When you want a creamy smooth buttercream there are two choices, Swiss or Italian buttercream. I love both but have to admit there is less less chance of burning myself when making the swiss variety as you’re gently heating the meringue over a double boiler. The other benefit of these buttercreams is the color; you can get a very bright white with them and not have to resort to covering your cake in fondant.
Lets talk about a couple potential problems. I think the most common issue is related to adding the butter when the meringue is still too warm. If you don’t wait long enough then the mixture will be soupy, which is a bummer. Luckily you can pop the bowl into the freezer for a few minutes, then give it a whip and wit should be right as rain. If your start using the buttercream and it has lots of little bubbles and isn’t silky and pliable then it’s been sitting for a bit too long. All you need to do is give it a 5 second whisk and it will wake back up and regain it’s consistency.
Some things to avoid:
Don’t get and fat in your bowl, make sure it’s clean (I actually give mine a quick rub with a lemon then wipe with a paper towel)
Don’t let any yolks get into your whites when you separate the eggs. The easiest avoid yolks is to separate the eggs one at a time into separate bowls and then pour the white in as you go along.
Don’t get scared when you add the butter in! if it’s a soup or if it’s looking wonky just chill is a few minutes then get back to mixing.
If your idea of warm is tepid then go ahead and use a thermometer to see when your egg white mixture has reached 160F.
A step-by-step guide to making silky Swiss buttercream.
- 5 egg whites at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Add egg whites, sugar and salt in a bowl.
Give the mixture a brief whisk.
Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Make sure the water does not touch the bowl.
- Whisk the egg whites occasionally while it warms up. When the mixture has warmed, whisk it constantly. You will heat the mixture until it reaches an internal temperature of 160ºF.
Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
- While the mixture is running on low, add tablespoon sized dollops of room temperature butter making sure to let the butter incorporate before you add the next piece. You can transfer it to a piping bag or to a ziplock bag to store in the freezer.
*To reactivate the buttercream after it has been frozen, allow it to come to room temperature then whip it.
Would this remain stable if it’s really hot outside
Hi Alex,
It would be stable but SOFT. So things might get droopy fast in hot weather.
What would type of icing would you suggest if it’s really hot? I live in the Bahamas and buttercream gets droopy really fast ☹️
Italian meringue buttercream and Swiss meringue buttercream will hold its stability in hot weather. It is the only kind I make. If the temperature is above 90 and no wind, add a couple tablespoons meringue powder and you will not have absolutely any problems with heat outdoors. Enjoy the silky smooth flavor. So good
At what stage do you add the meringue powder? Does it completely dissolve so that there is no graininess?
How would flavorings be added?
Joyce,
Add in flavors during the last step!
John
Hello
Can this be used for piping flowers? Is it stiff enough?
Thanks
Absolutely. The egg whites hold their shape and I think it is better to pipe with.
So I was so excited to make this, but my frosting is just a big bowl of liquid! What happened? Can I fix it?
Amber,
Try sticking it in the fridge for 10 minutes, then give it a whip. Make sure you added all of the butter in! I hope that your meringue was the right temperature!
John