Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream


BROWNSUGA

Recommended Posts

I am in need of help with SMBC. :biggrin: One, I have never had it until I made it at home. So, I dont know what to compare it to in order to make sure that it's coming out right.

When I make it, it tastes great -- while still in the bowl. However, it changes after it's put on the cake. Hopefully, I am explaining this right. The texture isnt the same after I apply it on the cake. It's not as ....ummm, what's the word....whipped-like or .....the mouthfeel is different. Does that make sense? :wacko:

Another thing, when applying it to the cake, should the cake be room temperature or chilled?

Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm, not sure why the texture would change when you put on the cake. I always use SMBC for all my cakes and have always had pretty great results. I always cut and fill the cakes when the cakes are chilled, but the BC is room temp., freshly made preferably. Then I crumb coat and put the cakes in the fridge to chill, then go over again with the BC. As far as mouthfeel, I know I always advise clients to eat the cakes when they are at room temp because the taste and texture just aren't the same when they are right out of the fridge and cold... like eating hard butter which is what it is basically. Does this help at all??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, Dee. I know exactly what you are talking about when you compare it to hard butter. I am letting it come to room temperature, but it kind of tastes....flat. It is not as fluffy or whipped as when I first make it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was asking because if I'm using old buttercream (whether it's been frozen or has been in the fridge), I always paddle it on low for a bit after it's softened to get the texture back.

"I just hate health food"--Julia Child

Jennifer Garner

buttercream pastries

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am in need of help with SMBC.  :biggrin:  One, I have never had it until I made it at home.  So, I dont know what to compare it to in order to make sure that it's coming out right.

When I make it, it tastes great -- while still in the bowl.  However, it changes after it's put on the cake. Hopefully, I am explaining this right.  The texture isnt the same after I apply it on the cake.  It's not as ....ummm, what's the word....whipped-like or .....the mouthfeel is different.  Does that make sense?  :wacko:

Another thing, when applying it to the cake, should the cake be room temperature or chilled? 

Thanks in advance.

Brownsuga, Have you tried Italian Meringue Buttercream? Its easy and won't slump or melt in the summer and it is ethereal when made correctly. It also has the added bonus of using fully cooked whites so you can confidently serve it to little kids and old ladies. Woods

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It also has the added bonus of using fully cooked whites so you can confidently serve it to little kids and old ladies.

As hot as I get my whites when I made Swiss Meringue Buttercream, I'd say they were more than fully cooked also.

I think the primary difference between Italian and Swiss Meringue Buttercreams is stability. Swiss tends to deflate a little quicker and doesn't hold up as well in warm situations. Italian is heartier and a bit more dependable. :wink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd always wondered about the difference between Swiss and Italian meringue buttercream. I've heard that Cheryl Kleinman and Ron Ben-Israel use Swiss exclusively (because she didn't like the little specs that sometimes appear in the IM). I've always used IM - it was what I learned in classes, and I love the taste and how it handles.

But what drives me nuts is the egg whites. Last year when everyone was on the low-carb binge, egg prices skyrocketed and I experimented with commercial whites. No matter what, the commercial ones would collapse when I added the sugar syrup - I tried Syso and Papetti and it happened with both. I have been able to use about a third of the weight in whites with them (10 oz out of 30 for the 20 qt mixer) , though but any more than that, forget it. Eggs have come down a lot (back to 4-6 cents each) so it's comparable to what I'd be paying for commercial whites.

Has anyone else had this problem with commercial whites and Italian Meringue Buttercream?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am in need of help with SMBC.   :biggrin:  One, I have never had it until I made it at home.  So, I dont know what to compare it to in order to make sure that it's coming out right.

When I make it, it tastes great -- while still in the bowl.  However, it changes after it's put on the cake. Hopefully, I am explaining this right.  The texture isnt the same after I apply it on the cake.  It's not as ....ummm, what's the word....whipped-like or .....the mouthfeel is different.  Does that make sense?   :wacko:

Another thing, when applying it to the cake, should the cake be room temperature or chilled? 

