[isaac]

i was wondering if there is such thing as swiss buttercream. i was also was curious what the advantages and disadvantages of swiss buttercream and itilian buttercream.

thanks

[angrychef]

isaac, Swiss meringue buttercream you'd use the Swiss meringue as your base to add the butter to. Heat your eggwhites and sugar together and then whip up to a meringue. Italian meringue bc you'd add your 240 F sugar syrup to the eggwhites. I really have seen which one is better than the other --- with Italian bc you'd be dirtying one more saucepan...

[LotusCakeStudio]

Everyone says that b/c IMBC has the sugar cooked at a high temp, it's the more stable BC (than Swiss). But you know what? When I used both, I couldn't tell the difference.

[momoreg]

I never noticed the difference until recently. I have been working for a caterer who insists on using Swiss (I'm used to Italian), and theirs sets up much faster (even at room temp.). I find myself always having to temper in warm buttercream to get it so it looks smooth on the cake. I've never had to do that with Italian. Once it's the right consistency, it stays that way, unless the room is extremely hot or cold.

[m brown]

i dig the swiss bc. i heat the whites and sugar hot but not cooked then drop in the soft butter. makes a nice butter cream.

[isaac]

crap.. now i am confused!

[momoreg]

Not to worry, isaac...
They're both good. It's just a matter of what you're used to working with. Both have good flavor and texture. I just personally find the Italian easier to work with.

[danno]

a frenchman once told me the if you will be displaying cakes like on a buffet and you have warm temperatures and your concerned about your butter cream running off your cake and down the table, one little trick you can do is whan making your Italian butter cream cook the sugar a little higher to maybe 246 248. good luck
Danno

[pjm333]

isaac
Here is a recipe for buttercream using a swiss mirengue..Have used it for many yrs with no problems

2 Cups egg whites "fresh only" 16 whites
4 Cups sugar
3 # butter- SOFT
Place whites & sugar in a stainless steel bowl over a medium flame and whip mixture till warm to touch . Place in mixer and beat at high speed untill stiff peaks form. Add butter 1/2 # at a time ..scrape down sides and beat well. I have kept this at room temp for up to a week with no problem

pat

[m brown]

hey pjm333, i add to that,

for flavor:
salt 2 tsp
vanilla bean specks 1 bean *great flavor and fun look with the specks!!!

for big dry meringue:
cream of tar tar to the whites and sugar 1 tsp.

cook the meringue over water bath until it lets off steam, never stop whipping with the whisk!!!

no lie on the fresh only egg whites! tried frozen whites once, once, disaster. it never accepts air into the mix so you end up with, dear me, snot soup! ( i have small children and this brings the point home to me, don't mean to offend! )

[panini]

I'm just going to add, the swiss butter will be dryer and less forgiving the warmer you make your egg white. Egg white and sugar in the bottom of the bowl and heated until they are blood temp, just enough to disolve and remove grit. I do this with my hand as to feel for sugar. as soon as I can't feel hot or cold.. whip.
I know this is added labor and probably not necessary but we pass our softened butter through a screen. It gives you quite a bit of play in temp.for both buttercreams
2 cents from

[breadster]

what about the uncooked buttercreams?

where you mix 10x sugar, butter, flavoring, etc. (maybe egg yolk(pasteurized -of course)

when are those appropriate to use?

[m brown]

breadster, they are good for show cakes and making flowers, deco that sort of thing. When you don't have to eat it! although there are people who like shortening and sugar with flavor and that is ok.