Meringue Buttercream with meringue powder

Making Meringue Butter cream with meringue powder.

This post includes 
Two recipes included - With candy thermometer & Without candy thermometer,
Important notes to making the merinuge,
It's uses for cake decorating and
2 cupcake decorating videos.

The most common emails I get from people watching my videos on you tube is what buttercream I use, especially the videos showing how I decorate my cupcakes.

As mentioned in the cupcake video I have used Meringue Buttercream. The difference in my recipe is that I use powdered egg whites instead of raw egg whites. Why?
Most customers seem to raise an eyebrow when you use raw egg whites. Though the truth is that most of the salmonella concerns with regards to eggs is in the yolk, and should you get even a slight trace of yolk in your recipe, you won’t be able to beat the egg whites stiff, making it difficult to continue with the recipe.
Having said that, when one is in business you need to be extra careful and always opt for the safest route.  

As tasty as it is; meringue buttercream can be tricky to make. Not because the recipe is difficult but because of the process that requires just the right temperature control and the right timing.
As much as having the right amount of ingredients is important I can tell you, that I have tried these recipes with more/less sugar and also with more/less butter.  So trust me if your recipe isn’t working for you it’s most often the procedure or the timing that’s been a culprit.

So, here, I am giving you two versions of my meringue recipes that I use. But before you make the buttercream I strongly suggest you read my – important notes to make a successful meringue first.
I guarantee you that if you follow these rules and precautions you will not fail in making this recipe. 

Important notes to make a successful meringue buttercream.

·    Choose the right method - If you do not have a candy thermometer don’t try to guess it. Trust me I’ve been making meringue buttercream without a thermometer far too long and yet it’s not something I recommend. I’ve had my share of success and failures.

·    Always make sure your mixing bowl and whisk is cleans and grease free. Any fat in the bowl will not beat your eggs stiff. My practice – I rewash the clean bowl and whisk with warm water and soap. Wipe it with a clean kitchen towel. Take a paper hand towel, add a drop of vinegar to it, and wipe the inside of your bowl and wipe with this vinegar towel.

·     Always make sure your butter is soft. Cold butter will make a lumpy IMBC. Too soft (almost melted) will make it soupy. Best practice – take the butter out 20 minutes before you need it, cut the butter into 1 inch cubes and leave it on the warm kitchen counter.

·     Always make sure your meringue bowl is cool when you touch it before you add your butter. If your meringue is warm the butter will melt, deflating the meringue and making it soupy.  If that happens you can place the mixture in the fridge for a couple of minutes and re-whip it but you will still lose some volume.
Best practice – be patient.

Meringue Buttercream with Candy thermometer

This recipe makes about 4 to 5 cups of Icing
enough for about 24 cupcakes or a 9” two layered cake.

Ingredients

10 tsp. Meringue powder dissolved in 10 tbsp. of water 
OR
10 tsp. of powdered egg whites dissolved in 10 tbsp. of water + 1/2 tsp. of cream of tartar.
Note: Meringue powder already has cream of tartar so do not add any extra)

1 cup + ¼ cup- fine granulated sugar divided (8 + 2 ounces)
¼ cup cold water
450 grams /1 pound unsalted butter unsalted butter (4 sticks)
pinch of salt

Method.

Cut the butter into cubes and keep them ready.

In a clean mixing bowl add the Meringue or egg white powder with the 10 tbsps. of water. Add salt, cream of tartar if using and whisk.
After about 2 minutes start adding the ¼ cup sugar slowly. Once all the sugar is in turn the mixer up and whisk on high for about 5 minutes.

Simultaneously, place the water and sugar in a heavy bottom pan and bring to boil on medium heat.  It’s best to use a candy thermometer for this.  Once you reach the temperature of 245 F your sugar syrup is ready.

