French Chocolate Buttercream Food

FRENCH BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Place the whole eggs and yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the eggs are pale yellow and thick, about 5 minutes. (The eggs will hold an indent made with your finger for a few seconds.)
• Meanwhile, pour the 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.
• Begin whipping the eggs again 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, but will not form a peak at this point. Beat in the salt.
• 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.
• Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight container overnight. The buttercream may need to be beaten again to smooth out before using.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Add butter and mix on low to medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla and blend into the butter. Add powdered sugar, salt, and cocoa powder.
• Add most of the milk. Begin mixing at low speed so you won't have a cloud of powdered sugar in your kitchen.
• Continue to mix adding remaining milk as needed. It may take 5 to 6 minutes to reach the smoothness and consistency you like. It will take longer if using a hand mixer. As you mix the frosting will become very smooth. You can add additional milk (1 Tablespoon at a time) if the frosting is too thick or additional powdered sugar if too soft.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Place oven rack in centre of oven, heat to 350°F.
• Butter and flour bottoms of 2- 8 inch round cake pans, reserve.
• Beat eggs in large mixer bowl at high speed 1 minute.
• Continue beating, adding sugar very slowly, about 7 minutes.
• Melt chocolate with 3/4 cup butter.
• Drizzle warm chocolate mixture into egg mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
• Add sour cream and vanilla, beat at low speed until thoroughly blended.
• Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, the cocoa and baking soda.
• While beating at low speed, add dry ingredients, about 1/2 cup at a time, to chocolate mixture alternating with milk, about 1/3 cup at a time.
• Stop mixer as necessary to clean sides of bowl with rubber spatula.
• Beat until well blended.
• Pour half of batter into each reserved pan, place pans in oven diagonally on same rack.
• Bake until cake tester or wooden pick inserted in centre of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool cakes in pans on wire racks until just warm, remove from pans and cool completely on racks.
• Prepare Chocolate Buttercream.
• Reserve about 1/2 cup buttercream for decorative piping.
• To assemble cake, place 1 layer on serving plate, spread top evenly with 3/4 of the firm buttercream.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Place second cake layer on top of first layer.
• Frost sides, then top of cake completely with buttercream.
• Pipe reserved buttercream through pastry bag fitted with star tube in a decorative border around top of cake.
• Refrigerate cake until thoroughly chilled, serve cold.
• Cake must be stored in refrigerator.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FRENCH BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 325°F and prepare 3 9 inch round cake pans. I always use the spray with the flour in it, but you can use whatever method works best for you.
• Sift the cocoa powder into a small bowl and stir in the boiling water until it is smooth. Allow to cool slightly and then stir in the milk.
• In your mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla and then beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the mixer bowl after each addition.
• In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add the cocoa batter, mixing again until just combined. Then mix in the remaining flour mixture.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for about 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto wire racks. Cool completely before making the frosting.
• For the frosting: Put the egg yolks in your mixer bowl. In a medium saucepan, cook the sugar and water over medium to medium-high heat until it reaches 244°F. Start beating the egg yolks on medium-low. When the sugar reaches 248°F remove it from the heat. Turn the mixer up to medium and slowly (and CAREFULLY!) drizzle the hot sugar syrup into the egg yolks. Add in the chilled butter cubes one at a time until it is all incorporated. Melt the chocolate until just smooth and allow to cool for a minute or two. Beat into the frosting until completely incorporated, being sure to scrape the sides of the bowl a couple of times.
• Assemble cake as desired and serve with coffee.... yum!

FRENCH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Do not melt the butter in the microwave. If it is not already at room temp, do NOT attempt this icing, it will not work and will be a big mess. Given that caveat, this really works wonderfully and is a great frosting that does not taste too sweet!
• With the egg whites at room temp, place the bowl over simmering water and whisk in the sugar. Whisk until completely smooth....go granules of sugar left. Remove from heat, add the vanilla, and using a mixer on high speed, beat this mixture until it gets really opaque and starts to look like marshmallow fluff.
• Then adding 1 TBS of butter at a time (that is 1 of the pieces) beat until thoroughly incorporated. Ten add next piece of butter. Continue adding butter 1 piece at a time, and beating really well after each.
• IF it looks like it is separating or curdling......DO NOT get upset. Just stop adding the butter, but keep beating on high. You see why you want a mixer for this process. Once it is smooth, resume adding the butter. One all the butter is in and the icing is smooth, add the melted chocolate. It should be melted, but NOT hot. Beat it in, and continue to smooth and creamy.
• If the day is hot, I put the cake in the refrigerator, and it firms up the icing.

