Italian meringue buttercream is prepared by the addition of sugar syrup made by heating sugar and water to the soft-ball stage (118 celcius, 240 farhenheit) to egg whites whipped to soft peaks. The sugar syrup cooks the egg whites, heating them well pass 60 celcius to kill salmonella and any other potentially harmful bacteria. The syrup and egg white mixture then whipped and cooled until it reaches room temperature.
Source: Wikipedia
Ingredients: (make 4 1/2 cups)
- 1 1/4 cups of sugar
- 5 large egg whites
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- 1 pound of chilled unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Procedure:
- In a small saucepan over small heat, bring sugar and 2/3 cups of water to boil. Continue boiling until syrup reaches soft-ball stage temperature on a candy thermometer.
- Meanwhile, place egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer filled with the whisk attachment and beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat on medium high speed until stiff but no dry. Caution: Do not over beat.
- With the mixer running, add syrup to whites in a stream, beating on high speed until no longer steaming,about 3 minutes. Add butter bit by bit, beating until spreadable,3 to 5 minutes; beat in vanilla. If it curdles, keep beating until smooth.
Recipe by Martha Stewart.
