clean and dry them well with a dry towel, not even slightly damp. Rub down your hands and all bowls and utensils with either vinegar or strong alcohol. This will get rid of any oil or moisture that may be imperceptible to us, but not to the egg whites.

WARMING BOWLS & UTENSILS
Warm the mixing bowls for the egg whites (1 regular & 1 stand mixer bowl) and the two whisks in the oven - only about 30 seconds before use to remove the chill.

CLEANING SYRUP FROM KITCHENWARE
Boil water in your syrup pot. Put any utensils in the boiling water. The syrup will dissolve and you can pour it out with the hot water. Rinse immediately in hot water to ensure all residue is washed away.

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