Swiss Meringue Buttercream For March Cupcakes Food

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day. If not, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
• To tint buttercream, reserve some for toning down the color, if necessary. Add gel-paste food color, a drop at a time (or use the toothpick or skewer to add food color a dab at a time) to the remaining buttercream. You can use a single shade of food color or experiment by mixing two or more. Blend after each addition with the mixer (use a paddle attachment) or a flexible spatula, until desired shade is achieved. Avoid adding too much food color too soon, as the hue will intensify with continued stirring; if necessary, you can tone down the shade by mixing in some reserved untinted buttercream.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM FOR CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
• Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
• Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
• Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Place the egg whites and sugar in large metal mixer bowl set over simmering water. Whisk constantly until the sugar melts and the mixture is very thin and warm.
• Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Continue beating on low speed until cool, about 15 more minutes.
• Beat in small pieces of the cool but soft butter on low speed. The mixture may "curdle" before coming together. Add vanilla extract or other flavorings if desired. Rebeat occasionally while frosting the cake to maintain a smooth texture.

VANILLA CUPCAKES WITH SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
• Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract. Add the flour mixer and milk alternately. Fill liners 2/3 full with the batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 23 minutes.
• Bring a pan of water to simmer. Combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place bowl on top of the pan; whisk until sugar dissolves.
• Attach bowl to the stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat until stiff peaks form and mixture is cool and glossy. Add butter a few tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix until buttercream is smooth.
• Cool cupcakes in the tins for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool, about 20 minutes. Frost cupcakes with the buttercream.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Place the sugar and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk to combine, and set aside.
• Prepare a double boiler: Set a medium-sized saucepan filled with a cup or two of water over high heat. When the water comes to a strong simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low. The water should stay at a steamy simmer, not a boil.
• Place the mixing bowl with the sugar-egg white mixture over the pot and, whisking frequently as to not cook the egg in spots, heat until very warm. The mixture should be hot to the touch but not burning, and you should no longer feel any grains of sugar.
• Turn the heat off and transfer the mixing bowl to the mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Whip the meringue on medium-high until they form medium-stiff peaks and cool to about room temperature, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
• Switch the mixer to a paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium-low, add the softened butter in large pieces (I usually do about 1/3 or 1/2 stick at a time). When all the butter has been added, raise the mixer to medium speed and beat until fluffy and smooth, about two minutes.PRO TIP: If the buttercream is too runny, that means it is too warm. Hold a couple of bags of frozen vegetables to the side of the bowl to cool it, while continuing to beat the buttercream. You can also put the whole bowl in the fridge for several minutes, then whip.PRO TIP #2: If the buttercream is clumpy, it means that the butter was too cold when added. Briefly place the entire bowl over the double boiler to raise the temperature and melt the butter a little bit. Try to rewhip. Alternatively, take out a scoop of buttercream, microwave it until just melted. Then add that into the buttercream, and whip. The hot buttercream should raise the overall temperature.
• With the mixer on low, add the vanilla and salt. Combine well. The buttercream is ready to use.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM RECIPE

Steps:

• In a medium pot, add at least 1-inch of water and bring to simmer.
• Thoroughly wash and dry the stainless steel mixing bowl from your stand mixer (you don't want grease touching meringue). Add 7 egg whites and 2 cups sugar and whisk together. Place mixing bowl over a large saucepan of barely simmering water, creating a seal over the pot (bowl should be over the steam, not touching water). Whisk constantly until mixture reaches 160˚F (takes about 3 min). Sugar should be fully dissolved (you should not feel any sugar granules when rubbing mixture between finger tips). Mixture will feel hot to the touch.
• Wipe water from bottom of mixing bowl and transfer bowl to stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form (about 15-20 min) and bottom of the bowl feels completely at room temp and not warm (important: warm meringue will melt the butter).
• Once bowl is at room temp, switch to paddle attachment, reduce to medium speed and add butter 1 Tbsp at a time, adding it just as fast as it is absorbed by meringue. Once all butter is in, scrape down the bowl and continue beating until it reaches a thick whipped consistency (3 min on med-high speed). If it looks lumpy or liquidy at all, keep beating until smooth, thick and whipped.
• Add 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt and mix on med-high until incorporated (about 1 min).

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM FOR CUPCAKE DECORATING

Steps:

• Place sugar, whites, and salt in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Attach bowl to mixer. Whisk on medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Use immediately, or cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)

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.