Thanks in advance.

Brownsuga, Have you tried Italian Meringue Buttercream? Its easy and won't slump or melt in the summer and it is ethereal when made correctly. It also has the added bonus of using fully cooked whites so you can confidently serve it to little kids and old ladies. Woods

I tired the Italian Meringue Buttercream yesterday and loved it. I will be making it from now on. It tastes like the Swiss Meringue Buttercream, however, it didnt taste "flat" after putting it on the cake. I will be making the Italian Meringue from now on. :biggrin:

Thanks alot everyone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has anyone else had this problem with commercial whites and Italian Meringue Buttercream?

The use of commercial whites had been discussed at length on another thread a while ago. I believe the consensus was that when it comes to whipping them, they are very very undependable. I know in my experience, commercial whites were pretty much a disaster in

whipping applications. I always always use fresh whites when I have to make meringues and

such. I know it's more work to separate them, and can be more expensive, but the dependability

is there, and that's what I need. I don't quite know what they do to commercial whites that makes them so squirrely.....it must be in the process...like pasteurization or some such.

:smile:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like making meringue buttercream, but I hate wasting the yolks. What is the best way to store the yolks if I am not going to be using them immediately?

Also, are there any other options? Can meringue powder be used...the back of the can gives a conversion of how much meringue powder and water equals one white.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, all my leftover yolks pretty much get turned into lemon curd....and then I usually freeze the lemon curd for whenever I need it. However, I've also frozen yolks, but you have to add 1 tsp. sugar for each yolk or else when you thaw the yolks they will be weird and lumpy and won't really be good for anything else. The sugar keeps the yolks liquid, but then you also have to conpensate for the extra sugar in your recipe when you do use them.

As for the meringue powder being used for bc, I'd be interested to find that out myself... never tried or heard of anyone trying that. I just use the stuff for royal icing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd always wondered about the difference between Swiss and Italian meringue buttercream.  I've heard that Cheryl Kleinman and Ron Ben-Israel use Swiss exclusively (because she didn't like the little specs that sometimes appear in the IM).  I've always used IM - it was what I learned in classes, and I love the taste and how it handles. 

But what drives me nuts is the egg whites.  Last year when everyone was on the low-carb binge, egg prices skyrocketed and I experimented with commercial whites.  No matter what, the commercial ones would collapse when I added the sugar syrup - I tried Syso and Papetti and it happened with both. I have been able to use about a third of the weight in whites with them (10 oz out of 30 for the 20 qt mixer) , though but any more than that, forget it.  Eggs have come down a lot (back to 4-6 cents each) so it's comparable to what I'd be paying for commercial whites.

Has anyone else had this problem with commercial whites and Italian Meringue Buttercream?

I have made IMBC with fresh eggs whites and a product called Just Whites that you find in the grocery store. Both yielded good results in terms of texture and stability. However the IMBC made with the Just Whites had a slightly "off" taste that I didn't care for.

Have you tried the Just Whites product?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

I just tried SMBC for the first time a couple days ago and I love it! I've always made IMBC because that's what I see talked about most.

Now I'm wondering about ratios.

I used one by Elisa Strauss from Confetti Cakes.

20 oz sugar

10 oz eggwhites

20 oz butter

(2-1/2 oz vanilla) - this part doesn't matter for the purposes of this discussion.

I loved that it didn't have as much butter as many others do.

Now, here's CIA's Cake Art list:

(17-1/2) 7 oz sugar

(10) 4 oz egg whites

(40) 16 oz butter

(5 tsp) 2 tsp vanilla

The bracketed amounts are x 2-1/2 so we have an even comparison based on the egg whites.

See, double the amount of butter in CIA's recipe. I think I would gag. Is there a reason I should use more butter?

What proportions do you use?

