Incredible Italian Chocolate Frosting Recipes

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.

INCREDIBLE ITALIAN CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Steps:

• Cream the cream cheese and butter together.
• Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa into a separate bowl.
• Add sifted ingredients a little at a time to creamed mixture, beating until well incorporated.
• Mix in vanilla.
• Mix in a cup of chopped pecans, if desired.

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.

ITALIAN FROSTED CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt in a large bowl. Stir orange zest into flour mixture. Mix vegetable shortening and margarine into dry ingredients, using your hands, until mixture is crumbly.
• Beat eggs and vanilla extract in a bowl with an electric mixer until foamy; add egg mixture, 1/4 cup orange juice, and 1/4 cup milk to flour mixture and knead dough in the bowl until thoroughly combined and dough doesn't stick to your hands, about 8 minutes. Dough will be stiff. Knead cream cheese thoroughly into dough, followed by walnuts.
• Form dough into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place onto ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool cookies on racks.
• Beat 3 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon orange juice, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar in a bowl until smooth; gradually beat in remaining confectioners' sugar until frosting is thick and drizzles slowly from a spoon.
• Dip tops of cookies into frosting and place frosted cookies on racks with waxed paper underneath to catch drips. Let cookies dry overnight.

CHOCOLATE ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans. Separate the eggs.
• Cream 1/2 cup of the butter, shortening and sugar together. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla.
• Sift soda, flour and 1/4 cup cocoa together. Add alternately with buttermilk to the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir in the coconut and 1 cup of the chopped pecans.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cakes cool completely before frosting between layers and on sides.
• To Make Frosting: Cream the cream cheese and butter together. Sift confectioner's sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa, beating in a little at a time until well-creamed. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup pecans.

INCREDIBLE (YES, INCREDIBLE) CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• CAKE:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F and spray two 9" round layer pans with pan AND place a parchment circle on the bottom of each pan to make sure the cake doesn't stick.
• In a double boiler (you can do this slowly in the microwave if you feel confident), combine the butter, chocolate and coffee powder.
• Stir until mixture is smooth.
• Transfer to a large bowl and stir in sugar.
• In a small bowl, mix eggs and sour cream until well blended.
• Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Alternately blend egg mixture and dry ingredients into chocolate mixture. Stir until the batter is smooth.
• Divide batter evenly and bake for 30 minutes.
• GANACHE: In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream and butter.
• Stir over medium heat until butter melts and the mixture comes to a very gentle boil.
• Remove from the heat.
• Put chips into a food processor and start it, pouring the hot cream mixture through the feed tube. Process until smooth.
• Let stand in a bowl until cooled.
• DO NOT cool in the refrigerator.
• BUTTERCREAM: In the top of a double boiler (or in the microwave if you feel comfortable doing it), melt the chocolates.
• Stir until smooth.
• Remove from heat and cool.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the egg whie and sugar.
• Set the bowl over hot, not simmering water.
• Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl.
• I have put a terry cloth dishtowel in the bottom of a large stock pot, then added some water. As long as the bowl is touching mostly towel, the eggs haven't "cooked"- you can also put a small wire rack at the bottom of the pot, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl.
• Whisk the egg/sugar mixture until it is warm (about 110°) and all the sugar granules have been COMPLETELY dissolved.
• Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer and beat at medium speed for abut 5 minutes, until it is cool and has formed into a thick meringue.
• One tablespoon at a time, add the butter, beating completely until each piece is incorporated after each addition.
• Add the melted chocolate and rum.
• Continue beating for a few seconds until the buttercream is thick and smooth.
• ASSEMBLY: Place one of the cake layers on a cake plate or cardboard cake round.
• Then take four 2" widestrips of waxed paper and place them in a square shape under all four sides of the cake. This will "catch" any of the fluid ganache that drips down.
• Spread the top of this layer with the raspberry preserves, stopping about 1" from the edge, all around.
• You don't want the preserves to interfere with the chocolate ganache coating.
• Starting around the edge, lay dollops of the buttercream on top of the cake and spread it inward, covering the entire area of the top of the layer.
• Top with the second layer.
• Now is your opportunity to make your cake even by pressing down any high spots.
• This may result in some of the preserves or buttercream oozing out of the sides.
• Scrape tht away and if preserves are coming out of the sides, use additional buttercream to "spackle" that area.
• Any exposed preserves will tend to resist the ganache, leaving an exposed area.
• Using a metal offset spatula, spread the ganache evenly over the top and sides of the cake.
• There will be plenty of ganache, so pour an ample amount on the top of the cake, guiding it toward and down the sides.
• Scrape up any ganache that collects on the waxed paper strips and reuse it.
• Once the cake's top and sides are completely covered; set aside.
• You should remove the waxed paper strips once the ganache has solidified a bit in the refrigerator. You will have left over ganache. You can refrigerate it and put it into a piping bag. There will definitely be plenty to pipe rosettes or a full swag onto the bottom of the cake-- and them some.
• Be prepared to be showered with compliments on your culinary victory.