More On Italian Meringue Buttercream
Decorating By MariaLovesCakes Updated 27 Jul 2005 , 5:45pm by bubblezmom
For those who make this type of icing, I need some assistance.
Do you always use unsalted butter for this recipe?
What's the best way to keep this icing white? Because of the butter, wouldn't it be more like a off white or pale yellow color?
Do you refrigerate after icing your cake?
What recipe do you use?
If you don't want to post your recipe, can you send me a private message?
Thank you in advance. I like this type of icing which I will only use for very special occasions.
You should always use unsalted butter. One uses salted butter in savory dishes.
It is white. It was a classic, Italian Meringue recipe.
Thanks, Sugar. I just hav to find a place where I can get unsalted butter cheaper. Where I live it is very expensive. Even buying from Walmart. 
That's odd, it's the same price here.
In all honesty I can not tell that much of a difference with the butters. The only butters I do notice a difference is if it's organic, or imported from France. Those I only use to butter my bread though, not for baking my practice cakes and things like that.
That's odd, it's the same price here.
In all honesty I can not tell that much of a difference with the butters. The only butters I do notice a difference is if it's organic, or imported from France. Those I only use to butter my bread though, not for baking my practice cakes and things like that.
Well, lets see. I live in Florida. The price of the butter I use (which I was just told that is margarine, not butter) costs about $.54 per lb. I have used this margarine in my cakes and icing and it works great. They make this margarine so that it "bakes" like butter, but its not butter.
Regular butter or salted is $2.34 and Unsalted $3.38. for also a lb. That's only 4 sticks of butter and some of these recipes for Italian Meringue or Swiss call for 8 to 12 sticks so that adds up. If I need bigger amounts it can get quite expensive.
Sugar, its that how much it costs where you live?
HELP!!!!!!!! I don't have a candy thermometer.. what is the soft ball stage?? HURRY!! It's boiling now.. THANK YOU!!!!!!
HELP!!!!!!!! I don't have a candy thermometer.. what is the soft ball stage?? HURRY!! It's boiling now.. THANK YOU!!!!!!
Oh, my God!!! My reply is probably late..
It takes 7 minutes to reach soft ball stage..... Start counting the minutes when it starts to boil... Set a timer...
AAHHGGGG!!! ok well it's getting thick and has tons of bubbles on the top.. is that ok???
AAHHGGGG!!! ok well it's getting thick and has tons of bubbles on the top.. is that ok???
Yep, its supposed to get lots of bubbles and get thick... But don't let it caramalized.... How long has it been boiling...?
well I already added it to the egg whites... (time of boiling have no idea).. Is this suppose to be yellow?? I added vanilla butter and nut flavoring.. it's tasty, but not as stiff as I expected it to be.
hmm.. does this need to be in the fridge?
well I already added it to the egg whites... (time of boiling have no idea).. Is this suppose to be yellow?? I added vanilla butter and nut flavoring.. it's tasty, but not as stiff as I expected it to be.
hmm.. does this need to be in the fridge?
Well, its yellow depending on the type of butter you used.... Or are you referring to the syrup? It gets a little light amber, but it doesn't affect the color of the icing.
Are you doing Italian Meringue? Its supposed to be nice and thick. My instructions say to refrigerate it for about 30 minutes before using... Maximum an hour. I would check it after 30 to see if the consistency is thick enough for you.
Yes I am doing Italian Meringue. I used blue bonnet buttter sticks. The icing is yellow.. I used the martha stewart method.. Do you have another you can send in a PM. And THANK YOU sooooooo much for responding so fast.. 
This site is amazing.. with in mins. you were right there... I can't believe how fast we can get help around here.. Now only if I can teach this "fast help" method to my teenagers. 
Yes I am doing Italian Meringue. I used blue bonnet buttter sticks. The icing is yellow.. I used the martha stewart method.. Do you have another you can send in a PM. And THANK YOU sooooooo much for responding so fast..
This site is amazing.. with in mins. you were right there... I can't believe how fast we can get help around here.. Now only if I can teach this "fast help" method to my teenagers.
Cool!!!! Yes, I know what you mean... I happened to be close the PC so whenever I hear a message come in (I have sounds on) I come in and check who wrote to me...
And, yes, the icing is going to be yellow if you used blue bonnet. That's the one I use as well. I am going to try using unsalted butter which is much whiter to see the difference in texture and color.
