Swiss Meringue Buttercream!
So say hello to a new back-to-basics blog post - how to make delicious homemade swiss meringue buttercream.
- Prep time
- 25 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 170 g egg whites
- 275 g caster sugar
- 250 g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1
Make sure your block unsalted butter is at room temperature (see notes in the blog post).
- 2
Make sure the equipment you are using is spotlessly clean. Any grease or anything else can ruin meringue really easily.
- 3
In a medium pan, bring 1.5" worth of water to a simmer, and add a large glass bowl on top.
- 4
Add the egg whites and caster sugar to the bowl, and heat over the simmering water, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160ºF/72ºC (see notes in the blog post).
- 5
Using a sugar thermometer or normal thermometer to reach the temperature, test the mixture carefully by rubbing some of the mixture between your fingers - there should be no grainy texture.
- 6
This took me about 7 minutes.
- 7
Once the temperature is reached, pour the mixture into the bowl, and whisk on a medium/high speed until the meringue is smooth and glossy, and the bowl is completely at room temperature. This took me about 20 minutes.
- 8
The bowl should not be warm at all as it may melt the butter. Once the meringue is cooled, switch the whisk attachment to a beater attachment.
- 9
Mixing at a medium speed, add the room temperature unsalted butter to the meringue 1 tbsp at a time (about a 1" cube of butter), letting the butter beat in fully each time.
- 10
Once the butter has been added, add the vanilla extract and continue to beat for a further 2-3 minutes after you have scraped down the sides of the bowl.
- 11
Decorate whatever cake you fancy - these quantities will work for 12x cupcakes, or a two layer 8" cake!