Buttercream Meringue is a type of Frosting for decorations of cakes, cupcakes, pies, or macarons. There are different types of buttercream frostings, some of which are Italian Buttercream (or Italian Meringue) or Swiss Buttercream. The difference between the Italian Buttercream Meringue and the Swiss Buttercream is that in the Italian Buttercream, the added sugar is first converted to syrup at a temperature of 240 degrees Fahrenheit before being added to the whipped egg white.
The Italian Buttercream is smooth, silky, and stable. Different colors and flavors can be added to it. In this buttercream recipe, I am using Vanilla flavor with no added color.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for making this Italian buttercream frosting
- 4 large eggs at room temperature. The egg whites are used for this buttercream recipe.
- 450 grams of unsalted soft butter at room temperature.
- 1 small lemon. It helps to remove fat or oil that may prevent the egg whites from whipping.
- 1 and a 1/3 cup of white granulated sugar.
- 1 tsp of Vanilla.
- 1/4 tsp of Salt.
How to Make Italian Buttercream Meringue (Buttercream Frosting)
- First, clean the mixer bowl and the whisk with some lemon juice or vinegar. You can use a pastry brush to clean it or cut 1 lemon into two and then rub it over the inner parts of the mixing bowl and the whisk. Lemon helps get rid of fat or oil that could prevent the egg whites from whipping.
- Break the eggs and use only the egg whites.
- Now, whip the egg whites at high speed until you have a soft peak.
- As you are whipping the egg whites, begin making the sugar syrup. In a small saucepan, add 1 and a third cup of sugar together with 1/3 cup of water. Cover and bring the sugar mixture to a simmer.
- Once the sugar dissolves and syrup begins to form, remove the lid and use a candy thermometer to test the temperature of the sugar syrup. The recommended temperature is 240 degrees Fahrenheit; However, if you don’t have a thermometer, you can use a wooden spatula and dip it into the sugar syrup, if the syrup slowly drips from the spatula, you will know it is ready. Turn off the heat.
- As the egg whites begin to thicken and a soft speak is formed, reduce the speed of the mixer to low and gradually pour in the sugar syrup.
- Return the speed of the mixer to high after adding the sugar syrup and whip again until you have a stiff peak. This could take about 10 to 15 minutes using a stand mixer.
- You can transfer to whipped meringue to the fridge and refrigerate for 15 minutes to bring it down rapidly to room temperature. It is more stable at room temperature.
- After 15 minutes of refrigerating, pour back the meringue into the mixer bowl and begin whipping at high speed again; but this time, start adding the soft butter – a tbsp at a time and keep whipping the meringue as you add the room temperature butter.
- As you add the butter, the buttercream may seem runny at first but continue beating it until it begins to stiffen.
- You can add your vanilla flavoring and salt at this point together with any color if you want, and then whip again for another 10 to 15 minutes and your Italian Buttercream Meringue is ready.
Storage and Preservation of Buttercream
Buttercream can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
When frozen, it can be reused again by allowing it to thaw on the counter until it reaches room temperature; and then whipping it again for about 30 seconds.
It can be used as a frosting on cakes, pies, cupcakes, and also in macarons.