Swiss Meringue Buttercream For Mother Hen Cake Recipes

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).

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.
• Place bowl over a pot with 1-2" of simmering water and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch or reads 160F on a candy thermometer (approx. 3mins)
• Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
• Switch to paddle attachment (optional). Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
• Add flavorings as desired whip until smooth.

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.
• Fill and frost 1 (8-inch) three-layer cake.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Wipe the bowl of an electric stand mixer and the whisk attachment with lemon juice to remove any trace of grease. Add sugar and egg whites to the bowl.
• Whisk sugar and egg whites together in the bowl of the stand mixer over simmering water, whisking constantly but gently, until temperature reaches 140 degrees F (60 degrees C), about 10 minutes. Return bowl to the stand mixer.
• Whisk sugar-egg white mixture in the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until mixture is thick, glossy, and temperature of outside of bowl is room temperature. Change attachment to the paddle attachment and continue mixing on low speed. Add butter, 1 cube at a time; mix until silky-smooth. If mixture curdles, continue mixing and it will return to smooth.
• Pour vanilla extract and sprinkle salt into butter-sugar mixture; beat until fully incorporated.

MARTHA'S SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Bring a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of water to a simmer. Meanwhile, combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in a large heatproof mixing bowl. Set bowl over (not in) pan of simmering water and whisk until whites are warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. (Test by rubbing between your fingers; mixture should feel smooth.)
• Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and mixture has cooled completely, about 12 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating to incorporate fully after each addition. (Don't worry if buttercream appears curdled at this point; it will become perfectly smooth again with continued beating.) Beat in vanilla.
• Switch to paddle attachment and beat on lowest speed to remove air bubbles, 3 to 5 minutes. If using buttercream the same day, cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until ready to use.
• If not using the same day, transfer buttercream to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature, then beat with paddle attachment on lowest speed until smooth and pliable, about 10 minutes.

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.