Recipe: Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting
20 ounces sugar
10 ounces egg whites
20 ounces butter (5 sticks)-- cut into 1 T pieces
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1. In a 5 quart bowl, over a double boiler, whisk (piano whisk) sugar and egg whites until 170 degrees F
2. Transfer bowl to a stand mixer. Using whip attachment, whip egg whites to a moist, stiff meringue.
3. Begin adding diced, room temperature butter , one piece at a time while mixer is running on medium spd.
4. Transfer to paddle attachment. Add vanilla [i]slowly[/i] and beat on low until smooth and creamy. (Can turn mixer spd higher, if needed)
**Buttercream may look soupy -- transfer entire mixing bowl to the freezer to chill for a few minutes, or place a bowl of ice water underneath mixing bowl while mixing to bring temp down. Don't worry -- the mixture will come back together like magic and you'll get a smooth buttercream.
**This buttercream can be used to ice and decorate cakes -- if it gets too warm while piping, place in refrigerator to chill, or keep hands cold by dipping in ice water periodically.
**Can be flavored with any extract or liqueur (2 - 4 Tbsp), fruit puree, melted chocolate (1/2 cup approx.)
Can be colored with food coloring
May be left in a cool place for a few days, for longer storage, refrigerate or freeze -- Allow buttercream to reach room temp and remix as needed.
Yum!! Can't wait to try it out!! I agree about the powdered sugar and crisco recipes---almost too sweet. This one sounds really creamy!! Thanks so much. Oh, where is Novi, MI? I was actually born in Fraser and have a lot of relatives in Waterford. Anyway, I hope to sharpen my cake decorating skills next weekend for my little one's party. We'll see.....
Thanks, Lisa
Wow that sounds good. Quick question. Can you exhange margerine for the butter, or does it have to be butter? My husband is allergic to milk and we use Neucoa margerine.
I don't know about using margarine -- I think I would go with a solid vegetable shortening? Maybe a mix of solid shortening with the margarine? I guess it depends on the margarine's make up and taste; I've never tried Neucoa.
Just a note about this recipe -- there are many variations and preparation techniques to making this. You can add more butter (in fact, many traditional recipes use much more butter than I do). I bring my egg whites to 170 -- probably not necessary to bring them this high; at school -- the chef who taught pastries would use his hand to mix the egg whites and sugar over direct heat, and as soon as the sugar granules were dissolved (I imagine 150 or so), he'd remove from the heat to begin whipping.
Lisa -- Novi is about 30 miles outside of Detroit -- pretty close to Waterford as well!