Buttercream musings

[Blueicus]

Curious about other people's experiences with buttercream (since I myself don't make it much and don't have people looking over my shoulder telling me what I'm doing wrong), so I just wanted to post my methodologies and experience and see if I can get a general confirmation of if I'm on the right track and what I might want to change.

Methodology and Ingredients

110g eggs, whole
110g eggs, yolks
260g sugar
60g water
350g butter, soft
1 tsp vanilla extract

whip eggs until pale yellow and risen in volume

heat sugar and water mixture until at around 235 degrees F/113 degrees C

incorporate sugar into eggs by pouring syrup into eggs while continuing to whisk (at this point the mixture is a pale, very sweet and thin mixture. Should it be thicker? Ribbony? Or does it seem correct?)

when the mixture is cooled to room temperature, incorporate butter until the mixture is smooth (during my most recent attempt, I was a little bit impatient and added the butter when the mixture was still a little warm (maybe around 30 degrees or so) and the butter a little cool. Only until the last of the butter was incorporated I got something of the consistency I would expect of buttercream, but it felt a little greasy and the buttercream seemed a little too slippery. The kitchen doesn't seem particularly hot, but I don't know what the temperature was. Should I be mixing the buttercream more?).

When the buttercream is refridgerated, it's still smooth to the taste, but looks grainy and is basically unspreadable and must be brought back to around room temperature until it can be spread on a cake. Is this also normal?

[Pastry Maven]

Greetings,
I'm certainly no expert, but my first reaction when I read your recipe was, egg yolks? I've not seen egg yolks used in any buttercream recipes...have you ever tried the recipe without them?

That would be my first recommendation...

Hope it helps,

Micki

[Blueicus]

Interestingly enough, the recipe I posted is nearly a duplicate of the one listed in the CIA pastry textbook, which lists it as a french buttercream. If I ever have the urge to ever eat copious amounts of buttercream, I'll continue experimenting with different proportions, but I guess this is all I have to really rely on for now.

On an extended note, I brought my remaining buttercream back up to room temperature and whipped it even more, I think I got a more preferred texture this time from even more whipping and it seemed like everything was emulsifying pretty well, but perhaps I shouldn't be making buttercream during a heat wave.

[Free Rider]

Sounds to me like a "rolled buttercream" that is supposed to fake a rolled fondant. ?????????? It is supposed to be hard and unspreadable because it supposed to be applied to the cake immediately. Then it doesn't shift or melt, kind of like what fondant does... not shifting or melting.

The buttercream I know remains soft the entire time... when it's real buttercream, that is.

[foodpump]

French Buttercream is mde only with yolks and butter, and Italian with whites only. Of the two, French is richer. When making, even if your butter is at room temp, and you add it in slowly to the beaten eggs, it will appear curdled at first. Continue whipping until it's smooth and airy.

[pjm333]

Here is the recipe I use..you can use less sugar if you like.

4 CUPS EGG WHITES ( FRESH ONLY ) - ROOM TEMP
8 CUPS SUGAR
6 LBS BUTTER - ROOM TEMP

Place whites and sugar in a stainless steel bowl and place over flame and whip until sugar is dissolved..Place mixture in a large mixing bowl and whip at high speed until stiff mirengue is formed. Add butter a handfull at a time untill all incorporated..scrape down sides and mix untill well combined

[Blueicus]

Are there buttercreams that are soft and pliable at around 4 degrees? While it's at around 18 degrees it's perfect. I mean, you can't escape the evil nature of butter if you're just going to mix it in that way.

[shaloop]

Originally Posted by Free Rider

Sounds to me like a "rolled buttercream" that is supposed to fake a rolled fondant. ?????????? It is supposed to be hard and unspreadable because it supposed to be applied to the cake immediately. Then it doesn't shift or melt, kind of like what fondant does... not shifting or melting.

The buttercream I know remains soft the entire time... when it's real buttercream, that is.

No, rolled (or fake rolled) buttercream doesn't contain eggs and isn't cooked in any way. The above recipe is French buttercream and the reason it gets hard is that is has a lot of butter in it. Cold (or even very cool) butter returns to a solid and firms up. The best texture for this buttercream is at room temp. You did the right thing by letting it come back to room temp and then rewhipping. Any buttercream recipe with real butter will be firmer when cold. For easier spreading when cold and less melting when warm use shortening for all of part of the butter. (Although you'll lose alot of the flavor.)