Maple Meringue Buttercream Food

EASIEST, MOST DELICIOUS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Place the egg whites and sugar into a metal bowl and set over a pan filled with about 2 inches of simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature of the egg whites reaches 140 degrees. They will feel very hot to the touch.
• Transfer the heated egg whites and sugar to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Mix at high speed (or as high as you can go without egg flying out of the bowl) until they have reached their maximum volume, 5 to 10 minutes. Mix on medium or medium-high speed while pinching off small pieces of butter and throwing them in. Mix in vanilla if using. The buttercream may look like it is breaking down, but keep on mixing and it will come back together.

MAPLE & PEAR RUFFLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease 3 x 20cm sandwich tins, lining the bases with baking parchment and greasing the parchment too.
• To make the sponge, put the butter and sugars in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until light and fluffy, about 5 mins. Add the eggs, a little at a time, beating until fully incorporated before adding more. In another bowl, mix the flour, cornflour, spices and baking powder. Stir in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the milk. Divide the batter among the prepared tins, smooth the surfaces and bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack, peeling off the parchment, to cool completely.
• For the caramelised pears, peel, core and dice them into small cubes, tossing with the lemon juice as you go. Tip into a frying pan with the maple syrup and butter, and cook over a medium-high heat until the pears have softened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool.
• For the buttercream, put the egg whites and sugar in a large heatproof bowl (the bowl of your tabletop mixer, if you have one) and place over a pan of gently simmering water. Whisk until the sugar has fully dissolved - you can test this by dipping two fingers into the bowl and rubbing them together; if you can't feel any grains of sugar, the mixture is ready. Remove the bowl from the pan and beat with an electric whisk (or use your tabletop mixer) until a thick meringue has formed. Continue whisking until the meringue has cooled to room temperature.
• Slowly beat in the butter, 1 tbsp at a time. The mixture should now look like a silky- smooth buttercream - if it doesn't, continue to whisk until it does. If it still refuses to thicken, it may be the mixture is still too warm, so chill for 10 mins, then continue whisking. Whisk in the maple syrup last.
• To assemble the cake, place the first sponge on a cake board or serving plate and spread with a thin layer of the buttercream. Top with half of the caramelised pear chunks, discarding any leftover liquid. Repeat, finishing with the third sponge.
• To finish, spread a very thin layer of the buttercream over the sides and top of the cake - this is called 'crumb-coating' (see tip). Now spread a thick layer of buttercream on top of the cake. Put the remaining buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a small petal piping tip (see tip). Hold the piping bag with the wide end of the nozzle touching the side of the cake, at the very bottom. Gently wiggle the bag side to side, back and forth, in a zigzag motion, working up the cake in a strip. Repeat, starting next to the previous strip each time, working all the way around the cake until it's entirely covered. To finish, pipe 1 row of buttercream around the edge of the top of the cake (which will neaten any rough edges at the top of your zigzags). If you like a little sparkle, finish the cake with a coat of edible gold spray. Best served within 2 days of baking, but the cake will keep for up to 4 days.

THE BEST MAPLE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Add softened sticks of butter to mixer.
• Add vanilla and maple extract.
• Mix until butter and extracts are completely mixed.
• Add powdered sugar. Beat on low until powdered sugar is incorporated. Then move mixer up to medium-high speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When completely mixed the frosting may appear dry. If it is add a dash of milk.

MAPLE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolkson high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; set aside. In a small saucepan setover medium-high heat, bring the maple syrup to a boil, and cook until it registers240 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• With the mixer running, slowly pour syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow, steady stream, until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Continue beating until bowl is just slightly warm to the touch, 4 to 5 minutes. Add butter, one piece at atime, until thoroughly incorporated and the frosting is fluffy, about 4 minutes more.

EASY MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• One of the best-tasting buttercreams is also the easiest to prepare. See the end of the recipe for flavoring possibilities.
• Place egg whites, sugar and salt in medium-sized heatproof mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk gently and constantly until egg whites are hot (about 140 degrees) and sugar is dissolved, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and whip by machine until thick and cooled, about 5 minutes. Beat in butter and continue beating until buttercream is smooth and spreadable. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, for up to 5 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature and beat smooth by machine. Beat in flavoring, a little at a time, and continue beating until buttercream is smooth, about 2 minutes longer (always flavor buttercream immediately before using it).
• Flavorings: Liqueur: 2 to 3 tablespoons liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or dark or light rum. Lemon: 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Coffee: 3 tablespoons instant coffee (espresso, if possible) dissolved in 2 tablespoons water, coffee or rum. Raspberry: 3/4 cup thick raspberry puree made by cooking down and straining a 10-ounce package of frozen raspberries. Chocolate: 6 ounces chocolate melted with 4 tablespoons water, coffee or milk and cooled.

ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTER CREAM

Steps:

• Boil 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water over medium heat until it reaches 245o F or the firm ball stage. Never leave the kitchen when you are cooking sugar, and be stingy with your time spent away from the stovetop. It is very important that you watch it or it may burn. Another thing to do is to swirl the syrup. Don't stir it or whisk it, just gently swirl the pan by the handle to ensure that the sugar crystals are evenly distributed and dissolved
• While the sugar is cooking, pour the egg whites into the bowl you plan to whip the icing in, then wait for the syrup to come to about 230F-235F. Whip egg whites with a wire whisk in a stand up mixer on high until soft peaks form. About 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup sugar. Beat
• Slowly pour the hot syrup into the meringue steadily with the mixer still on high.
• Beat the frosting for 7-10 minutes until the outside of the bowl is room temperature
• During this time fill the pot the syrup cooked in with water and bring it to a boil to remove the hardened sugar from the sides. Toss in the candy thermometer too, while you're at it
• Beat in butter by the tablespoon using a medium speed. The butter will deflate the frosting a bit. After all of the butter is added, turn the speed up to high. The whole process will take about 10-15 minutes, but you will begin to see the buttercream go through stages after all of the butter is added. First it will deflate and become soupy, then thicken, then curdle, then thicken to the final stage. If, for some reason your buttercream does not progress from the "soupy" stage (typically due to adding the butter too quickly or the butter/meringue being too warm), simply place your work bowl in the fridge for 7-10 minutes before whipping again
• Add in desired flavourings Flavourings • Chocolate: 1/2 cup melted and cooled chocolate and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. • Coconut: 1 teaspoon coconut extract and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. • Coffee: 1 teaspoon espresso powder or 3-5 tablespoons strong coffee. • Also use jams to flavour buttercream, but be sure that they are quite thick as too much liquid will cause the buttercream to break down so be careful when adding jams and drop in about a tablespoon at a time
• Leftover buttercream may be kept in the refrigerator for a week or two or frozen, well wrapped, until needed. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature and whip well with a beater before using

BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Combine egg whites and salt in a large bowl, and just let it sit for now.
• Stir together brown sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, washing down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. This brings the bubbles down and stops them from boiling over the pan.
• When sugar syrup reaches a boil, start beating egg whites with an electric mixer at med-high speed until frothy, then add the lemon juice. Beat at med. speed until whites just hold soft peaks. DO NOT BEAT AGAIN UNTIL SUGAR SYRUP IS READY.
• Meanwhile, put candy thermometer into sugar syrup and continue boiling until syrup reaches 238-242º. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a heatproof 1-cup glass measure.
• Beating the egg whites at high speed, slowly pour the hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl into the egg whites.
• Beat meringue, scraping down bowl, until meringue is cool to the touch,about 6-7 minute IT IS IMPORTANT THE MERINGUE IS PROPERLY COOLED BEFORE PROCEEDING.
• With mixer at medium speed, gradually add butter 1 piece at a time, beating well after each addition until incorporated. (If meringue is too warm and buttercream looks soupy after some of the butter is added, briefly chill bottom of bowl in a large bowl filled with ice water for a few seconds before continuing to beat in remaining butter).
• Continue beating until buttercream is smooth. (Mixture may look curdled before all of the butter is added, but it will come back together before beating is finished).
• Add vanilla and beat 1 more minute.

PARSNIP CAKE RECIPE WITH MAPLE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F; butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, canola oil, eggs, and ginger.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
• Gradually stir the dry ingredients into wet, then fold in parsnips.
• Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake about 38 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool completely before frosting.
• In a double boiler, whisk together the egg whites and maple syrup. Heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm (about 140F), whisking frequently, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the egg white mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until the mixture is thick and glossy, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the vanilla bean paste, salt, and cinnamon, then beat in the powdered sugar.
• Add the butter and cream cheese piece by piece while beating; stop beating when the buttercream is thick and smooth.
• Once the cake is cooled, frost it with the buttercream and decorate the top with sliced almonds if desired.

CINNAMON APPLE FILLED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until thick and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.
• Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low, and add half of the flour mixture. Then the buttermilk and lastly, the rest of the flour mixture. Mixing to combine with each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed and beat until just combined. Scoop the batter evenly into a the lined cupcake pan, filling 2/3 full.
• Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, than transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature until filling and frosting.

MAPLE MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add maple sugar 1 teaspoon at a time, beating, and continue to beat until whites just hold stiff peaks.
• Boil syrup in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it reaches soft-ball stage (registering 238 to 242°F on thermometer), about 3 to 7 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and slowly pour hot syrup in a slow stream down side of bowl into egg whites, beating constantly at high speed. Beat meringue, scraping down side of bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula, until meringue is cool to the touch, about 6 minutes. (It's important that meringue be fully cooled before proceeding.)
• With mixer at medium speed, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. (If buttercream looks soupy after some butter is added, meringue is too warm: Chill bottom of bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water for a few seconds before continuing to beat in remaining butter.) Continue beating until buttercream is smooth. (Mixture may look curdled before all butter is added but will come together before beating is finished.)

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.