This is from the Cooking.com website...
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Italian Meringue Buttercream
Yield: about 6 cups
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 1/4 cups (4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
with Smart Balance® Spreadable Butter.
Butter Just Got Better! with Smart Balance® Spreadable Butter. DIRECTIONS
Place 1 cup of the sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Stir to wet the
sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, swirling the pan occasionally.
Dip a pastry brush in cold water and wash down the sugar crystals from the
sides of the pan once or twice. Allow the sugar mixture to simmer gently as you
proceed with the egg whites.
Meanwhile, place the egg whites in a clean, grease-free stand mixer bowl and
whip until frothy on low speed using the balloon whip attachment. Add the cream
of tartar and turn the speed up to medium-high. When soft peaks form, gradually
add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Continue whipping until stiff, glossy peaks
form.
Bring the sugar-water mixture to a rapid boil and cook until it reaches 248º to
250ºF. As the syrup cooks, check for visual clues to assess temperature: It
starts out thin with many small bubbles over the entire surface. As the water
evaporates, the mixture will become visibly thicker. The bubbles become larger
and pop open more slowly. At this point, the syrup definitely looks thickened,
but it has not begun to color; this is the firm ball stage. If you drop a bit
of the syrup into a glass of cold water, it will form into a ball. When you
squeeze the ball between your fingertips, it will feel firm.
When the syrup is ready, pour a thin, steady stream directly over the meringue.
Do not pour any onto the whisk or the sides of the bowl. Whip the meringue
until cool to the touch; this step is very important. With the machine running,
add the butter a couple of tablespoons at a time. Keep beating until the
buttercream is completely smooth.
The buttercream is now ready to use. (Flavorings may be added at this point, as
in Raspberry Buttercream variation below.) The buttercream may be refrigerated
for up to 1 week in an airtight container or frozen for up to 1 month. If
frozen, defrost in refrigerator overnight and bring to warm room temperature
before rebeating. Always rebeat before using.
Baker's Tip:Temperature is key with this buttercream. If the meringue is warm
when the butter is added, it will melt the butter and become soupy. If the
butter is too cold, the buttercream will be lumpy and too firm. If your
buttercream is too soft and loose, simply chill it over an ice bath. Chill for
several minutes before proceeding. If the mixture is too stiff, just keep
whipping; it might smooth out. You can also aim a hot hair dryer at the outside
of the bowl; it will warm up the buttercream quickly. Or place a cup of
too-firm buttercream in the microwave for a few seconds, then add it back to
the larger amount to smooth out the overall texture.
Variation: Rasperry Buttercream
This buttercream is a fabulous bright pink color. Individually quick-frozen
berries (without sugar) work perfectly. Defrost and puree the berries in a food
processor. I leave the seeds in, but they may be strained out, if you wish.
Slowly add the puree to the buttercream. It may appear soupy, but with
continued beating, it will absorb the puree. You can adjust the amount of puree
to your taste, making it as strong in color and flavor as desired, but at some
point, the buttercream will not absorb any more. A batch of the Italian
Meringue Buttercream can take up to about 1 cup of raspberry puree.
~@~@~@~@~@~
Rhonda in Missouri
Have a great day! Ask me about my recipe swap groups!
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