BASIC CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM ICING

Steps:

• Beat butter and 1/4 cup cocoa powder together in a bowl with an electric mixer on low until light and fluffy. Gradually add milk, remaining 1/4 cup cocoa powder, and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

TRADITIONAL FRENCH BUCHE DE NOEL RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
• Butter a 10 x 15-inch jelly-roll pan with a 1-inch lip and line it with parchment paper. Butter the parchment or spray it with cooking spray. Set the pan aside.
• Beat the eggs for 5 minutes, until they turn thick and foamy.
• Add the sugar, orange liqueur, orange zest, vanilla extract, and salt to the eggs and continue beating for 2 minutes.
• Fold the flour, a few tablespoons at a time, into the whipped egg mixture.
• Once the flour is incorporated into the batter, stop mixing. Do not overmix or the cake will bake up into a tough texture.
• Gently spread the batter into the prepared pan. Gently smooth any peaks of batter but do not press the batter down.
• Bake the cake for 10 minutes, until the cake is just set.
• Invert the baked cake onto a clean, dry kitchen towel and peel off the parchment paper. Wait 3 minutes and then gently roll the cake, still in the towel, starting at the 10-inch end. Allow it to cool completely.
• Gather the ingredients.
• In a clean, completely dry bowl beat the egg whites on high until soft peaks form. Set them aside.
• In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and 2/3 cup water to a boil. Allow it boil until it has reduced into a slightly thickened syrup.
• Begin beating the egg whites on high speed again, and pour the hot sugar syrup into the eggs in a slow, steady stream.
• Add the espresso powder, and vanilla extract into the egg whites and continue beating until thick and glossy.
• Remove 4 tablespoons of the meringue and set to one side.
• Continue beating and add in the melted chocolate and keep beating until the meringue has cooled completely.
• Add the softened butter to the meringue, 2 tablespoons at a time, while beating on high speed, until all of the butter is incorporated into the frosting. If the buttercream becomes runny at any time in this process, refrigerate the meringue until it has chilled through and continue the process of beating the butter into the meringue.
• Unroll the cake and set aside the towel. Evenly spread 2 cups of the chocolate buttercream on the inside of the cake, following its natural curve, gently form it into a cake roll.
• Cut off the ends on the diagonal and reattach them in the center of the cake with a bit of buttercream to create a branch.
• Spread the exterior of the buche de Noel with enough chocolate buttercream to cover it and gently pull a butter knife or small, offset spatula through the frosting to give the appearance of rough tree bark.
• Again using a spatula, cover the ends of the logs with the reserved light-colored cream.
• Finish by adding decorations like meringue mushrooms to complete the festive look.
• Chill the cake before serving it and refrigerate any leftovers.

FRENCH BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, add water, then add sugar, corn syrup, and cream of tartar. The last 2 help keep the sugar from crystallizing. (Candy thermometer. Non-negotiable!)
• Put the pot on high heat. It's going to be there for a while. Be patient and keep your eye on it. Don't go walking away and watching TV or something.
• Put yolks and eggs in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and turn to high. Just let it go! Eggs will triple in volume and go to "ribbons stage." You can't overwhip!
• Wait on the sugar-looking for 230°F, aka "soft ball." When it happens, be ready to move quickly. Turn off the mixer and add the xanthan gum, turn back up to medium.
• Remove the thermometer from hot sugar. Lift with two hands. Rest the lip of the saucepan on the edge of the mixer bowl.
• Slowly tilt and pour sugar in a sloooow steady stream down the side of the bowl. Don't go too fast! If you do there will be chunks of scrambled eggs in your buttercream.
• Once sugar is all in, turn the mixer to high. Beat until cool. Gauge this by putting the inside of your wrist to the outside of the bowl. It's more accurate than your hands. Switch out the whisk for the paddle. Next we're adding the butter. It's too heavy for the whisk and you'll end up breaking your stand mixer if you stay with the whisk.
• Start cutting the butter into thin pieces-you could shave it with a cheese slicer if you'd like. Add butter piece by piece-pain in the derriere, yes, but we're making an emulsion.
• See, if you dump all the butter in at once, the butter and eggs will never combine properly, and you'll have a "broken" buttercream. You'll be able to identify this easily-it'll be a chunky, watery, hot mess.
• If your buttercream does break, you can fix it! Turn to medium high, then add a little more butter, piece by piece, until fixed. Or try adding a little guar gum! This is very strong, so add a pinch and beat for a minute, then check.
• Once your butter is added, turn the mixer to medium high to add some air-10, 20 seconds at most. Quelle Magnifique! It should be fluffy and make you want to eat it with your fingers.
• Once you have your base, there's so many ways to flavor it! Coffee powder! Vanilla beans! Dutch cocoa! Peanut butter! Caramel! Ham! Ok, maybe not ham. Party pooper.
• Congratulations! You did it! You made French buttercream! You are a god amongst men!
• Fin

