Makes about 6 cups
Italian buttercream starts with a very stable meringue, making it creamy and light, but also very sturdy. It is almost impossible to mess this recipe up, so don't panic. If your buttercream appears melted, it means it's too warm. Place the whole mixing bowl in the refrigerator for an hour, then start where you left off. If your buttercream appears curdled, it's too cold. Just keep beating it with the paddle attachment until it comes together again, which could take 10 minutes or so.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 5 egg whites
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cups (1 lb) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped
Directions
- Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar with the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Combine the water with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, without stirring, until it reaches the soft ball stage, 240°F on a candy thermometer.
- When the sugar syrup reaches 230°F, begin whipping the egg whites on medium speed. The egg whites should reach soft peaks at the same time the sugar reaches the desired temperature.
- With the mixer running, stream the hot sugar into the egg whites and continue whipping until cooled to room temperature.
- Once the meringue is cool, switch to the paddle attachment and gradually add the butter on medium speed. Add the vanilla and beat until smooth and light.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Chocolate Italian Buttercream: Melt 1/3 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate, let cool to room temperature, and add to the buttercream just after the vanilla extract has been added by stirring about 1 cup of the buttercream into the chocolate to lighten it, then adding the lightened chocolate to the remaining buttercream.
