Italian Meringue
Buttercream - IMBC
1 1/2 cups egg whites
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 pounds of unsalted butter (softened)
vanilla extract
liqueurs (optional)
a cup of ice water and a teaspoon
Place 2 cups of sugar in a saucepan. Add enough water to make a "slurpee" consistency
(I use my hands to mix, that way I can tell if there are any dry pockets
of sugar lurking around). Wash down sides of pot with more water.
Okay, why I don't measure the water: the goal when cooking sugar is
to get it from a crystal state to a liquid state. The water just helps
to facilitate this. It doesn't matter how much water you add because
it's all going to boil off anyway. The more water you add the longer
it will take to boil off and get to the required stage. Okay, back to
the recipe....
Place the sugar/water mix on high heat, covering the pot but leaving
a vent for steam to escape.
Covering the pot causes the steam to hit the lid and then condense
back to water and drip down the sides, thereby automatically "washing
the sides of the pot down". You are going to boil off the water
though, so you still need a vent for some steam to escape.
Place the egg whites and remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in electric mixer
bowl.
You're going to boil the sugar until it reaches firm ball stage. How
can you tell? By picking up a bit of the boiling sugar syrup with the
tip of the teaspoon and submerging it with the sugar syrup, into the
ice water and waiting for a few seconds. When you can pull up the sugar
with your fingertips and form a firm but not hard ball then the sugar
syrup is ready. It should still be slightly pliable; try dropping it
on a hard surface: if it keeps it shape and makes a "thwack" sound
it's ready.
While the sugar is boiling, start making a French meringue with the
egg whites and sugar. I start out slow and then as the sugar starts to
reach the right stage I increase the speed until peaks form.
When the sugar has reached firm ball stage, very, very carefully pour
the syrup into the egg whites, at the highest speed. Be very careful
not to pour syrup onto the whip or you'll start whipping around the hot
sugar and get some very nasty burns.
Once all the sugar has been mixed in (you'll notice the meringue will
increase in volume) let it whip for a few minutes and then start adding
the soft butter. Sometimes, I don't always have it together and my butter
isn't as soft as it should be. That's okay, it just can't be rock hard.
If it's not as soft, I just start adding sooner, while the meringue is
still warm.
After all the butter has been incorporated, add the vanilla and flavorings.
How much vanilla? I don't ever measure unless I'm making multiple batches
and need them all to be the same color. Also, from here on out, I only
use the paddle attachment to mix the buttercream.
I usually need 2-3 recipes of this to do a wedding cake for 150. I make
it ahead of time and freeze it. To reconstitute it I bring it to room
temp and mix it with the paddle. This buttercream doesn't crust, you
need to chill it between coats. To get a really smooth, satin finish
I warm it until very, very soft and then apply it to a really cold cake.
WHEW!! Sorry this was so long. It really is easy and I hope I've helped
to make it a little more approachable.....