CHOCOLATE FRENCH AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Add egg yokes to a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment.
• Heat sugar and water in a sauce pan with a candy thermometer attached to the side. Candy thermometers can be off so I always do the ice water test too, see instructions below.
• Don't stir the mixture but allow to the mixture to come to a boil then stir.
• Once mixture hits 238 F. or just below the soft ball stage remove from heat and turn on your mixer with a whisk attachment and pour the sugar into the side of the bowl with the egg yokes while it is mixing.
• Whisk until smooth and cooled down to room temperature.
• Add butter to mixture and blend until smooth.
• Add vanilla, salt, powdered sugar, cream, cocoa powder, and instant espresso powder or pero and blend until mixture is soft and fluffy.

FRENCH BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Combine sugar and water in medium saucepan. Heat over low heat while stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium- high and bring to a boil
• Put egg yolks in a stand-mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until thick and foamy.
• Cook the sugar and water syrup until it reaches 240 degrees F. Immediately remove from heat. With mixer running, SLOWLY drizzle hot syrup into bowl with yolks.
• Continue mixing until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and the yolk mixture has cooled to room temperature.
• Add in butter one cube at a time allowing each piece to incorporate before adding the next. Add vanilla and salt. Continue mixing until buttercream is smooth and creamy. (About 5-6 minutes.)

FRENCH MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Start whipping egg whites slowly in the mixer until foamy. Increase the speed of the mixer and slowly start adding the sugar until all the sugar is incorporated. Once all the sugar is in, increase the speed of the mixer even more and whip until the mixture is shiny and stiff. You now have a meringue. You know when your meringue is done when you pull out the whip, hold it horizontally, and if you have what looks a "sparrow's beak" on the end of the whip.
• Replace the whip, turn the mixer on medium and start adding the butter a bit at a time. Once all the butter is incorporated, turn the mixer on high and let mix; depending on the weather, the buttercream could take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to form. You will know when it has formed when you hear the motor of the mixer start to slow down and whine a little bit; also, when you first add the butter, your meringue will break down and look weird and this is what you want. When the buttercream is done, the mixture will be homogeneous, consistent, and tasty.
• Remove the buttercream from the bowl and transfer to an airtight container. Buttercream can be kept at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for a 1 to 2 weeks, but always use warm buttercream when icing a cake. To warm up the buttercream, put it back in the mixer using the whip or the paddle, and apply direct heat with a propane torch you can find at any hardware store.

FRENCH BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a small heavy saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil; cook over medium-high heat until a thermometer reads 240° (soft-ball stage), 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, using a stand mixer, beat egg yolks in a large bowl on high speed until thick and foamy, 8-10 minutes. , Slowly pour hot sugar syrup over egg yolks while beating continuously. Continue beating on high until mixture cools to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. , Gradually add butter, a few tablespoons at a time, beating on medium after each addition until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Use immediately.

