Vanilla Bean Buttercream Food

VANILLA-BEAN BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Pulse vanilla seeds and sugar in a food processor. Pour through a sieve into a bowl; discard large pieces of bean.
• Put vanilla-sugar mixture, egg whites, and salt in a heatproof mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Heat, whisking constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
• Transfer bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed 5 minutes. Raise speed to medium-high; beat until stiff peaks form and mixture is glossy and cooled.
• Reduce speed to medium; beat in the butter, 1 piece at a time. Beat in extract.

VANILLA BEAN BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy. Slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
• Add vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract, and beat to combine. Slowly add milk and continue beating on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.

VANILLA CAKE WITH VANILLA SWISS BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• For the vanilla cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line three 9-inch round cake pans with parchment circles and spray lightly with cooking spray.
• Combine the butter, oil and 2 cups sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each egg. Beat in 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste until incorporated.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add a third of the dry ingredients to the mixer and beat on low speed. Add half of the buttermilk and beat until just incorporated. Alternate dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry and scraping down the bowl as needed until the batter is smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and bake until the cakes are lightly golden and the centers spring back to the touch, about 30 minutes. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, to make the cake syrup, combine the remaining 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste with 1 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
• For the vanilla Swiss buttercream: Bring a medium saucepan filled with 2 inches of water to a simmer. Whisk together the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and set the bowl over the simmering pot. Continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture feels hot to the touch, 1 to 2 minutes. Wipe the condensation from the bottom of the bowl and attach it to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg white mixture on medium-high speed until the whites are glossy and the underside of the bowl is no longer warm, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running, begin adding a few chunks of butter at a time. Continue to add all the butter in this way until the buttercream is smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla bean paste and salt.
• For the assembly: Trim the tops of the cakes, if necessary. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of each layer of cake with the cake syrup, allowing it to soak in slightly. Add about 1 1/2 cups of buttercream to the top of the first cake and smooth it into an even layer with an offset spatula. Place the second cake on top of the first and add another layer of buttercream. Place the last cake on top and frost just the top with the remaining buttercream. Arrange some of the blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries decoratively around the top edge of the cake. Serve with the remaining berries on the side.

VANILLA BEAN BUTTERCREAM, VANILLA BEAN WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE AND VANILLA SYRUP FOR WEDDING CAKE

Steps:

• For the buttercream: Combine the sugar and egg whites in a double boiler and heat to 120 degrees F.
• Transfer the egg white mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the lemon juice and salt and beat on high speed until completely cooled, about 15 minutes. Add the butter piece by piece and whip until light fluffy, about 10 minutes. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round tip and reserve the rest.
• For the vanilla bean white chocolate mousse: Whip the egg yolks on high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until light and foamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Heat the sugar, vanilla bean paste and water to 120 degrees C in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the sugar syrup to the whipping yolks and beat until cool, about 15 minutes. Once cooled, fold in the whipped cream.
• Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler until 110 degrees F., about 10 minutes. Add the melted chocolate to the egg and cream mixture and fold to combine. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round tip and reserve the rest.
• For the vanilla syrup: Combine the vanilla bean paste, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Cool completely.
• To assemble the cake: Split the cake rounds in half to make 4 layers. Brush the top of each with 3 tablespoons of the vanilla syrup. Place 1 round on desired platter and pipe the buttercream around the top edge of the cake to create a dam. Fill the dam with a layer of the white chocolate mousse. Top with a second cake round and repeat piping and filling with the remaining layers, leaving the top undecorated. Place the stack in the freezer until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Remove from the freezer and lightly frost the whole cake with some of the buttercream. Place the cake back in the freezer to firm up, another 30 minutes to 1 hour. Frost and decorate the cake as desired with the remaining buttercream and mousse.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Whisk 3 cups flour, the baking powder and salt in a bowl until combined. Beat 2 sticks butter and the sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. (The mixture may look separated at this point.)
• Mix 1/2 cup water with the cream in a liquid measuring cup or bowl. Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden on top and the centers spring back when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

VANILLA BEAN BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer user the paddle attachment on medium speed.
• Add 3 cups of sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.
• Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla bean, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes.
• If your frosting needs more stiff consistency, add remaining cup of sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Place the butter in a large mixing bowl.
• Add in 4 cups sugar, then the milk and vanilla.
• On medium speed of an electric mixer, beat about 3-5 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
• Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well (about 2 minutes) after each addition, until the icing is thick enough for good spreading consistency (you may not need all of the sugar).
• If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly.
• Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.
• The icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• **If making a 3-layer cake, use the following proportions: 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, 8-10 cups confectioner's sugar, 3/4 cup milk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.

BEST VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt baking chips with cream until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in vanilla paste and extract. Set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, whisk egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt until blended. Place over simmering water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until a thermometer reads 160°, 8-10 minutes., Remove from heat. With whisk attachment of stand mixer, beat on high speed until cooled to 90°, about 7 minutes. Gradually beat in butter, a few tablespoons at a time, on medium speed until smooth. Beat in cooled baking chip mixture until blended.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk.
• Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time. If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar. Frosts 13x9-inch cake generously, or fills and frosts an 8- or 9-inch two-layer cake.