With the mixer running on medium, start pouring the sugar syrup into the mixing bowl slowly but CAREFULLY.  It is important to pour between the whisk and the bowl because if the syrup pours on the cold whisk or cold bowl it will crystallize. (Tricky but can be done if you are patient). Do not rush but don’t be too slow either.

Once all the syrup is in, turn the mixture on high and whisk unit you have a mixture of glossy stiff meringue. Touch the bowl if the bowl is still warm – just run the mixture on low but don’t add the butter. Once the bowl is cool to touch, start adding the butter.  A few cubes at a time.  

Once all the butter has been added, continue to mix on medium until you see a uniform smooth mixture and all the butter has been well incorporated.

Now go ahead and flavor it. The options for flavoring are unlimited.

Meringue Buttercream without a candy thermometer.
This recipe makes about 5 to 6 cups of icing.

Ingredients

3tblsp of meringue powder
½ cup boiling water
¼ tsp. of salt
1 ½  cup extra- fine granulated sugar – divided
500 grams of unsalted butter (1 pound of butter is 450grams, so about 1.10 pounds)

Method

Place the meringue powder, salt and 3/4 cup sugar in a mixing bowl. Pour in the boiling water slowly and start the mixer immediately – once all the water is in turn the mixer on high and whisk.
After about 5 minutes add the remaining ¾ cup sugar slowly.
Once all the sugar is in whip on high until you have stiff peaks.

Now start adding the butter (by now you mixing bowl should be cool to touch if not wait)

Once all the butter is well incorporated your buttercream is ready. Now go ahead and add flavoring. The options are unlimited.

Flavoring Options - some of my favorite.

Vanilla – 1 ½ tsp. clear vanilla extract
Chocolate – melt and cool about ½ cup bittersweet chocolate and mix in
Mocha – make the above chocolate buttercream then dissolve 1 tbsp. of coffee in 2 tbsp. of hot water. Cool then add to the chocolate buttercream
Rum/ Amaretto – 2 tbsp. of dark rum Amaretto
Lemon / Orange– 2 tsp. lemon or orange extract
Strawberry/Raspberry – 2 tsp. strawberry/raspberry
  Espresso- add 2 tblsps of Khalua.

Both frostings is ready to use immediately.
The left overs can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for 10 days, or even frozen for up to 6 months. Just bring to room temperature and whip to restore its consistency.
Having said that – here in Israel it is way too hot is summer so I do not keep any frosting out (just precaution) I always keep my frostings in the fridge.  But in cooler months it’s possible to keep it out at room temperature. So use your own judgment. I believe it’s best to be safe than sorry.


Its uses for Decorating
If you’re wondering if there is a difference between the two. Yes!
The buttercream made with the candy thermometer is exactly like the regular IMBC. Everything you do with the IMBC you can do with this.  If  I do pipe flowers then I freeze them as soon as I make the flower, once frozen they hold their shape better even when thawed.
The buttercream made without the candy thermometer is a bit on the softer side. It taste awesome, is great between layers as well as to frost the cake. It also works well for cupcake swirls, but is a bit soft to make piped designs on the cake.
If it is absolutely necessary that you pipe with it then adding a few tbsps. of powder sugar might help but will also add to the sweetness.

On a personal note – this morning I was making meringue buttercream, a huge batch for a three tier cake. My son usually likes to throw in the cubes of butter.  What’s the harm right?
Guess what? He threw in a small piece of butter while I was boiling the sugar syrup…. You can guess what happened next. The syrup was ready but the meringue just wasn’t whipping up.
I gave up and when I went to throw this batch of meringue I saw a piece of butter and figured what happened. All the sugar syrup had to be thrown too.
Sometimes it’s just luck!!!
My son has the cake decorating gene from me – he’s always so excited to do even the slightest little thing if I let him.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Let me know if you have any comments or questions.
Until next time. Happy cake decorating
Veena

And here are my videos on you tube.

Cupcake Decorating Part I

Cupcake Decorating Part II

Thank you for watching