Mousseline Buttercream Food

MOUSSELINE CREAM: THE RECIPE OF THE TYPICAL FRENCH PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the seeds of the vanilla bean. Cook over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid and let it sit for a quarter of an hour. In the meantime, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, add the cornstarch and continue mixing with the whisk.
• Remove the vanilla bean from the milk and let it simmer again. Add 1/3 of the milk to the egg mixture and mix everything with the whisk by hand. Place the mixture in a saucepan with the rest of the milk and simmer, stirring constantly. As soon as the cream has thickened, let it cool for about ten minutes.
• Add half of the butter cut into small pieces and mix in the cream, which should be hot but not boiling. Pour the cream into a container and cover with the food film. Work the cream with the electric mixer, so as to make it smooth and homogeneous, and add the rest of the butter. Continue to mix with the electric whisk until the mixture is creamy. Your mousseline cream is ready for your fillings.

ASPARAGUS MOUSSELINE

Steps:

• For the mousseline sauce: Place the egg yolks and citrus juices in a bowl over simmering water or in a double boiler. Cook, whisking, until thick and frothy with a ribbonlike texture, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• For the leeks: Thinly slice the leeks into matchsticks. Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat, and cook until brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the leeks and saute until translucent and soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• For the asparagus: Bring a medium saucepan filled with cold water to a simmer, then add the salt. Cut the tough ends from the bottoms of the asparagus and peel the stalks. Blanch the asparagus in the simmering water for 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, add ice to a medium mixing bowl filled with cold water. Add the blanched asparagus to the ice water to stop the cooking. Once the asparagus have chilled, remove from the ice water and pat dry.
• Arrange the leeks on a serving platter. Lay the asparagus on top. Glaze the asparagus with the mousseline sauce. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.

POTATO MOUSSELINE

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and simmer in salted water to cover until tender, about 15 minutes. While potatoes cook, place cream in a small pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until reduced to about 2 cups.
• Place butter in small pan and heat until it just begins to brown and it smells nutty. Set aside.
• Drain potatoes and run through a food mill or ricer. Pass potatoes through a fine sieve into a bowl. (A splatter screen set over a bowl can work well. Move potatoes through screen with a plastic scraper.) Lightly fold in the cream.
• Reheat browned butter if needed. Swirl browned butter into potatoes. Top with several grinds of nutmeg and a sprinkling of fleur de sel.

ITALIAN BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just enough to dissolve the sugar. Heat to between 223 and 234 degrees F (106 to 112 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dripped from a spoon forms a soft thread. It should take 1 or 2 minutes.
• When the sugar mixture has reached the thread stage, remove it from the heat and set aside. Whip the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer. When the whites can hold a stiff peak, pour in the sugar syrup in a thin stream while continuing to whip at medium speed. Be careful not to pour too quickly, or it will all end up at the bottom of the bowl. When the syrup is incorporated, continue to mix for 10 more minutes to allow it to cool. The egg whites will be fluffy and glossy.
• Add pieces of cold butter one at a time to the egg whites and continue to whip at medium or low speed. Then do the same with the shortening. The buttercream will break down and look curdled, but keep mixing and it will come back together in about 10 minutes. When it comes back around, mix in the vanilla. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• To use after it has been refrigerated, allow it to come to room temperature, then beat with a mixer before using. If cold, heat over a double boiler until you have liquid visible just around the edges. Beat with a mixer until smooth and fluffy before using.

MOUSSELINE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl beat the butter until smooth and creamy and set aside in a cool place.
• Have all other ingredients at room temperature.
• Have ready a heatproof pouring container ready for the sugar syrup.
• In a small heavy saucepan heat 3/4 cup sugar and the 1/4 cup water, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbling.
• Stop stirring and reduce the heat to low.
• (If using an electric range remove from the heat.) In the bowl of a stand mixer unsing the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy, add the cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form when the beater is raised.
• Gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly.
• Increase the heat and boil the syrup until the thermometer registers 248'F to 250'F (the firm ball stage).
• Immediately transfer the syrup to the heatproof container to stop the cooking.
• Pour a small amount of syrup over the whites with the mixer off.
• Immediately beat at high speed for 5 seconds.
• Stop the mixer and add a larger amount of syrup.
• Beat at high speed for 5 seconds.
• Continue with the remaining syrup.
• For the last addition, use a rubber scraper to remove the syrup clinging to the heatproof container.
• Lower speed to medium and continue beating up to 2 minutes or until the bottom of your mixing bowl feels cool to the touch.
• If not completely cool, continue beating on lowest speed.
• Beat in the butter at medium speed 1 tablespoon at a time.
• At first the mixture will seem thinner but will thicken beautifully by the time all the butter is added.
• If at any time the mixture looks slightly curdled, increase the speed slightly and beat until smooth before continuing to add more butter.
• When butter is fully incorporated you may add any of the optional flavorings.
• Place in an airtight bowl.
• Rebeat lightly from time to time to maintain silky texture.
• Buttercream becomes spongy on standing.
• Will keep 2 days room temperature, 10 days refrigerated, 8 months frozen.
• Allow to come to room temperature completely before rebeating to restore texture or it will break down irretrievably.

BUTTERCREAM MOUSSELINE/COOKIES AND CREAM

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and meringue powder in a stainless steel bowl and whisk to combine. Mix egg whites and corn syrup. Combine the egg white mixture with the sugar mixture and whisk vigorously. Heat mixture over a hot water bath, stirring occasionally. The meringue is ready when the sugar is dissolved. Whip in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment for 10 to 15 minutes. Slowly add the cool, room temperature butter and shortening. Add the vanilla seeds and then fold in the crushed cookies.

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Beat the butter, then mix in the dulce de leche until smooth.
• Beat in the caramel sauce and then the powdered sugar.