French Buttercrème
Why I Love This Recipe
There are many different methods to creating Buttercrème. All are based on creating an emulsion of butter and water with egg as the emulsifier, just like Mayonnaise or aioli. There are also as many different names to identify these methods for creating buttercreme.
American - Made with whole eggs and a double boiler;
French - Using only egg yolks and sugar syrup;
Italian - Using only Egg whites and Sugar Syrup;
Swiss - Using Egg Whites and a double boiler. (As with a Swiss meringue, Go figure).
French Buttercrème is extremely rich and buttery, not too sweet and VERY creamy.
BEWARE, this melts alarmingly fast in warm weather, cake should really remain chilled.
This makes enough to frost a 2 layer 9 inch cake.
Ingredients You'll Need
10oz Granulated sugar (By Weight)
3 1/2 oz. of water
6 egg yolks
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
22 oz unsalted butter at room temp and cut into small pieces.
Directions
In a heavy saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, brushing down any crystals that form on the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in a little cold water.
Cook syrup until a candy thermometer reads 234-240 degrees (Soft Ball).
Remove syrup from heat.
In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, begin whipping the egg yolks with the vanilla.
Beat until pale yellow.
While still whisking slowly pour the hot syrup into the beaten yolks in a thin stream.
This will pasteurize the yolks, in effect, cooking them.
Continue beating the mixture until it comes down to room temperature.
Change to a paddle attachment and begin beating in butter, 1 TB at a time.
Wait until the previous TB of butter has been incorporated before adding the next.
When all the butter has been added, continue to beat until the Buttercrème is completely smooth.
Frost your cake and refrigerate until ready to serve.