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just tried SMBC for the first time a couple days ago and I love it! I've always made IMBC because that's what I see talked about most.

Now I'm wondering about ratios.

I used one by Elisa Strauss from Confetti Cakes.

20 oz sugar

10 oz eggwhites

20 oz butter

(2-1/2 oz vanilla) - this part doesn't matter for the purposes of this discussion.

I loved that it didn't have as much butter as many others do.

Now, here's CIA's Cake Art list:

(17-1/2) 7 oz sugar

(10)      4 oz egg whites

(40)      16 oz butter

(5 tsp)    2 tsp vanilla

The bracketed amounts are x 2-1/2 so we have an even comparison based on the egg whites.

See, double the amount of butter in CIA's recipe. I think I would gag. Is there a reason I should use more butter?

What proportions do you use?

Hmm, I just checked and I use almost twice as much butter as sugar. I use Margaret Braun's formula. Page 211 in her book. I never thought to tweak this recipe. It just works so easily. But I think I'll test it as I make it next time and see how I like it with less butter.

It's a really good icing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love both IMBC and SMBC.... but both dont hold up well with the heat here in Manila. Does anyone have suggestions on what kind of icing would work better in warm weather (something similar to IM and SM)? Wasn't there are recipe in the cake bible that's supposed to hold up better in warm places?

Dee... i also wanted to ask... you mentioned that you freeze your lemon curd. How do you store them? Does it change texture at all when you bring it out from the freezer?

Thanks.

Judy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just tried SMBC for the first time a couple days ago and I love it! I've always made IMBC because that's what I see talked about most.

Now I'm wondering about ratios.

I used one by Elisa Strauss from Confetti Cakes.

20 oz sugar

10 oz eggwhites

20 oz butter

(2-1/2 oz vanilla) - this part doesn't matter for the purposes of this discussion.

I loved that it didn't have as much butter as many others do.

Now, here's CIA's Cake Art list:

(17-1/2) 7 oz sugar

(10)      4 oz egg whites

(40)      16 oz butter

(5 tsp)    2 tsp vanilla

The bracketed amounts are x 2-1/2 so we have an even comparison based on the egg whites.

See, double the amount of butter in CIA's recipe. I think I would gag. Is there a reason I should use more butter?

What proportions do you use?

Just bumping this up. I know better than to post a question at the end of the week :raz: ,

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there a marked difference between SMBC and regular American buttercream? What I'm getting at is whether boiling the sugar in SMBC makes all that much difference in the end product, as compared to mixing confectioner's sugar & butter in American-style...

Thanks !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there a marked difference between SMBC and regular American buttercream? What I'm getting at is whether boiling the sugar in SMBC makes all that much difference in the end product, as compared to mixing confectioner's sugar & butter in American-style...

Thanks !

smbc does not involve boiling the sugar. the steps are:

whisk sugar and whites together in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. you want to make sure the sugar is dissolved and the temp reaches about 160F.

put the whites/sugar mixture on your mixer and whisk until cool.

add the butter and flavoring and continue whisking until shiny.

i don't know about american buttercream, but using powdered sugar will definitely give you a different product. the starch in the powdered sugar is still raw, so might give a different mouthfeel/texture. the overall texture of the buttercream is different as well. i think american buttercream ends up crusting over when left out, correct? smbc and imbc will both stay silky smooth and shiny at room temp.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there a marked difference between SMBC and regular American buttercream? What I'm getting at is whether boiling the sugar in SMBC makes all that much difference in the end product, as compared to mixing confectioner's sugar & butter in American-style...

Thanks !

I think there's a huge difference. I would never choose to have an icing sugar buttercream over a meringue buttercream. The MBC has a much smoother mouthfeel and can be made less sweet and like alanamoana said, it doesn't have the raw taste of cornstarch. Well worth the effort.

Edited by CanadianBakin' (log)

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Orison Swett Marden

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...