Russian Buttercream: has anyone tried this?

When NASA developed materials our astronauts would need in space--including writing underwater if damaged when they re-entered atmosphere--they spent THOUSANDS of dollars creating a pen that could write upside down, in zero gravity and under water. Kudos to the ingenuity of the old US of A!

The Russian cosmonauts used a pencil.

Russian buttercream doesn't use hot sugar syrup or egg whites or egg yolks or eggs at all. Not even powdered sugar.
It's butter and canned condensed milk. That's it. And it's pipeable.

Take 1 cup of butter and beat it with a balloon whip paddle blade no more than medium speed until white and fluffy. Slowly add 8 oz from a 14-oz can of sweetened condensed milk. Vanilla is optional if you're feeling wild and crazy.

Bring your own pencil.

Haven't tried it yet, but considering.

Let us know if you try it. Good time to.try out something eggless!

I'd love to hear what you think of it once you make it. I only use sweetened condensed milk in 2 of my bar cookies because I find it a bit too sweet. But adding butter to it may be the perfect foil!

Okay...this stuff works. But it does take a LOT of beating time. I beat it for over 5 minutes before slowly adding the milk and then another 2 or 3 after that. Then I broke for lunch and looked at it afterward. It still didn't look as fluffy as the stuff online, so I gave it another 5 minutes at high speed with the paddle (not the whisk, which apparently adds too many air bubbles for smooth piping.)

And I STILL noticed small shards of butter when filling my piping bag. Oh well.

I used 1 Cup of butter (1 stick of Kerry Gold and 1 stick of Land of Lakes Extra Creamy) and ONLY 8 Oz of the condensed milk. Every recipe out there (which is just a bunch of people copying everyone else) uses the entire can (14 oz) but I kept tasting it as I added the milk. With about 4-5 oz, it still simply tasted like butter, so I slowly kept adding more. When I was content with the sweetness level (not too-too), I weighted out the remaining milk. There was still 6 oz left, which means I used 8 oz.

Coats 16 cupcakes with 1M icing tip

1 C unsalted butter
8 oz sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp Diamond kosher salt.

here is the dozen I took to the library and then a few more I made for the neighbor later in the day, using up the remainder of the icing. So not enough icing for the 2 dozen cupcakes, but possibly enough if I didn't fru-fru swirl the icing.

The few for the neighbors were piped several hours later...(I can see no discernable difference between first image and second). I had just left the icing bag sit on the counter, as refrigerating it would end up with hard icing. It sounded "airy" as it was piped out, so I'm not sure how detailed the icing could be executed.

Your community is so fortunate to have had you move into it. These are so beautiful to look at, but............................I am just imagining what a treat they are to consume. Do they appreciate you?

You probably need a rest very soon.

Is the neighbours' batch ever so slightly less finely-articulated? Or am I straining to find a difference?

Thank you so much for the report out - the cupcakes look fantastic. Would you make this frosting again?

marg, the neighbors cupcakes were piped in a rush with the remains in the icing bag. My neighbor drove over minutes after I texted so I hurriedly squeezed out what icing was left. It’s easier to control the pressure and design when the icing bag is full.



PS: she liked the texture and not-too-sweet flavor.

Deb, I would definitely make it again. I did warn the library staff not to put them in the refrigerator or they would have lumps of sweet butter on their hands. And if you wanted to have enough to fru-fru swirl 24 cupcakes, adding an extra stick of butter (8 TBL or even 12 TBL) using a full 14 oz can would give you enough.

marilynfl said:

marg, the neighbors cupcakes were piped in a rush with the remains in the icing bag. My neighbor drove over minutes after I texted so I hurriedly squeezed out what icing was left. It’s easier to control the pressure and design when the icing bag is full.

View attachment 3121

PS: she liked the texture and not-too-sweet flavor.

Deb, I would definitely make it again. I did warn the library staff not to put them in the refrigerator or they would have lumps of sweet butter on their hands. And if you wanted to have enough to fru-fru swirl 24 cupcakes, adding an extra stick of butter (8 TBL or even 12 TBL) using a full 14 oz can would give you enough.

Click to expand...

Thank you! I hadn't even thought about not putting them in the fridge - everything I make goes in the fridge or freezer. LOL (In the last 25 years I don't think I've ever made a dessert (except pie...and that's a 'maybe') that I haven't made at least a day ahead and put in the fridge.)

I'm sure they can go in the refrigerator...just would need to ensure the icing is room temperature (soft) before serving.

Ah...I think they would be okay. Seems like it, doesn't it.