Okay, so in my hints and allegations, I refer to Italian buttercream as what changed icing for me, but I haven't given a recipe yet. I now have had a formal request for one. You will find it below, but I must stand on my soapbox first.
It wasn't until I attended baking classes that I understood that there were significant differences in buttercream. I grew up with either 7-minute icing (that is for another entry) or something that came out of a cardboard container from Betty Crocker. My mother knows how to bake (and she an excellent cook), but baking really has never been her thing, so cakes were only made for birthdays, and even then, sometimes those cakes came from the grocery store bakery.
Do you know what is in the icing of most grocery store bakeries? Well, it isn't butter. Vegetable shortening definitely has its purpose, but it isn't in buttercream. And that is why there is a greasy film in your mouth after you consume many such store bought cakes.
Maybe the best way to understand the differences between buttercream icings is to just list the basic ingredients/method.
American (Simple) Buttercream ('cause we Americans like short cuts): Butter and 10x (powdered) sugar. Some individuals will replace the butter with other fats (see above) for convenience but usually for price. Others may add egg whites or meringue powder (powdered egg whites and other ingredients).
Italian Meringue Buttercream: Butter, granulated sugar, egg whites. Sugar cooked to 240 degrees.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Butter, granulated sugar, egg whites. Sugar cooked until dissolved (about 130 degrees)
French Buttercream: Butter, granulated sugar, egg yolks. Sugar cooked to 240 degrees.
As I stated, my favorite is Italian. I know my egg whites are cooked, the texture is light, and flavor is smooth. With Swiss, the concern is that the whites are not necessarily cooked. To get around this, many chefs use pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder. French Buttercream is in its own league by using egg yolks. The result is an incredibly rich and smooth icing (Opera cake, anyone?)
You can make buttercream in advance and just leave it out on the counter. If you are extremely concerned about food safety (I am, but usually just at work), refrigerate it, but make sure to either take it out HOURS in advance and rewhip it, or take 1/4-1/3 of the needed icing and microwave it until very soft (I've even accidentally melted it), and then rewhip it with the colder stuff (This is how we do it at work). If you've made too much, just stick it in a plastic ziplock, flatten it out, and freeze it. I have stacks of different flavors in my freezer the way some people have different kinds of soups. At the same time, if you know you'll be icing again in a week or two, just keep it refrigerated. It will last.
So, I'll get off my soapbox and finally give you the recipe.
Italian Meringue Buttercream:
-Yield: 5 lbs, 5 oz (this makes A LOT)
-All ingredients should be at room temp.
Egg Whites 14 oz (about 14)
-Place in mixing bowl (ideally a stand mixer w/ a whisk)
Granulated Sugar 1 lb, 11 oz divided
-Place 9 oz in bowl near mixer
-Place remaining 1lb, 2 oz in heavy saucepan with enough water to moisten
-Bring to boil
-Add sugar to whites and begin whipping whites when temp reaches 135 degrees
-Take off burner at softball stage* at 240 degrees
-Immediately pour into whites while eggs are whipping by pouring a steady stream b/w the side of the bowl and the beater. Be careful not to hit the beaters (this could cause sugar lumps).
-Continue beating at medium speed until the whites are cool (touch outside of bowl). The idea is not to melt the butter. At this point, congratulate yourself...you've just made Italian meringue. Now for the butter.
Unsalted butter, softened 2 lbs, 12 oz
-Gradually add the butter to the meringue. Do not change to a paddle attachment.
-When it looks curdled or like cottage cheese, don't give yourself a heart attack. This is part of the normal process; the butter just needs to be incorporated into the meringue. Keep beating it.
-When all the butter is incorporated and it is smooth, add flavoring ingredients as desired.
Ideas:
-Vanilla
-Chocolate (10 oz of melted and cooled bittersweet) Make sure you add vanilla too...the flavors complement each other.
-Lemon or other citrus (zest or extract)
-Coffee (Instant espresso powder or brewed coffee, cooled)
-Any liqueur of your choice (think lemon chiffon cake, Chambord icing, raspberry jam filling)
Have fun! But you are on your own when it comes to decorating. If you're really interested cake decorating, you might want to start at your local Joann's store and Wilton. I also recommend any book by Wendy Kromer (the wedding cake designer for Martha Stewart's books). FYI...I am not a big Martha fan, but Wendy is fantastic!! http://wendykromer.com/
*Ever wonder why it's called soft crack or hard ball when it comes to cooking sugar? Perhaps you can guess, but in a later entry, I will tell you how the legendary Escoffier made caramel.
No comments:
Post a Comment