Buttercream icing

Swan_2

Continental Buttercream

this makes the most wonderful buttercream, it's slightly more complicated than the normal method, but the results are worth the effort. very soft, fluffy & creamy. & I believe a little less sweet

4 oz sugar
2-3 Tablespoons water
2 egg yolks
4 oz softened butter

put egg yolks in a heatproof bowl
dissolve sugar in water over low heat
bring to boil, boil for 5 minutes (or till it reaches 230 F if you've a sugar thermometer)
pour syrup on to yolks in a thin stream, whisking constantly till thick & creamy
allow to cool
gradually beat in the butter
use it as it is or add desired flavouring, eg vanilla to taste ... 4 oz melted dark chocolate ... 4oz crushed praline ... 1 Tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 1 teaspoon water ... 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder dissolved in 1 teaspoon water ... etc

kirstyreanne

I always add a few drops of lemon juice to icing sugar & butter & it's scrummy.

Especially nice spread on banana muffins/bread.

Mmm mmmm!!!

Karma67

For basic buttercream I always use this recipe:

175g Icing sugar
25g butter/marg
few drops of vanilla essence
1 tbs of milk

I add about 1 tbs of cocoa powder for chocolate icing

HTH

calleyw

I never weigh anything when I make buttercream. Put a big dollop of margarine or butter in to a bowl and keep adding icing sugar until you can't taste the fat any more. If it gets a little thick I add a little milk and always add vanilla essence as well.

No one ever complains about my buttercream.


Yours


Calley

brokenwings

calley thats how i do mine
but weirdest thing happened today and i cant work out why
my butter cream curdled

i used soft stork, icing sugar, cocoa powder and a spot of milk
still tastes ok though

jan_3

thanks to everyone for there ideas on buttercream. im going to have a baking afternoon today and im going to try your ideas. it seems the thing iv been missing out is the vanilla essence so its now in my cupboard and ready to go i can taste the coffee cake already!!!! anyway thanks again
jan

recovering_spendaholic

We have been invited out to my friend's house tonight for a chinese banquet and I decided to make a coffee walnut cake to take with us, because my friend loves it and isn't really a keen baker herself. Anyway I have made the cakes and they are in the oven, but when I went to get the icing sugar out I realised I only have enough for the glace icing top and not enough for the buttercream. Rather than go and buy any I am sure I read somewhere that you can make buttercream with caster sugar - something about boiling it with a bit of water and beating it into the butter, or am I dreaming. It is a big cake and I don't want to ruin it so can anyone help, or should I go to the shop and get more icing sugar?

lynzpower

I havent heard that, but Im fairly sure you can wizz any old granulated with a stick blender to make caster, then longer for icing.

Ive read it here a few times, and IM sure I saw someone do it on telly

Am I right there?

pol

Don't know about the buttercream recipe, but you could always make up a thick confectioners custard flavoured with coffee to sandwich it together if you're stuck.

pol

Toxic_Lemon

Yes, you can make icing sugar very easily in a food processor or with a stick blender. Just keep going until you see it's become a powder.