FRENCH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Melt chocolate in a microwave according to package instructions. Set aside and let cool completely.
• Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Beat eggs in a large bowl using an electric mixer until frothy. Drizzle in sugar mixture slowly; beat on high speed until mixture turns pale yellow and expands in volume, about 5 minutes. Add butter by tablespoon one at a time with mixer running, beating well after each addition. Frosting will become watery; continue with remaining butter.
• Mix in cooled melted chocolate. Beat on high speed until frosting thickens and becomes fluffy, about 5 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE FRENCH BUTTERCREAM (VIDEO)

Steps:

• Place the egg yolks into a stand mixer bowl and whisk on medium-high speed for a few minutes until thick and pale.
• Meanwhile, combine the water and sugar in small saucepan. Heat the sugar, not stirring, over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 238F/115C, about 5 minutes. Keep the mixer running on medium speed and pour the hot syrup in a slow and steady stream into the egg yolks.
• Once all the sugar syrup has been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and whisk for 5 to 7 minutes, until mixture is thick and pale in color. It also needs to be just lukewarm to touch. Begin adding the butter, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing for about 15 to 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl often to get all the butter mixed in well.
• When you start adding the butter, the frosting is going to look like it's separated and ruined. Don't worry! The buttercream will start to thicken as more butter is added and it will come together!
• After adding the butter, add the melted chocolate, salt and coffee extract. Mix again for a few minutes until a uniform and fluffy frosting forms.

STRAWBERRY MACARONS

Steps:

• Wipe out your mixing bowl: Dampen a paper towel with a bit of vinegar and wipe down the inside of a 4- or 5- quart mixing bowl. A glass or metal bowl would work!
• Scrape the batter: Use a rubber spatula to scrape the batter against and around the sides of the bowl to knock some of the air out of the batter. Do this 5 or 6 times. Knocking some of the air out of the batter is important because too much air will cause the shells to crack while they bake.
• Remove more air bubbles: Firmly grasp the sides of the baking sheet and tap it hard against your counter. Tiny air bubbles may come up to the surface of the shells and pop. You can use the sharp pointy end of a toothpick to pop them, if desired. Rotate the baking sheet as needed to tap all sides evenly.
• Bake the shells: Place the oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 300°F Bake the shells, one baking sheet at a time, for 13 minutes. When the timer goes off, carefully open the oven door, and gently touch the top of a shell. The top of the shell should not move from the feet where it touches the pan. If it moves slightly, bake it for 1 minute more.
• Cool the shells: Place the baking sheet on a wire cooling rack. Allow the shells to cool completely before lifting them from the mat. Do not try and lift them up using a spatula or other tool, especially if they are sticking. Once they are completely cool, use your hands to peel the baking mat or parchment paper back from the shells slowly and gently. If they are completely cool, the shells should come off easily.

FRENCH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan.
• Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Continue to boil until the syrup reaches a temperature of 240 degrees F (115 C) While the syrup is boiling, beat the yolks with a wire whip or the whip attachment of a mixer until they are thick and light in color.
• As soon as the syrup reaches 240 F, pour it very slowly (in a thin stream) into the beaten yolks while whipping constantly.
• Continue to beat until the mixture is completely cool and the yolks are very thick and light.
• Whip in the butter a little at a time.
• Add it just as fast as it can be absorbed by the mixture.
• Beat in the vanilla.
• If the icing is too soft, refrigerate it until it is firm enough to spread.
• Chocolate: Melt 3 oz sweet chocolate and cool slightly (chocolate must not be too cool or it will solidify before completely blending with the buttercream).
• Blend with about one quarter of the buttercream, then blend this mixture into the rest.
• For very sweet buttercreams, use 1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate instead of the sweet chocolate.

FRENCH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING RECIPE

Steps:

• Use buttercream right away, or transfer to a large zipper-lock bag, press out the air, and seal. Buttercream can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks and frozen for up to several months. (The main issue with longer storage in the freezer is odor absorption, not spoilage.) Rewarm to 72°F and re-whip before using.
• Troubleshooting: If warmer than 74°F (23°C), the buttercream will be soft and loose; pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes and re-whip to help it thicken and cool. If colder than 68°F (20°C), the buttercream will be firm and dense, making it difficult to spread over cakes and slow to melt on the tongue, creating a greasy mouthfeel. To warm, briefly set over a pan of steaming water, just until you see the edges melting slightly, then re-whip to help it soften and warm. French buttercream can be fixed according to the same rules for Swiss buttercream. For more information, see the troubleshooting guide and video here .