Easy Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipes

FOOLPROOF SWISS MERINGUE

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer in a medium pot.
• Combine sugar, egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Reduce the heat of the pot and place the bowl over the steam. Whisk egg whites lightly until a digital or candy thermometer inserted into the mixture reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.
• Place bowl back onto the stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until egg whites are cool and stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Mixture should hold peaks effortlessly and start balling up around the whisk attachment while appearing silky, shiny, and pure white.
• Use meringue immediately. It will hold its shape without separating for about a week in the refrigerator.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM RECIPE

Steps:

• In a medium pot, add at least 1-inch of water and bring to simmer.
• Thoroughly wash and dry the stainless steel mixing bowl from your stand mixer (you don't want grease touching meringue). Add 7 egg whites and 2 cups sugar and whisk together. Place mixing bowl over a large saucepan of barely simmering water, creating a seal over the pot (bowl should be over the steam, not touching water). Whisk constantly until mixture reaches 160˚F (takes about 3 min). Sugar should be fully dissolved (you should not feel any sugar granules when rubbing mixture between finger tips). Mixture will feel hot to the touch.
• Wipe water from bottom of mixing bowl and transfer bowl to stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form (about 15-20 min) and bottom of the bowl feels completely at room temp and not warm (important: warm meringue will melt the butter).
• Once bowl is at room temp, switch to paddle attachment, reduce to medium speed and add butter 1 Tbsp at a time, adding it just as fast as it is absorbed by meringue. Once all butter is in, scrape down the bowl and continue beating until it reaches a thick whipped consistency (3 min on med-high speed). If it looks lumpy or liquidy at all, keep beating until smooth, thick and whipped.
• Add 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt and mix on med-high until incorporated (about 1 min).

EASY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Place egg whites and powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Attach the whisk and combine ingredients on low and then whip on high for 1 minute to dissolve the powdered sugar
• Add in your salt and vanilla extract
• Add in your butter in chunks and whip with the whisk attachment to combine. It will look curdled at first. This is normal. It will also look pretty yellow. Keep whipping.
• If your buttercream looks curdled, remove about 1/3 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until JUST barely melted. Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
• (Optional) Add your drop of purple food coloring. Whip on high with the whisk attachment for 8-10 minutes until it's very white, light and shiny. Taste the buttercream, if it tastes like sweet ice cream then it's ready!
• Switch to a paddle attachment and mix on low for 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream very smooth and remove air bubbles. This isn't required but if you want really creamy frosting, you don't want to skip it.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day. If not, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
• To tint buttercream, reserve some for toning down the color, if necessary. Add gel-paste food color, a drop at a time (or use the toothpick or skewer to add food color a dab at a time) to the remaining buttercream. You can use a single shade of food color or experiment by mixing two or more. Blend after each addition with the mixer (use a paddle attachment) or a flexible spatula, until desired shade is achieved. Avoid adding too much food color too soon, as the hue will intensify with continued stirring; if necessary, you can tone down the shade by mixing in some reserved untinted buttercream.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Place the egg whites and sugar in large metal mixer bowl set over simmering water. Whisk constantly until the sugar melts and the mixture is very thin and warm.
• Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Continue beating on low speed until cool, about 15 more minutes.
• Beat in small pieces of the cool but soft butter on low speed. The mixture may "curdle" before coming together. Add vanilla extract or other flavorings if desired. Rebeat occasionally while frosting the cake to maintain a smooth texture.

EASY SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat 1/3 cup sugar and water over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and syrup just starts to bubble. Remove from heat.
• Pour egg whites into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Beat in 2 tablespoons sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
• While the egg whites are beating, return the syrup to high heat. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the syrup reads 248 degrees F (120 degrees C). Pour syrup carefully into the stiff egg whites, with the mixer running on low. Increase speed and beat until meringue is thick and shiny and the bowl is cool to the touch.
• Beat butter and confectioners' sugar in a separate bowl until smooth. Beat in meringue until thoroughly mixed. Add almond extract.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Chose a medium saucepan and a medium heatproof bowl that you can use for your double boiler. You'll want to use a bowl that will neatly fit on top of your saucepan, but the bottom of the bowl CANNOT be touching the water below. (See photo below). Wipe down your bowl, making sure it's completely dry and there's no grease, residue, or crumbs left in it. Remove butter from the fridge and set aside. Carefully separate your egg whites.
• Add egg whites and sugar in your mixing bowl and whisk by hand to combine. Place bowl on top of a saucepan that's filled with a few inches of water and turn on medium heat.
• Continue to whisk by hand until your sugar has completely dissolved and your egg mixture has reached 70 C / 160 F. You can check this using a candy thermometer. The eggs will be thick and frothy. Remove from heat.
• Place eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until egg whites become thick and voluminous and reach stiff peaks. This can take around 10 minutes. The egg whites should hold their shape and not droop. The mixture should also be completely cooled.
• Turn your mixer down to low speed, then slowly add your butter, piece by piece. As you add your butter, your meringue mixture may turn soupy, and/or eventually look curdled - this is ok.
• Continue until you've added all your butter. Turn your mixer up to medium speed and continue to whisk until frosting comes together and is smooth again. Do not worry about over-mixing - keep going.
• Finally, add vanilla and salt. Mix briefly. Then remove bowl from mixer and use a spatula to give it one final stir by hand, getting rid of any air bubbles.