Marthas Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipes

MARTHA'S SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Bring a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of water to a simmer. Meanwhile, combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in a large heatproof mixing bowl. Set bowl over (not in) pan of simmering water and whisk until whites are warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. (Test by rubbing between your fingers; mixture should feel smooth.)
• Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and mixture has cooled completely, about 12 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating to incorporate fully after each addition. (Don't worry if buttercream appears curdled at this point; it will become perfectly smooth again with continued beating.) Beat in vanilla.
• Switch to paddle attachment and beat on lowest speed to remove air bubbles, 3 to 5 minutes. If using buttercream the same day, cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until ready to use.
• If not using the same day, transfer buttercream to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature, then beat with paddle attachment on lowest speed until smooth and pliable, about 10 minutes.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM FOR CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
• Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
• Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
• Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day. If not, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.
• To tint buttercream, reserve some for toning down the color, if necessary. Add gel-paste food color, a drop at a time (or use the toothpick or skewer to add food color a dab at a time) to the remaining buttercream. You can use a single shade of food color or experiment by mixing two or more. Blend after each addition with the mixer (use a paddle attachment) or a flexible spatula, until desired shade is achieved. Avoid adding too much food color too soon, as the hue will intensify with continued stirring; if necessary, you can tone down the shade by mixing in some reserved untinted buttercream.

STRAWBERRY MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (about 160 degrees).
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.) Beat in vanilla. Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir in strawberry jam with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.

CHOCOLATE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Whisk together sugar and egg whites in a heatproof mixing bowl. Place over a pot of simmering water; whisk constantly until sugar is completely dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. With an electric mixer, whisk on high speed until cool (test by touching bottom of bowl), 7 to 10 minutes.
• Change to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-high speed, add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until combined. Beat in chocolate.

QUICK SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat sugar, egg whites, and salt in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisking, until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
• Return bowl to mixer, and whisk, gradually increasing speed from low to medium-high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Switch to a paddle attachment. Beat until air bubbles are gone, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Beat in food coloring, 1 drop at a time, until desired color is achieved. (If making more than 1 color, divide buttercream and work in batches.)

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat sugar and eggs Bring a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of water to a simmer. Meanwhile, combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in a large heatproof mixing bowl. Set bowl over (not in) simmering water, and whisk until whites are warm to the touch and sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. (Heating the eggs relaxes their proteins, enabling the eggs to whip up higher and more quickly; the sugar also melts, for a silky smooth consistency.) Test by rubbing between your fingers; the mixture should feel smooth.
• Whip meringue Attach bowl to a standing electric 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, glossy peaks form and mixture is cooled completely, about 10 minutes.
• Mix in butter Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter 2 tablespoons at a time, beating to incorporate fully after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled at this point; it will become perfectly smooth again with continued beating. After all the butter has been incorporated, beat in vanilla.
• Finish Switch to the paddle attachment. Beat on the lowest speed to reduce air bubbles, 3 to 5 minutes. Let stand, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature. (If not using the same day, transfer to airtight containers and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or the freezer up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature; beat with the paddle attachment on the lowest speed until smooth and pliable, about 10 minutes.)
• Follow recipe above, adding 5 1/2 ounces melted and completely cooled semisweet chocolate along with the vanilla.

EASY SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Heat 1/3 cup sugar and water over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and syrup just starts to bubble. Remove from heat.
• Pour egg whites into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Beat in 2 tablespoons sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
• While the egg whites are beating, return the syrup to high heat. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the syrup reads 248 degrees F (120 degrees C). Pour syrup carefully into the stiff egg whites, with the mixer running on low. Increase speed and beat until meringue is thick and shiny and the bowl is cool to the touch.
• Beat butter and confectioners' sugar in a separate bowl until smooth. Beat in meringue until thoroughly mixed. Add almond extract.

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Combine sugar and egg whites in mixer bowl, and set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture registers 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
• Transfer bowl to mixer; whisk on medium-high speed until whites are fluffy and cooled, about 10 minutes. Continue to whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form.
• Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter by the tablespoon, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Buttercream can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days or frozen up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before using; beat on lowest speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.