I’m starting to think I need a bigger ka for smb. The impossible journey…

[mariadnoca]

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Demystified

Well, this is my first impromptu post or, well, as impromptu as I can get around here! I was planning another cake post, which is coming soon, but this week I've received so many emails and comments asking about the ever-intimidating Swiss Meringue Buttercream (let's call it SMB), that I thought...

sweetapolita.com

Ok, I use this smb recipe, and it’s delicious, but she claims just whip it till it’s cool enough the bowl isn’t warm, then add the butter.

This could take 10 mins.

No, actually in my 5 qt ka I think it might take days. Or never. In the past I’ve cheated. I ended up sitting the bowl on my ice cream makers frozen bowl, still amounted to hours of on, off, whip some more, check, no the bowl is still warm. This time it sat on the frozen bowl with the whole thing eventually in the freezer because this.takes.all.day.

Plus, all that whipping deflates what first whipped up to a beautiful looking meringue. So much so, I had to make a half batch more. Even the half batch requires the freezer bowl/freezer. How do people do this? You know normal people who make this all the time? Does everyone have the big ka? I bought this because the big one does not fit under my cabinets. There must be normal people with the tilt head ka making this, right? How do they do it? You think the bigger bowl ka would make that much difference?

Signed, deflated in California

 

[deb-in-mi]

Oh I'm so glad you asked this Maria. I RARELY make SMB for the reason above and that I never get the temp of the butter quite right for adding.

Signed, Deflated (and defeated) in Michigan

 

[marilynfl]

It works in lift-head KA. I also have a larger capacity lift bowl KA, but rarely use it

I haven’t used her recipe (I probably used Beranbaum’s Cake Bible?) and the only time it failed, it failed 3 times in a row. I tossed each failure and finally got a version to work.

I have SINCE read that if the icing is runny to put the entire mixer bowl with icing into the refrigerator until it firms up, then beat it. To be honest, I haven’t tested that, but REALLY regret tossing all those ingredients from the failures. Oh…I just remembered…the first two failed were with container EggWhites, not from individual eggs. I wonder if that made it worse.

The other change was to have a second KA bowl. When the first bowl has cooled down somewhat, I move the contents to the second chilled bowl and ice that with cold wraps (thank you, frozen shoulder physical therapy wrap) That method always worked for me.

Also, try not to run the hot syrup down the sides of the metal bowl. Pour away from sides, but also away from beater.

Also also, calibrate your thermometer (check your local boiling point value) to ensure its readings are correct and the egg mixture isn't exceeding 140 degrees...which really isn't that hot. My hot water is 126 degrees. When I taught the caramel candy class, I warned the patrons about candy thermometers where the "liquid in glass" tube held in place with metal strips can slide up or down if care isn't taken when storing it or it's just old and has been manhandled. Some patrons were trying to use cheap frying thermometers which aren't that accurate for sugar stages.


I checked the Bible and have been making her Mousseline buttercream in my lift-head KA, the difference being the egg whites are beaten into a meringue and only the sugar and water are heated to 248 (firm ball stage) before adding it to the meringue. Pour into heat-proof cup to stop heat from rising. She also beats the butter ahead of time until it is smooth and cream and sets it aside in a cool place before adding it. She only adds a bit of the sugar syrup at a time, beating and then waiting in between before adding more. I really like this recipe because it can be flavored and colored in any number of ways.

This video shows her temperatures in later parts of the recipe:

Rose on Video: Mousseline "Italian Meringue" Buttercream at General Mills kitchen — Real Baking with Rose

To accompany the first enhanced kindle cookbook for Amazon , we videotaped 26 short videos for Rose's Heavenly Cakes . The videos feature ingredients, pan preparation, techniques, and general cake and bread baking instructions that can supplement any of my cookbooks. The grand finale is spun s

www.realbakingwithrose.com

This video from Preppy Kitchen shows John making it from the beginning with a lift-head and notes temperatures and what the room-temp butter should look like.