Italian Meringue Buttercream
- Comments()
Martha Stewart Living, January 2004
- Yield Makes 4 1/2 cups
Add to Shopping List
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 5 large egg whites
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar and 2/3 cup water to a boil. Continue boiling until syrup reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage).
- Meanwhile, place egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff but not dry; do not overbeat.
- With mixer running, add syrup to whites in a stream, beating on high speed until no longer steaming, about 3 minutes. Add butter bit by bit, beating until spreadable, 3 to 5 minutes; beat in vanilla. If icing curdles, keep beating until smooth.
Recipe Reviews
More from Food
New From Our Blogs
-
cocktail o'clock: lemon basil gin and tonic
Everyday Food Blog, May 25, 2012 -
today's recipe: greek chicken cutlets
Everyday Food Blog, May 25, 2012 -
find your memorial day menu on pinterest
Everyday Food Blog, May 25, 2012 -
today's recipe: Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs
Everyday Food Blog, May 24, 2012 -
today's recipe: Asian Steak Salad with Cucumber and Napa Cabbage
Everyday Food Blog, May 23, 2012
I made a variation of this recipe. The taste is amazing! This is a frosting that is not too sweet and holds its shape fairly well. I have started using this recipe and freezing it and putting it in the middle of cupcakes and it is divine! The only drawback is that you have to keep the cupcakes or cake refrigerated until ready to eat otherwise it tends to melt fairly quickly due to the amount of butter in it.
2 questions: How well does this icing hold it's shape for decorating cupcakes? and does it need constant refrigeration? I have to make approx 130 cupcakes for a wedding in January and time restrictions simply won't permit me to deocrate them the day of the wedding. Will I need to keep this refrigerated?