Buttercream Question

To me this is buttercream frosting:
Butter Cream Frosting

1 stick butter or margarine
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powered sugar

Allow butter to soften slightly, place in a large bowl with milk, salt, vanilla, and about half the sugar. Mix slowly so that sugar doesn't fly everywhere. Gradually add the rest of the sugar. Continue beating on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. It will be an off-white color and creamy. Cover the frosting with a damp towel until you're ready to use it.
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This recipe was a big surprise, would this frosting have to be refrigerated?

The way this is made seems a lot like the Divinity that we make at Christmas time except that is uses whole eggs and less sugar. The Divinity keeps at room temperature but then sugar is a natural preservative. With so little sugar here is this really safe?

Does anyone have any experience with Buttercream made this way?


Buttercream Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
See this recipe on air Saturday May. 19 at 2:00 PM ET/PT.
Show: Good Eats
Episode: The Icing Man Cometh

4 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
10 ounces butter, cubed and at room temperature

In a large mixing bowl, whip the eggs until light and fluffy.
In a small saucepan bring the sugar and the corn syrup to a boil. Lubricate the inside of a metal baster with a small amount of vegetable oil and dispense it completely. Then use this to drizzle the sugar mixture into the mixing bowl with the eggs. The mixer should be on low speed until you finish drizzling in all of the sugar mixture.

Once the entire mixture of the sugar is incorporated, slowly add the butter pieces. Only add more butter when you can no longer see the previously added pieces. It will go fast at first and then slow down. Continue to whip until the mixture is creamy.

I don't know, the only Buttercream that I have ever made is butter beat up with sugar and milk. I would like to try something different but I don't want to use a recipe that has to go in the frig; I don't have enough refrigerator space for a cake.

I’ve never heard of French buttercream (I’ll do a Google search) and I don’t know what Italian Meringue is (another Google search).

This is a recipe that Alton Brown showed on Good Eats but he never said if it had to be kept in the refrigerator or not. I’m a little concerned about the eggs at room temp.

4 eggs, room temperature
1/2-cup sugar
1/2-cup dark corn syrup
10 ounces butter, cubed and at room temperature

In a large mixing bowl, whip the eggs until light and fluffy.
In a small saucepan bring the sugar and the corn syrup to a boil. Lubricate the inside of a metal baster with a small amount of vegetable oil and dispense it completely. Then use this to drizzle the sugar mixture into the mixing bowl with the eggs. The mixer should be on low speed until you finish drizzling in all of the sugar mixture.

Once the entire mixture of the sugar is incorporated, slowly add the butter pieces. Only add more butter when you can no longer see the previously added pieces. It will go fast at first and then slow down. Continue to whip until the mixture is creamy.

Thank you PJ but even the smaller amount looks like it would be enough frosting to last me a year or two. Maybe I can figure a way to cut it down some more; do you by any chance know how many eggs it would take to make 2 cups of whites?

PJ, if I added butter to this recipe would it work and if so how much butter do you think I should add?

Seven Minute Frosting

INGREDIENTS
2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/3-cup cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1-teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Put egg whites, sugar, water and syrup in top of double boiler. Beat until mixed well. Place over rapidly boiling water. Beat constantly with electric beater while it cooks for 7 minutes or until it will stand in peaks when beater is raised. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat. Fills and frosts 2 layer cake, 8 or 9 inch.