SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Everything I know about buttercream I learned from Zoë François, either from hanging out in her kitchen and watching her decorate cakes in person or from devouring her website for tips and tricks. She’s a genius, a pastry chef extraordinaire, and I am lucky to be able to learn her magic.

This is a basic vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream. It shows up in other flavors throughout the chapter, and I’ve added some variations so you can mix and match frosting and cakes as you see fit. makes 6 cups

8 large egg whites

2¼ cups (446 g) sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ pounds (6 sticks; 678 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Put about an inch of water in a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir the egg whites, sugar, and salt until combined. Place the bowl over the saucepan, being careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula until the sugar is completely melted and reaches a temperature of 160°F, 4 to 5 minutes. While you are stirring, be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula—this will ensure no sugar grains are lurking on the sides and will help prevent the egg whites from cooking.

Remove the bowl from the heat and place it in the stand mixer fitted with a whisk. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, 8 to 10 minutes. The bowl should have cooled down to room temperature at this point. Reduce the speed to low and, with the mixer running, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter at a time (see notes), beating well after each addition. When the butter has been completely incorporated, add the vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract. Beat on low until incorporated, then use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. When ready to use, let the buttercream come to room temperature and then beat again with a stand mixer until smooth. You can also freeze buttercream up to 2 months. Transfer the buttercream from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before needed; the next day let it come to room temperature and beat again with a stand mixer until smooth.

VARIATIONS

chocolate buttercream • Add 8 ounces melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate with the vanilla extract. Beat until just combined. The frosting will look very light, but will still have good chocolate flavor.

brown sugar • Replace the granulated sugar in the recipe with brown sugar.

peanut butter • Add 2 cups creamy peanut butter with the vanilla extract. Beat until well combined. This buttercream will be a bit softer due to the peanut butter, and won’t pipe as easily. You can chill it for 10 to 15 minutes before decorating to help firm it up.

caramel • Add 1½ cups caramel, at room temperature, with the vanilla extract. Beat until well combined.

NOTES: At any point, the buttercream may look curdled and runny, but this is normal. Keep adding the rest of the butter, and as you beat the buttercream it will turn smooth and beautiful.

If, for some reason, the buttercream is still runny after beating, it may be that your butter or egg whites are too warm. Place the mixer bowl in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, stirring the buttercream every couple minutes. Then beat again until smooth.

The butter needs to be added slowly to help it emulsify correctly into the meringue. Butter should be soft but cool when added, about 70°F. It should be soft enough to mix well, but firm enough to give some structure to the buttercream.