Ermine Buttercream

What I love about Ermine Frosting is that it’s a buttercream frosting that doesn’t taste like either sugar or oily butter. This has the body, even more firmness and stability, without being too sweet.

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Ermine Buttercream

Planning

  • Prep Time:

    10 minutes

  • Bake/Cook Time:

    10 minutes

  • Chill/Set Time:

    0

  • Servings:

    12

Preparation

  • Materials

    Mixer (Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer)
    Mixing Bowls
    Prep Bowls
    Spatulas
    Hand whisk
    Plastic Wrap
    Saucepan

  • Prep

    Set butter out to bring it to room temp (68F-70F)

  • Oven/Stove

    Cook the mixture on the stovetop

  • Shopping List

    Milk
    Flour (Cake Flour/T45)
    Granulated Sugar
    Sea Salt
    Butter
    Vanilla
    Additional Flavoring (Optional)

Ingredients & Steps

  • Ingredients

    Milk 473 ml (16.68oz)
    Flour 8 tbsp
    Granulated Sugar  400g (14.10 ounces)
    Sea Salt - a pinch
    Butter  454g = (16oz or 2 sticks)
    Vanilla 10g (2 tsp)
    Additional Flavoring from Extract or Liqueur (Optional)

  • Steps

    STEP 1: Whisk together dry ingredient in a saucepan (Sugar, Flour, Salt)

    STEP 2: Put the saucepan with dry ingredients on the stove on medium to medium-low heat and whisk in the milk pouring it into the saucepan slowly.

    Cook the mixture on medium heat until it gets just under a simmer with no bubbles. Don't let it get too hot and Keep the mixture moving with the whisk so as not to let it burn or scorch.

    STEP 3: Once it is hot, Reduce heat and continue cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency and the whisk leaves trails (1-2 more minutes).

    STEP 4: Remove from heat and set in an ice bath to stop the cooking as you mix in the vanilla.

    STEP 5: While that is in the ice bath whip the butter on high until pale and fluffy (3 mins).

    STEP 6: Remove the saucepan from the ice bath and pour the flour mixture into a clean mixing bowl. Cover the mixture with buttered parchment paper touching the surface. Make sure it comes completely to room temperature.*

    STEP 7: Check the temperature of the mixture and the butter. They must both be at the same room temperature (68F-70F)

    STEP 8: Whisk the butter into the mixture gradually, adding 1 tbsp at a time. Mix in each tbsp well before adding the next until it is all mixed in.

    STEP 9: Gradually increase the mixer speed to medium and whip until it is smooth, light, and fluffy (not greasy!). This takes 1-2 minutes. Don’t overdo it, or the mixture can curdle.

Notes

FLAVORING
Ermine flavors more easily than other buttercreams so you have more options. You can flavor with extracts, liqueurs, liquors, wine, juices, fruit powders, espresso, which chocolate ganache or chocolate ganache. See notes on how to use different flavorings.

COLORING
This is a fat-based buttercream frosting, so use and oil-based food coloring. You can use gel but oil-based is best so the frosting doesn’t separate. Do not use water-based food coloring. Powders are also an option.

DECOORATING
Ermine frosting decorates nicely just like a buttercream should. Frost cakes, pipe designs and it holds up slightly better than a buttercream without flour.

PAIRING
Ermine frosting is not as sweet as an American Buttercream. If you need an American Buttercream but find it too cloyingly sweet, use ermine frosting.

SERVING
The frosting is best used immediately when it is most soft and spreadable.

STORING
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow chilled frosting to come to room temperature and whip it just enough to loosen it up before use.

ADDING FLAVORING
There are 3 points at which you can add flavoring to the frosting.
1) ADDED TO THE MILK BEFORE COOKING IT
Add Powders to the Milk Mixture Before Cooking. How Much Powder to Use:
1/4 cup freeze-dried berry powder
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of espresso powder.

2) CREAMED WITH THE BUTTER
Cream Citrus Zest with the Butter.

3) ADD TO THE FROSTING AT THE END
Note that all of these flavors will make the frosting softer.

6 oz chocolate or white chocolate. Use just the chocolate melted and cooled or a ganache, cooled.
2 tablespoons of espresso, cooled (Instant espresso powder dissolved in 1 tsp hot water
1/4 cup caramel or dulce de leche
1/4 cup curd

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