[Harry Batten]

I've bee having some problems with buttercream melting, how can I stabilize it without resorting to subbing in some vegetable fat or increasing the sugar content?

I imagine gelatin would work but it needs to be vegetarian, I tried agar but it either melted the butter or solidified before being fully combined.

Another option I'm yet to try but I image would work is adding melted white chocolate, at a ratio of 1:1 or 2:1, on the basis that ganache is pretty temp stable.

I tried adding cornstarch but that did absolutely nothing.

Guar gum is coming in the post so that's my next step.

Any further suggestions?

 

[kuan]

How do you make buttercream without using egg whites? Sorry get past that and can't give advice.

 

[Pat Pat]

To me, butter seems more vegetarian-unfriendly than gelatin

 

[Harry Batten]

How do you make buttercream without using egg whites? Sorry get past that and can't give advice.

Sometimes use egg whites but it's too time consuming waiting for meringue to cool in large quantities

To me, butter seems more vegetarian-unfriendly than gelatin

I agree but unfortunately vegetarians won't see it like that

 

[kuan]

I'm going to come right out and say it. You are unethical and you do not deserve to be in business.

 

[Harry Batten]

I'm going to come right out and say it. You are unethical and you do not deserve to be in business.

I think somewhere along the line you've gotten confused.

 

[kuan]

@Harry Batten I owe you an apology. Yes, I was mistaken. That was terrible of me, reading vegetarian as vegan, vegan as vegetarian... Once again, my sincere apologies.

 

[flipflopgirl]

Under certain conditions BC melts....just a fact.
High ratio solid shortening will give you a tiny bit of wiggle room by allowing the addition of more powdered sugar (remember it has cornstarch in it).
But until the variable causing the problem (heat I suspect ) is removed the problem will remain and your BC will continue to have sub par quality.
I learned very early on that some customer requests are just plain crazy ... I educate them and if they still insist that they want to display their $1K wedding cake under a blazing summer sun, I make absolutely sure this is addressed as a line item in the contract with their initial next to it.

mimi

 

[gontothekitchen]

You can try adding meringue powder. I've never done it myself but have heard that suggested as a solve. Replacing part of the butter with a hi ratio shortening will make it more stable without giving you the greasy mouthfeel of regular shortening.