Meringue Buttercream Swiss Italian Food

ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Pour egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment; beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook until syrup reads 240 degrees F (115 degrees C) on a candy thermometer or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when placed on a flat surface.
• Increase mixer speed to high and pour syrup in a slow and steady stream down the side of the bowl, beating until meringue is no longer steaming, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in butter one cube at a time until buttercream reaches a soft and spreadable consistency, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla extract.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a small pot, bring 1 inch water to a boil over high heat.
• Place the egg whites and sugar in a medium metal bowl (or the metal bowl of a stand mixer) and place it on top of the pot, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk continuously (especially on the sides of the bowl) to prevent the egg whites from cooking, until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F and the sugar is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the heat, transfer it to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until soft peak forms, about 5 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment on low speed and add the butter, one piece at a time. The buttercream might separate but keep the paddle going-the mixture will soon homogenize. Increase the speed to medium and paddle until silky smooth, about 5 minutes. Mix in the vanilla and beat for another 3 minutes.

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.

MR. BROWN'S ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Boil 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water over medium heat until it reaches 245. As it cooks begin meringue so it's ready when syrup is done.
• 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.
• Beat in butter by the tablespoon. The butter will deflate the frosting a bit.
• Add in desired flavorings.
• Flavorings.
• 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.

MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM (SWISS & ITALIAN)

Steps:

• Make either a soft Swiss or Italian meringue according to the recipes I've linked. Nearly all the amounts mentioned in the recipes are correct for the base of this recipe, except for the Swiss meringue which needs 200 grams of sugar instead. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/other-dessert/swiss-meringue.html https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/other-dessert/italian-meringue.html
• Make sure that the meringue has cooled down and the butter has softened to the same room temperature; this is essential for the success. If the butter is grainy then the butter has been too cold. Keep whisking in this case since it'll even out eventually. If the butter is melted then the meringue has been too hot and the cream cannot be saved after.
• Add the butter bit by bit as pieces as you whisk the mix. It will inevitably turn runny while the amount of butter is low but no need to be scared of that. If done correctly it's only temporary - once the whole amount of butter has been added it'll once again become stable and fluffy. Keep whisking until the cream is smooth and light.
• Add the flavoring and food coloring if desired. Meringue buttercream accepts many additions such as vanilla, mint, floral aromas, juice (50 ml / 100 grams of egg white), puree, powder and molten chocolate without much problem. All you need to do is to mix them even.
• Preserving and using it later: Meringue buttercream keeps much better than the simple meringue that it's made of. It'll keep for a few days in room temperature, a week in the fridge and three months in the freezer. The frozen buttercream is defrosted for a few hours in the room temperature. If it's newly defrosted or has been in the fridge for a long time it will become hard and snappy like butter. In this case put the dish in a comfortable warm (not hot) water bath to soften. Some liquid may separate but even then the meringue buttercream is surprisingly stable: a quick whisk will make it soft, smooth and as beautiful as new.