Makes 500 grams/2¼ cups buttercream
This is a great chocolate buttercream to have in your repertoire, because it is silky smooth and airy, and has a great consistency for frosting. It is temperature sensitive but easy to make, and uses egg whites instead of yolks.
| unsalted butter | 227 grams | 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) |
| 2 large egg whites | 60 grams | ¼ cup (59 ml) |
| cream of tartar | . | ¼ teaspoon |
| superfine sugar | 100 grams | ½ cup |
| dark chocolate, 60% to 62% cacao | 142 grams | 5 ounces |
Mise en Place
▪ About 1 hour ahead, set the butter on the counter at cool room temperature (65º to 70ºF/19º to 21ºC).
▪ Thirty minutes to 1 hour ahead, into a medium bowl, weigh or measure the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar. Stir until the sugar is moistened, and cover with plastic wrap.
▪ Coarsely chop the chocolate.
Make the Buttercream
1. In a medium microwavable bowl, stirring with a silicone spatula every 15 seconds, heat the chocolate until almost completely melted. (Alternatively, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water—do not let the bottom of the container touch the water—stirring often with a silicone spatula.)
2. Remove the chocolate from the heat source and stir until it is fully melted. Let the chocolate cool until it is no longer warm to the touch but still fluid (80º to 85ºF/27º to 29ºC).
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Set it aside in a cool place.
4. With a handheld mixer, beat the egg white mixture until foamy. Raise the speed to high and continue beating until glossy and curved peaks form when the beater is raised.
5. Return the mixer bowl containing the butter to the stand and attach the whisk beater. Beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes or until it lightens in color but is no warmer than 70ºF/21ºC.
6. Scrape the meringue into the butter and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. At first the mixture will look slightly curdled. If it starts to separate and become watery, check the temperature: It should feel cool, but be no lower than 65ºF/19ºC and no higher than 70ºF/21ºC. If too warm, set it in a bowl of ice water, stirring gently to chill it down before continuing to whisk. If too cool, suspend the bowl over a pan of simmering water (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water) and heat very briefly, stirring vigorously when the mixture just starts to melt slightly at the edges. Dip the bottom of the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water for a few seconds to cool it. Remove the bowl from the ice water and beat the buttercream by hand until smooth.
7. Whisk about 1 cup of the meringue mixture into the melted chocolate. Then scrape the chocolate mixture into the mixer bowl containing the rest of the meringue and beat on medium speed until evenly incorporated.
8. Place the buttercream in an airtight bowl. Use it at once, or keep at room temperature for up to 1 day. If keeping it longer, refrigerate the buttercream; before using, bring it to room temperature and beat to restore the texture. To avoid curdling, do not beat when it is still cold.
Store Airtight: room temperature, 2 days; refrigerated, 10 days; frozen, 6 months.
Baking Pearls
This buttercream is soft enough to accommodate almost double the amount of chocolate that can be added to the neoclassic egg yolk buttercream. It does not require a hot syrup, as it gets its stability from the chocolate.
If you prefer, it’s fine to use pasteurized egg whites (see Raw or Partially Cooked Eggs).