The meringue buttercream is excellent for coating cakes, decorating, and filling. Usually, we get a bit scared when we hear buttercream because it’s not exactly the taste we prefer, but for covering cakes with fondant or for particular decorations, it is very useful for a perfect result. However, the Italian meringue is a whole different story, much lighter, fluffier, and with less butter taste. The preparation is not complicated; you will only need a few tricks, but you will manage just fine. Here’s the recipe!
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 10.5 oz
- Cooking methods: No Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup clarified butter
- 1.5 tbsp water
- 1.5 oz egg whites
Tools
- Electric Whisks
- Thermometer
- Saucepan
- Spatula
Steps
First, take the butter out of the fridge and cut it into pieces, it should be soft.
Then take about 3 tbsp of the sugar and set it aside.
Put the remaining sugar in a saucepan with the water and bring to a moderate heat.
Meanwhile, pour the egg whites into a bowl. Check the syrup with the thermometer and once it reaches 212°F activate the whisks and start whipping the egg whites at medium speed, when you see a bit of foam forming, gradually add the sugar you had set aside. When the syrup reaches 239°F, increase the whisk speed.
When it hits 250°F, turn off the heat. Now lower the whisk speed and slowly pour in the syrup, then gradually increase speed, whipping for about 10 minutes.
Once the bowl has cooled down properly and the egg whites are cold, you can add the butter piece by piece, ensuring the first piece is well absorbed before adding the next.
If needed, gather the cream from the sides with a spatula.
At this point, when the whisks are stopped, you can add the vanilla. Then resume whipping for a few more minutes.
The meringue buttercream is ready!
Storage
The meringue buttercream is best used fresh, but if you want, you can store it in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap for up to a week.
Tip
If you want to color the buttercream, use gel food coloring.
For the preparation of the cream, I recommend using a stand mixer to avoid difficulty in adding the syrup.
