Ingredients
- 10 egg whites
- 15 ounces sugar
- 2 1/2 pounds unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Special Equipment: 5-quart mixer with bowl and whip attachment, rubber spatula
Directions
*Cook's Note: Make sure to have a completely clean and dry mixing bowl when you start your process. Any fat or liquid at all in the bowl will stunt the protein development of the albumen (egg white protein) and you will not have a proper meringue at the end. The results could be disastrous.
Start whipping egg whites slowly in the mixer until foamy. Increase the speed of the mixer and slowly start adding the sugar until all the sugar is incorporated. Once all the sugar is in, increase the speed of the mixer even more and whip until the mixture is shiny and stiff. You now have a meringue. You know when your meringue is done when you pull out the whip, hold it horizontally, and if you have what looks a "sparrow's beak" on the end of the whip.
Replace the whip, turn the mixer on medium and start adding the butter a bit at a time. Once all the butter is incorporated, turn the mixer on high and let mix; depending on the weather, the buttercream could take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to form. You will know when it has formed when you hear the motor of the mixer start to slow down and whine a little bit; also, when you first add the butter, your meringue will break down and look weird and this is what you want. When the buttercream is done, the mixture will be homogeneous, consistent, and tasty.
Remove the buttercream from the bowl and transfer to an airtight container. Buttercream can be kept at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for a 1 to 2 weeks, but always use warm buttercream when icing a cake. To warm up the buttercream, put it back in the mixer using the whip or the paddle, and apply direct heat with a propane torch you can find at any hardware store.
* Professional Recipe
This recipe was provided by a chef, restaurant or culinary professional and makes a large quantity. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe in the proportions indicated and therefore cannot make any representation as to the results.
Review This Recipe
You must be logged in to review this recipe.
or Sign Up to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 48 reviews
By kcbranaghsgirl_...
Chicago, IL
on July 16, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
First of all, this is not a French buttercream. French buttercream has egg yolks in it.
Contrary to what another commenter said, this is not especially similar to an Italian buttercream, either. Italian buttercream is made with a hot sugar syrup poured into the egg whites, which helps to kill anything that might be hiding in the egg whites - not something I'm particularly squeamish about, but you may want to be more concerned about feeding raw egg whites to children, the elderly, or those with weakened immune systems.
If anything, this is closer to some recipes for Swiss buttercream that I've seen, though even some of those have you cooking the [as-yet-unwhipped] egg white and sugar mixture over a bain-marie.
Having recently made both vanilla Swiss buttercream and raspberry French buttercream, I can tell you that I won't be wasting my time making Swiss or Italian buttercream ever, ever again.
Do yourself a favor and find an authentic French buttercream recipe.
By pencilrichards
on February 11, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This recipe is fine.
You really have to let the mixer go for a good long time before the butter, egg whites, and sugar make a nice fluffy buttercream. I've made the mistake (and I'm a professional of not letting the mix whip enough and it indeed comes out like sugar coated butter.
All in all, it's a good base, but you really should be double boil the egg whites and sugar to 141 degrees in order to kill all the bacteria in the whites.
By ramxs_11920850
baltimore,MD
on January 19, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
this is not french butter cream. Maybe closer to Italian , with the meringue, but not french.I was very embarrassed in front of my guests , who were all expecting french buttercream. I still gave it a try, hoping it would still taste ok with the egg whites, but it was not good, not sweet,too voluminous.
Read all 48 reviews