This is the recipe I use for Italian Buttercream. It’s a bit fiddly but well worth persevering with as it gives the best frosting I have ever tasted! You will need a sugar thermometer to get the syrup to the correct temperature. So here goes!
- 120ml water
- 430g caster sugar
- 6 egg whites
- 680g unsalted butter
I begin by placing the egg yolks in a bowl ready. Then, place the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Insert your thermometer and cook until the syrup reaches the hardball temperature, approx 245 degrees F. Just before it reaches the correct temperature, whisk your egg whites until they are stiff and fluffy.
Now, be careful. Keep the mixer on as you gently pour the syrup into the fluffy egg whites. Once all the syrup is incorporated, the egg-whites should have increased in volume further, and at this stage, they are also cooked and safe.
Keep the beaters mixing until the meringue base has cooled. It needs to be cool enough to add the butter without the butter melting! It may seem like a hell of a lot of butter, but this recipe goes a long way, and the finished result is worth every mouthful!
The butter needs to be at room temp. Cut it all up into squares. Once the meringue is cool enough, add the butter a few lumps at a time, beating constantly. Don’t worry, the mixture will suddenly look weird and curdled! This is normal. Keep adding the butter bit by bit until it is all incorporated, and allow the machine to do its work beating. In no time at all, the mixture will take on a velvety smooth and fluffy texture! And you have done it!!!
At this stage, I add flavoring. You can add almost anything you want. As long as the flavoring is cool!! I love this made with chocolate. Melt the chocolate, but do not add to the buttercream until the chocolate is almost cold or you will melt the buttercream! You can also use cocoa powder, though this gives a slightly grainy texture. Vanilla essence is fabulous, as is any flavored essence you choose. Also, flavor it with toffee sauce!! And use on Sticky toffee cupcakes!! Heaven in your mouth!
This makes a very large batch. But you can freeze it safely enough. When you need it again, defrost and re-beat.
I tend to make this the day before I use it and store it in the fridge overnight. I then bring it out an hour before I need to pipe it and allow it to come up to room temp, then I re-beat it, and pipe it onto my cakes!!
