Italian Meringue Buttercream

Serves

enough for 1 doz cupcakes

Ingredients

2 Free-range Egg Whites
pinch Cream of Tartar
20g Caster Sugar
40ml Cold Water
100g Caster Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (or other flavouring of choice)
100g Unsalted Butter

Directions

1.	Ensure your mixer bowl is completely grease free by wiping with a piece of kitchen paper with either lemon juice or vinegar
2.	Place the egg whites in the bowl with the pinch of cream of tartar, and whisk on high speed just until the egg whites are frothy. Slowly add the 20g sugar as the mixer is on high, and leave until soft peaks form. Leave to one side
3.	Place the water and remaining sugar in a heavy bottomed pan, and heat over a low heat until all the sugar has dissolved, swirling gently but don't stir. When the sugar has disolved, turn the heat up to medium, and allow to boil until a termometer reaches soft ball stage (235 F / 120 C). You don't want the mixture to colour, so if it starts to darken, turn down the heat a little. This is a marathon, not a race
4.	Once the correct temperature has been reached, with your mixer on high speed, carefully and very slowly, pour the sugar syrup at the edges of your meringue, ensuring that you don't cause the syrup to splash. When all the syrup is added, leave the mixer on high speed until the side of the mixing bowl has cooled to room temperature, about 10 minutes
5.	With the mixer still on high speed, add the butter a piece at a time. Wait until each piece is incorporated before adding the next bit
6.	After some of the butter has been added, you may notice your Italian meringue buttercream is turning runny, soupy or even looks curdled. Don't panic, this is normal! Keep beating and it will eventually - and quite suddenly - come together and firm up again. If not, try chilling for 10 minutes in the fridge then beating again
7.	You can now add in your flavourings and colourings

Note

You can colour your buttercream with small amounts of gel or paste colouring. You can also flavour your buttercream with fruit purees, curds or jams, cooled melted chocolate, instant coffee mixed with a teaspoon of warm water

Italian meringue buttercream will firm up in the fridge, but it won't 'crust' like a normal buttercream. It is best eaten at room temperature, and is actually quite stable even in warm weather - it won't wilt on you.

The recipe is easy to scale up or down - just remember for each egg white, you need: 20ml water, 50g + 10g sugar, 50g butter.

If you make too much, you can freeze any leftovers. Allow to defrost fully, then whip slightly before use.

Italian Meringue Buttercream