Swiss Meringue 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 Buttercrème.
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).
This is the Swiss version of a meringue Buttercrème, worry not, all meringue-based Buttercrèmes take a long time to pull together.
So if your Buttercrème first appears lumpy, fear not, continue beating for as long as 15 minutes and it will come together.
This Buttercrème, unlike the French of American type, can be used to pipe decorations; just do not expose it to temperatures above 78 degrees.
This makes enough to frost and pipe decorations on a 2 layer 9 inch cake
Ingredients You'll Need
8 oz by weight or about 1 cup egg whites
2 cups granulated sugar
2 lbs unsalted butter, room temperature
4 tsp lemon extract, almond extract, orange extract, or pure vanilla extract.
Directions
Lightly whisk egg whites and sugar together over simmering water until egg-white mixture is hot to touch or a thermometer reads 140°F (60°C).
Pour hot whites into a room-temperature bowl and whip with a wire whip or your whisk attachment on medium – medium high speed until doubled in volume and stiff glossy peaks form. When the mixer stops, the meringue should not move around in the bowl. Meanwhile cut up butter into 2-inch pieces.
Using a paddle attachment, slowly add butter, beginning with a couple of pieces at a time, while beating on medium speed. Once you have added half of the butter, increase speed to medium high, and add the remaining butter 1 piece at a time until all the butter has been utilized.
Continue beating until the mixture begins to look light and fluffy. (This can take an additional 15 minutes)
Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl.
Reduce speed to low and add your flavoring, then beat on medium to medium high for an additional 45 to 60 seconds.
Leftover Meringue Buttercream can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week of in the freezer for up to 3 months. It will need to be brought to room temperature and beaten for about 15 minutes to return it to it’s light and fluffy texture.