This is NOT the buttercream I used for the wedding cake. Truthfully,
it was a risky and not very wise choice, because it was so delicate and
heat sensitive. Ashley, who these days is a caterer in Chicago,
discovered this meringue buttercream recipe that is just as decadently
delicious, much easier to make, and far sturdi
- 6 egg whites
- 1 1/2 c. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
- pinch of salt
- 1 lb. unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla
For chocolate buttercream:
- 1 11.5 oz. bag of bittersweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled to warm (Ghirardelli 60 percent cacao chips preferred)
In
the bowl of a mixer, or a heatproof bowl suitable for using with a
hand-held blender, mix the egg whites and sugar until combined. Set the
bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the
bowl doesn’t touch the water. Whisk constantly just until the mixture
is hot to the touch – be careful to not let it begin to cook/curdle.
Remove the bowl from the heat, add the cream of tartar and salt and
begin beating the meringue at high speed with an electric stand or
hand-held mixer. Whip to soft peaks, then, still beating, add the
butter a few pieces at a time. Stir in the vanilla. If the buttercream
is too thin to spread, set the bowl in a sink filled with cold water
for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture is
spreadable, but not completely chilled.
To make chocolate buttercream, mix in the melted and cooled chocolate after adding the vanilla.
This article appears in Nov 11-17, 2010.
