Chocolate Italian Buttercream Recipes

CHOCOLATE ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Start by melting the chocolate, because it needs time to cool down before it's added to the frosting. Place 3/4 cup of chopped up chocolate or chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 15 second intervals, stirring between intervals to help the chocolate melt more evenly. Once the chocolate is mostly melted (usually takes 4 intervals for me), stir until smooth, then set aside to cool.
• Next, clean your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to remove any residual grease from prior baking. This helps ensure your egg whites whip up properly.
• This part is important, so please take note! From the 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, remove two tablespoons and place them into a separate small bowl next to your stand mixer.
• Place 2 large egg whites and 1/4 tsp of salt into your mixing bowl and start to mix on high. Slowly pour in the reserved 2 Tbsp of sugar into the egg whites and continue to mix on high until stiff peaks form.
• Pour the remaining sugar (about 1/2 cup) and 1/4 cup of water into a small saucepan and heat over a medium high heat. Cover the saucepan with its lid and swirl the pan around a few times to help the sugar and water combine. There is no need to stir the mixture! Let the mixture sit until it begins to boil, then remove the lid and use your digital thermometer to monitor the temperature. Continue to heat the sugar mixture until it reached 240 F or 115 C.
• Once it reaches 240 F or 115 C it's time to pour the sugar syrup into the whipped up egg whites! Remove the pan from heat and turn your stand mixer on high. With the mixer running, carefully pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites in a slow, steady stream. Try to pour the syrup directly on top of the egg whites and avoid having it hit the side of your bowl.
• Continue to mix on high until the mixture increases in volume and becomes shiny with stiff peaks. At this stage it's marshmallow frosting, which is great for s'mores flavored treats or pies!
• Feel the bottom of your bowl and make sure the meringue isn't still warm. If it is warm, let the meringue sit for a few minutes to continue to cool down.
• Once the meringue is at room temp, mix on a medium high speed and slowly add in 1/2 cup of room temperature butter in small chunks (about 1 Tbsp).
• My buttercream sometimes deflates / curdles once all the butter is mixed in. But don't worry, that's normal! Allow the buttercream to continue to mix on a medium high speed until it comes back together and fluffs up again. This can take anywhere from 3-10 minutes.
• If the frosting still hasn't come back together at this point, please refer to my detailed troubleshooting guide in the post above.
• Next, pour in the melted and cooled chocolate. It should no longer be warm to the touch but still fluid.
• Combine 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 1 tsp of instant coffee (optional) in a small bowl and pour into the frosting.
• Mix on a medium high speed until the ingredients are combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
• One batch of frosting makes about 2 cups of frosting, which is enough to frost a batch of cupcakes of fill a small cake.

CHOCOLATE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F on candy thermometer, 16 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1 1/2 cups softened butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chopped chocolate uncovered on High 60 seconds, stirring halfway through microwave time. Continue to microwave in 10-second increments, until chocolate can be stirred smooth. Let stand 10 minutes. Beat cooled melted chocolate into frosting until smooth.
• Fill and frost 1 (8-inch) three-layer cake.

CHOCOLATE ITALIAN BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 2/3 cup water to a boil. Continue boiling until syrup reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage).
• Meanwhile, place egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff but not dry; do not overbeat.
• With mixer running, add syrup to whites in a stream, beating on high speed until no longer steaming, about 3 minutes.
• Add butter tablespoon by tablespoon, beating until spreadable, 3 to 5 minutes; beat in vanilla. If icing curdles, keep beating until smooth.
• Turn the mixer off and fold the chocolate into the buttercream with a spatula. Then mix on low in your mixer until fully incorporated.

ITALIAN BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Place the egg whites and 1/3 cup of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the egg whites reach the soft peak stage.
• Meanwhile, pour the remaining sugar and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and bring to the soft-ball stage, without stirring, 240 degrees F.
• The egg whites and syrup should be ready at about the same time. If one is ready before the other then you can remove the pan from the heat or stop whipping for a few minutes.
• Continue to whip the egg whites on medium-high speed and slowly drizzle in the hot syrup, aiming the syrup between the side of the bowl and the beaters. Continue to whip until both the bottom of the bowl and the mixture are cool, 10 to 15 minutes. The mixture should be thick and will form firm peaks at this point. Beat in the salt. At this point you have an Italian meringue.
• While still beating on medium-high, add the butter, a few pieces at a time. As the butter is added, the buttercream may appear to thin out some, but it will thicken into firm peaks once all of the butter is added. Beat in the vanilla extract. If the buttercream is still too loose, beat on high speed until thickened.
• Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight container overnight. The buttercream may need to be beaten slightly to smooth out before using.

ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine the water and 1 1/4 cups (250g) sugar in a small saucepan and stir once or twice just to moisten the sugar. Do not stir again; stirring encourages the sugar to crystalize. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and continue to cook until it reaches a temperature between 248 and 250° F (120 - 121.1° C).
• As soon as you set the syrup to cook, begin the meringue. Beat the egg whites in a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment at medium speed until frothy. While beating, sprinkle in the cream of tartar and then the remaining 1/3 cup (67g) sugar.
• Beat until stiff but not dry, peaks form. The goal is to have the syrup at the right temperature and the meringue at the stiff peak stage at the same time. If the meringue is ready, before the syrup, continue to beat the egg whites with the mixer on the lowest speed until the syrup is between 248 and 250° F (120 - 121.1 ° C). If the syrup is done before the meringue is ready, add a very small amount of hot (not cold) water to lower the temperature slightly.
• When the syrup is ready, turn off the mixer and quickly pour about 1/3 cup into the meringue. Immediately turn the mixer to medium-high and then continue to pour the hot syrup into the meringue in a thin, steady stream. Try to keep the syrup from getting on the beater, although some will get on there no matter what you do.
• Continue to beat the meringue with the whisk attachment at medium speed, until you touch the bottom of the bowl and it is cool to the touch. *It's important to not add the butter before the meringue is completely cool, so that the butter doesn't melt.
• With the mixer running at medium speed, add 2 tablespoons (28g) of the butter at a time. Beat until each addition of the butter is incorporate before adding more. Keep mixing and adding the butter bit by bit until all 6 sticks are incorporated.
• If the buttercream doesn't look completely smooth at this point, just keep beating. It will smooth out. If it looks runny or curdled, the butter has probably melted. Put it in the refrigerator for 20 or 30 minutes and then continue beating until it's smooth. (*See trouble shooting tips above.)
• After the butter has been fully incorporated, you can add any flavor additions you like. (See the list of flavor ideas above.) At this point the buttercream is ready to use. If you'd like to store it for future use, see the notes below.

