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?
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?
