As promised here is our first ‘Tutorial Tuesday’! This week we will show you how to make the smooth and luxurious Swiss Meringue Buttercream. When we first tried to create this buttercream we used a low fat spread suitable for baking…WRONG! As Chef Didier said in Last Holiday “you and I know the secret to life; it’s butter” and it’s true. For this recipe use ONLY chilled butter; no substitutes or room temprature butter.
Here is what you will need…
4 oz (1/2 cup) egg whites
8 oz (1 cup) granulated sugar (no other type of sugar)
12 oz (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
pinch of salt
any colourings and flavourings you wish to add
Step one: Make sure your bowls, paddles, whisks and utensils are cleaned with lemon or lime juice to stop your egg whites from going flat.
Second step: Seperate your egg whites and place them in a large bowl, then set them aside and prepare a sauce pan of boiling water on your stove, now whisk your egg whites in a bowl over the stove and gradually add in the sugar. Keep whisking until the sugar is fully dissolved (you can test this by rubbing the egg mixture between your fingers and if you feel no grains of sugar it is done) and until your mix is pale and fluffy.
Note: This recipe does require stand alone electric mixer with a whisk and paddle attachment.
Step three: Make sure the whisk component is attached. Now add the egg mixture to your mixing bowl and set to the highest speed for 5 minutes. When this step is done your egg whites will be white, very sticky and have a sheen to them. Make sure the egg mixture is no longer warm (you can do this by feeling the temprature of the bowl, if it is cool to touch you are good to go)
Step four: Switch to the paddle attachment and on medium speed add the chilled butter a cube at a time. At some point your buttercream mixture will look as though it has curdled but this is normal just keep mixing and it will become smooth.
Note: If you wish to add colourings and flavourings then do so at this point (though this can always be done later)
Step five: Your Swiss Meringue Buttercream should be ready! It should feel and taste creamy, light and smooth.
