Buttercream

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I've tried this recipe twice now, and it is very difficult. The 2nd time was better, I got it on my cake at least, and it has good flavor. I just couldn't get it fluffy enough for my liking. I will try again. Like all other reviews, I will beat eggs very very fluffy; boil sugar until large bubbles/240 degrees; drizzle in sugar mixture slowly; beat till bowl cools off; keep beating while adding one piece of butter at a time until all incorporated; and beat some more. Not sure what else I can do... Hopefully 3rd time's a charm!

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I tried making this recipe a couple of summers ago. Turned to soup. Now that I'm in culinary school and have successfully made italian meringue buttercream I know why it did not work out. It tells you to bring the sugar to a boil then pour it in, but it doesn't not say to what temperature. That is the major flaw. Sugars need to be heated to soft-ball stage or about 240 degrees. Butter needs to be soft when incorporated as well. Follow this and all should be well.

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This recipe is actually perfect. The problem with buttercream is that everything has to be perfect for it to come together. I made this and my butter must have been a bit on the cold side or my syrup/sugar mixture was not hot enough or my eggs were too cold but the butter didn't incorporate into a smooth mixture. I had to put the mixture on the stove to warm it up and get the butter bits soft. Then it came together perfectly, but it's an illustration that everything has to be exactly perfect.

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Step 4: This is the critical step of the recipe. The butter must be on the cold side and not soft. One of the ways this can go south is if the butter melts in the egg/sugar mixture. The butter should be firm but forgiving to the touch. You are in essence absorbing the solid butter into the sugar egg mixture. The next critical step is how much butter you need. In my estimation an additional stick more than what the recipe calls for. You'll start to see a grainy, oily, mixture. You just need to soak this up with more solid butter. Be careful that your pile of butter doesn't get too warm. The consistency you are looking for is in essence creamy butter. Using an ice bath would help I've read but I normally take a break and stick the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. You can also do this if your butter melts and mixture breaks. Then crank up the mixer again. You should eventually wind up with a nice, stable, creamy butter cream. Voila!

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If it looks like soup all you have to do in put a bowl of ice under ur mixer to make it cold then it should thicken up

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Doesn't the hot syrup cook the eggs?

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This is soooo good. I actually used the version AB put in his book in which he addressed that many people had difficulty with this recipe and altered it. Mine also turned into a soup, probably because it was 100 degrees outside and my butter was too soft, but I was able to rescue it by placing it in the fridge for about 20 minutes after i had completely finished the recipe and then beating it for about a minute more after that. It turned out wonderfully delicious. I also added about 1lb of strawberries, pureed in the food processor (my sister wanted strawberry frosting for her b-day cake. It tasted amazing but it was a little watery because of the strawberries, but if you leave it in the fridge it will harden up. If anyone wants the recipe AB puts in his book that doesn't have it, you can just email me, and i'll gladly give it out to you, but i really suggest you buy the book. There's a lot of updated recipes in there.

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Can someone help me out? Another review said "egg whites" but the recipe calls for EGGS, not whites. Mine is just as yellow as it can be, the secod lump of butter turned it into a soup.

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I'm not sure what problem other people are having, but this recipe is amazing.
I've made is 4 times now, and about to make it a 5th. It's fairly easy to do, and the result is nothing soupy or chunky. It's perfect.
All i'm saying is, despite everyone else having problems, This is definitely worth trying at least once.

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This is a classic french buttercream that pastry chefs have been using all over the world for a very long time. I own a bakery and this is my preferred style of buttercream. He changed it in his book to a swiss meringue buttercream, not because he was wrong, but because everyone had so much difficulty with the recipe. Both the recipe and the video are correct, as any experienced baker can attest. True buttercream is a skill that, once learned, is a magnificient accompaniment to a cake. You need to work quickly when adding the sugar, as that pasteurizes the eggs. As your mixers may be different, refer to the video for cues. Room temp butter is about 70 degrees, only soft enough to make a slight indent with your finger. DO NOT add butter until the bowl of the mixer is room temp, then add butter as directed. If it gets too soupy, your butter melted. Put it in the refrigerator and mix again until it is smooth.