Basic Buttercream And Variations
Serves: 5
Manley Abshire
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
49
Spice
56
Sweetness
49
Sourness
40
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.6
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1.25 cups
Sugar (8 3/4 ounces)1 tsp
Cream Of Tartar2 tsps
Pure Vanilla Extract1 tsp
Fine Sea SaltDirections:
1
Using a hand whisk, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the clean bowl of a stand mixer
2
Place the bowl over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water
3
The egg white mixture will be gloppy and thick, but as the mixture begins to warm up, it will become more fluid
4
Continue to gently whisk the mixture until it is very hot to the touch (130°F on a candy thermometer)
5
Move the bowl to the stand mixer and, using the whisk attachment, whip the whites on medium-high speed until they have tripled in volume and are thick and glossy and hold stiff peaks (like meringue), 3 to 4 minutes
6
Turn the mixer down to medium-low speed until the mixing bowl is just cool to the touch, 1 to 2 minutes
7
Kick the mixer back up to medium-high speed and add the butter one piece at a time, adding the next piece just as the previous one has been incorporated
8
Stop the mixer every so often to scrape down the escaping buttercream from the sides of the bowl
9
At some point, the buttercream will take on a curdled appearance; don't worry, this is normal
10
Just keep on mixing until it comes together
11
Once all the butter is incorporated and the frosting is fluffy and creamy, blend in the vanilla and salt until fully combined
12
Covered with plastic wrap, buttercream will last 2 days at room temperature or 7 days in the refrigerator
13
If refrigerated, the buttercream must be brought to room temperature before you use it
14
Either way, the buttercream must be rewhipped-either by hand if kept at room temperature or with a mixer if refrigerated-before you frost a cake with it
15
Using a hand whisk, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the clean bowl of a stand mixer
16
Place the bowl over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water
17
The egg white mixture will be gloppy and thick, but as the mixture begins to warm up, it will become more fluid
18
Continue to gently whisk the mixture until it is very hot to the touch (130°F on a candy thermometer)
19
Move the bowl to the stand mixer and, using the whisk attachment, whip the whites on medium-high speed until they have tripled in volume and are thick and glossy and hold stiff peaks (like meringue), 3 to 4 minutes
20
Turn the mixer down to medium-low speed until the mixing bowl is just cool to the touch, 1 to 2 minutes
21
Kick the mixer back up to medium-high speed and add the butter one piece at a time, adding the next piece just as the previous one has been incorporated
22
Stop the mixer every so often to scrape down the escaping buttercream from the sides of the bowl
23
At some point, the buttercream will take on a curdled appearance; don't worry, this is normal
24
Just keep on mixing until it comes together
25
Once all the butter is incorporated and the frosting is fluffy and creamy, blend in the vanilla and salt until fully combined
26
Covered with plastic wrap, buttercream will last 2 days at room temperature or 7 days in the refrigerator
27
If refrigerated, the buttercream must be brought to room temperature before you use it
28
Either way, the buttercream must be rewhipped-either by hand if kept at room temperature or with a mixer if refrigerated-before you frost a cake with it
29
Raspberry Buttercream: Mash and strain 4 cups (10 ounces) of raspberries, fresh or frozen, through a fine mesh sieve to catch the seeds
30
(If using frozen berries, measure them before thawing
31
) Discard the seeds and set aside the puree while you follow the method for making Basic Buttercream
32
Add the berry puree at the end of the recipe, with the vanilla and the salt
33
Mash and strain 4 cups (10 ounces) of raspberries, fresh or frozen, through a fine mesh sieve to catch the seeds
34
(If using frozen berries, measure them before thawing
35
) Discard the seeds and set aside the puree while you follow the method for making Basic Buttercream
36
Add the berry puree at the end of the recipe, with the vanilla and the salt