ITALIAN BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just enough to dissolve the sugar. Heat to between 223 and 234 degrees F (106 to 112 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dripped from a spoon forms a soft thread. It should take 1 or 2 minutes.
• When the sugar mixture has reached the thread stage, remove it from the heat and set aside. Whip the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer. When the whites can hold a stiff peak, pour in the sugar syrup in a thin stream while continuing to whip at medium speed. Be careful not to pour too quickly, or it will all end up at the bottom of the bowl. When the syrup is incorporated, continue to mix for 10 more minutes to allow it to cool. The egg whites will be fluffy and glossy.
• Add pieces of cold butter one at a time to the egg whites and continue to whip at medium or low speed. Then do the same with the shortening. The buttercream will break down and look curdled, but keep mixing and it will come back together in about 10 minutes. When it comes back around, mix in the vanilla. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• To use after it has been refrigerated, allow it to come to room temperature, then beat with a mixer before using. If cold, heat over a double boiler until you have liquid visible just around the edges. Beat with a mixer until smooth and fluffy before using.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CLOUD ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Place the chocolate in a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate in the microwave, stirring with a silicone spatula every 15 seconds, until almost completely melted. Remove the chocolate from the microwave and continue stirring until fully melted. Allow it to cool until it is no longer warm to the touch but is still fluid. Meanwhile, make the buttercream base.
• Wipe the bowl and whisk attachment of an electric mixer with a paper towel dampened with a little lemon juice or vinegar to eliminate any traces of grease. Put the egg whites and a pinch of salt in the bowl, then set aside. Place 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a tiny bowl and keep near the bowl of egg whites.
• Place the remaining sugar and water in a small saucepan and set over high heat. Do not stir. Cover the saucepan with its lid and allow to come to a boil, swirling the saucepan a few times to combine. (Covering the saucepan will cause condensation that will help wash away any sugar crystals that may have stuck to the sides). Once the sugar mixture has reached a boil, remove the lid and attach or hold a candy/food thermometer to the side of the saucepan and cook until the sugar mixture reaches 230F/110C.
• Once the syrup reaches about 230F/ 110C, immediately begin to whip the eggs whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually add in the reserved 2 tablespoons of sugar, and continue to whip until stiff, but not dry peaks form, about 30 more seconds.
• Meanwhile, continue to cook the syrup until it reaches between 240F/ 115C and 245F/118C. Typically (and ideally), the syrup will reach this temperature by the time the whites are whipped.
• Once the syrup reaches between 240F/ 115C and 245F/118C, remove it from heat immediately and with the mixer still running on high speed, pour the hot syrup into the egg whites in a thin, steady stream. Try to avoid getting the syrup on the sides of the bowl.
• Beat until the egg white mixture triples in volume, turns super white and glossy, hold stiff peaks and the bottom of the bowl has cooled. This is now basically marshmallow fluff or meringue frosting. It is very important to make sure that the meringue is at room temperature and not warm one bit at this point.
• With the mixer running on high speed, add the butter one piece at a time. The buttercream will now deflate, curdle and lot like a disastrous soupy mess. Don't worry; its supposed to happen. Just keep the faith and continue whipping until the buttercream comes together and is thick and fluffy. It may take up to 5 minutes to reach this point. If that doesn't happen, then chances are that either the meringue was warm or the butter was too soft. It's not the end of the world! Just place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes (do not get too cold), then rewhip. Add in the vanilla and continue whipping for another 3 minutes. Congratulations! Now you have vanilla Italian meringue buttercream. Now let's turn it into a chocolate buttercream cloud.
• Make sure that the melted, cooled chocolate is completely fluid without any solid pieces or you'll end up with chocolate pieces throughout your frosting. Likewise, make sure that its not warm, or it will melt the frosting. Pour the melted chocolate over the buttercream and fold it in with a rubber spatula. Return the bowl to the mixer and beat until smooth and uniform in color; 1 to 2 minutes. Woohoooooo! Your chocolate cloud buttercream is now ready to use!
• The buttercream will keep covered at room temperature for 1 day, refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bring the buttercream to room temperature before using. Rewhip to restore the spreadable consistency, but, to avoid curdling, not until the buttercream has reached room temperature.
• Use as desired or frost on top of these Chocolate Cloud Cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Chop the chocolates and place them in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan simmering water. Stir until melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• Mix the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place the bowl of egg whites over the pan of simmering water and heat the egg whites until they are warm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Return the bowl to the electric mixer and whisk on high speed for 5 minutes, or until the meringue is cool and holds a stiff peak.
• Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, while beating on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl, add the melted chocolate, vanilla, espresso, and rum, if using, and mix for 1 minute or until the chocolate is completely blended in. If the buttercream seems very soft, allow it to cool, and beat it again.