I will pm a couple of recipes I have for Italian Meringue. The first one I tried is from baking 911, but I want to try another one that doesn't call for adding sugar to the egg whites while whipping... I want to skip that step.
I have another that calls for whipping egg whites with cream of tartar, make syrup and then add syrup and whip some more...
Thank you.. Here is the recipe I had
1 1/4 cup of sugar
2/3 cup of water
5 egg whits
pinch of cream of tartar
4 sticks of butter chilled (unsalted)(cut into pieces)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
bring water and sugar to boil, until soft ball stage or 238 candy thermometer
meanwhile beat eggs on low until foamy add a pinch of cream of tartar until stiff not dry.
when the syrup is done add it to egg whites while running.. run it until steam is not visible.. about 3 mins.
add butter piece by piece about 3-5 mins. then add vanilla
if it curdles beat until smooth..
I just got some unsalted butter on sale, 2 pounds for it was either $3.00-$4.00. I can not remember. Butter isn't inxepensive here. I don't eat much of it. Usually I just by the stuff imported from France because it tastes significantly better and I use so little the cost doesn't matter.
I'd never use margarine though, ick! Gotta use the real stuff
Thank you.. Here is the recipe I had
1 1/4 cup of sugar
2/3 cup of water
5 egg whits
pinch of cream of tartar
4 sticks of butter chilled (unsalted)(cut into pieces)
1 teaspoon of vanilla
bring water and sugar to boil, until soft ball stage or 238 candy thermometer
meanwhile beat eggs on low until foamy add a pinch of cream of tartar until stiff not dry.
when the syrup is done add it to egg whites while running.. run it until steam is not visible.. about 3 mins.
add butter piece by piece about 3-5 mins. then add vanilla
if it curdles beat until smooth..
Oh, I just pm you and one of the recipes is just like this one. But there is also one that is for a larger batch that you can try....
I'd love to have someone's "tried and true" recipe for a great Italian Meringue Buttercream. Would anyone be willing to share their "out of this world" tasting recipe? You can pm me if you don't want to post. Thanks!
Tracy
I'd love to have someone's "tried and true" recipe for a great Italian Meringue Buttercream. Would anyone be willing to share their "out of this world" tasting recipe? You can pm me if you don't want to post. Thanks!
Tracy
Well, I have tried so far one for Italian... .. I have one more recipe to try that is similar but with unsalted butter like it calls for instead of with margarine... which I used... 
It is still very tasty but it turns yellow. With unsalted butter is should come out white...
Anyway, I have been searching for these type of recipes and they are all very similar, so I don't think you will get a very different taste and texture from others....
The taste is heavenly that's for sure and very silky.... Martha has a recipe, Sylvia Weinstock has a recipe, and other bakers have theirs. They are all similar in ingredients .... The timing varies, but I think the result is pretty similar, eventhough they claim that theirs is "better" than others...
brainsbaker here, did Martha's recipe... I did another and they seem pretty similar...
I am going to try one more recipe and will let you know...
I think someone esle in this forum did Sylvia Weinstocks... its time consuming but she says its very good.... It is posted I think under recipes on this site...
Hi BriansBaker
If you don't have a candy thermometer you can use the water in a glass trick, drop a small amount of the mixture in a glass of cold water and it should form a soft ball (hence the "soft ball" stage).
I always use unsalted butter for meringue frostings. I usually don't buy butter in the supermarkets as it is too expensive, I buy it at specialty stores like Trader Joes, their butter prices are half the price in the supermarket and the quality is so much better. You can check out their website to see if they have a store near you.
The main key to making meringue frosting is to make sure the butter is not too soft and you have to keep beating it, at first it will resemble cottage cheese but keep beating it, increasing mixer speed and it will come together very nicely, it holds up real well and you can flavor it with anything (liqueurs, vanilla, almond extract, coffee, chocolate, raspberry puree etc you name it)
Hi BriansBaker
The main key to making meringue frosting is to make sure the butter is not too soft and you have to keep beating it,
On the recipe I did, from Baking911, they say to beat the butter together with Crisco, until well incorporated. It says to keep it in a cool place, but it has been beaten and therefore soft, but I guess not too soft...
Just tried the martha stewart's recipe and it tastes wonderful. Very rich. I added a lil almond extract (1/8 tsp?). I was afraid to try a meringue, but this was a snap to make.
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