I'm looking for a Non-crusting Butter Cream. I use 1 c. Crisco and I would prefer not to use butter so that it can be kept out of the fridge.

Is there such thing as a non crusting that can be kept out?

Thanks!

The more fat in the recipe that less it will crust. So you will want to look for recipes that have a higher fat content. A recipe with a cup of crisco to a lb of sugar will crust. A recipe with 3 cups of fat to 1.5 lbs of sugar will be slow to crust if it ever do.

Also from my understanding, butter in icing can be left out for a few days.

Thanks!

Maybe I'll just doctor my current recipe to add more fat. See if that helps. And maybe decrease the merigane.

We were told in our Wilton class that butter and milk could not be left out. Only shortening.

yeah, but don't people leave sticks of butter out all the time in a butter dish???

duh...that's so dumb of me. I leave mine out ALL the time.

Sheesh..I wonder what my teacher was thinking. And what was I thinking believing her!

A little point of clarification.... we all leave SALTED butter out for days... the salt acts as a preservative. If you are using UNSALTED butter (and it makes a HUGE difference in IMBC - gotta use unsalted) you can't leave it out as long.

Just a tip.....

DO NOT DOCTOR a traditional BC recipe.

I added a bit more shortening to mine, and all I got was a mess. VERY hard to smooth (if not impossible)..

I guess it crusts for a reason, and I should leave it at that!

True buttercreams like SMBC or IMBC do not crust over, where "frosting" or "icings" like you are describing (lack of butter hence cannot be buttercream) do crust over when exposed to air and left to sit.
Try making a SMBC or IMBC and see the difference...yes more costly, but yummy!

I just read in my baking manual that you are not supposed to leave this type of icing out of the fridge if made with milk being the liquid due to milk being parishable.
It is the high sugar content (as stated above) that causes the crusting over..the moisture dries out on the surface causing very small sugar crystals to form and thus makes the firm exterior finish.

This was from baking911 website...

Question: Why doesn't buttercream made with butter, powdered sugar and a small amount of milk need refrigeration?
Answer: Because of its high content of sugar and fat. Micro-organisms need water to grow. When the sugar content is so high, the sugar binds the water in such a way that micro-organisms cannot utilize it. Technically its called "water activity control

JoAnn

http://members.nuvox.net/~zt.proicer/message/saved/RECIPES.htm#Chef

try the one chefleah's version. GREAT

Tirby how sweet is it?

Zamode. It realy isn't. It is so smooth too. The first time I made this a bride and groom onlt ordered a cake for guests because they just dont eat sweets. Well They liked it so much they both had 2 pieces!

When I make buttercream (usually with Crisco and butter and vanilla flavorings), I do not add the meringue powder ... this seems to help cut down on the crusting.

Tina

Sounds good then Tirby, I'll try it!