I see a lot of people on here that have the really big beautiful swirls on their cupcakes use Swiss Meringue Buttercream, but what does it taste like? Is it really hard to make? How does it hold up on cupcakes over time (ie: after a day, or in a closed container)? Also, do I need a candy thermometer to make it? I've heard it uses cooked egg whites.
Thanks!
I see a lot of people on here that have the really big beautiful swirls on their cupcakes use Swiss Meringue Buttercream, but what does it taste like? Is it really hard to make? How does it hold up on cupcakes over time (ie: after a day, or in a closed container)? Also, do I need a candy thermometer to make it? I've heard it uses cooked egg whites.
Thanks!
You ask what SMBC taste like. Some say that it taste like a stick of butter. 
It does have a real buttery taste. I use twice as much flavoring in SMBC as in my crusting bc. I add melted white chocolate to mine. It takes flavor really well. I use a candy thermometer when making my SMBC and yess it's made with egg whites. It will hold up fine on cupcakes in a closed container for a day or so if refrigerated.
There are two different kinds, one is Swiss and one is Italian. I can't remember what one but, one heats the eggs white over a double boiler and one heats sugar and whips it into the egg whites. I have made both and find that heating the egg whites over a double boiler is eaiser. I LOVE SMBC/IMBC. It can hold tons of flavours and holds well in heat.
As for taste..... depends what flavour you use. I woudl just try a batch. Its only egg whites, sugar, butter and cream of tarter in some. Then add melted chocolate, coffee creamers, purees....... anything.
It can also be made really smooth with a hot knife.
Thats all I have, hope this helps
I leave mine out for a day with no problem. But you can pop them in the fridge and they only take about 15 minutes to warm up.
I'm curious what recipe you use? Because I have one I just used the other day called Swiss Meringue Buttercream that used the entire eggs! So, would you mind sharing your recipe with me...(pm) or SWISS M. that you used? I do an Italian Meringue buttercream that uses only egg whites...I'm curious if people are calling the same recipe different names? Thanks!
If it isn't extremely hot they will be fine out of the fridge for a day or so.
I'm curious what recipe you use? Because I have one I just used the other day called Swiss Meringue Buttercream that used the entire eggs! So, would you mind sharing your recipe with me...(pm) or SWISS M. that you used? I do an Italian Meringue buttercream that uses only egg whites...I'm curious if people are calling the same recipe different names? Thanks!
That sounds like a French Buttercream that uses the whole egg.
I use The Well Dressed Cake SMBC receipe from this site. SMBC and IMBC do use only egg whites. The "custard cream" icings do use whole eggs but not SMBC.
True Swiss meringue buttercreams (or italian) use only the whites. French meringue buttercream uses only the yolks. There are some people that use whole eggs, because its easier, but it is not a true swiss meringue buttercreme.
Technically they get their names because they are made from swiss meringue or Italian merengue, and then they have butter and flavor added to them to make the buttercream.
How long does the SMBC take to make? Does it take a long time to cool after it's cooked? How do you add color to it? Do you have to color it while your making it, or can you make a big batch of white, and add the colors later?
You can make a big batch white and add your color as needed. It's cooled before you start adding the butter so it's ready to use right after it's made. You heat the egg whites and sugar to 160 degrees then transfer them to the mixing bowl and beat until the soft peaks form and the bowl is cool to the touch. Time varies on this step but it usually takes me anywhere from 15-25 minutes. I add my butter straight from the fridge. It's also very important not to add your butter until the egg whites are completely cool.
Thanks guys for the clarification!
You're welcome. I'm curious as I've never made the French buttercreams that use the whole egg. Did you like the receipe that you used?
For my recipe I heat the egg whites, sugar and cream of tarter in my mixing bowl over boiling water for about 5 minutes until warm. Then transfer to the mixer with whisk attachment and whip until eggs whites are cool and hold stiff peaks. Then add the butter a tbl at a time and whip on med until all the butter is added. Add what ever falvour at the end.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMBC) is made by heating the egg whites, sugar and an acid (cream of tartar) in a bain marie (waterbath) until the sugar is dissolved and then transferred into the mixer and whipped until a stiff foam foam until they reach a temperature of 160 degrees F, for 2 to 4 minutes, where the egg whites are considered "cooked". It is then beaten with butter to make a buttercream meringue. The result is always a beautiful, white buttercream that you can get really smooth on a cake. In warm weather, it doesn't hold up as well as Italian Meringue Buttercream does, but you can make it with hi-ratio shortening so it will be more stable in temperatures over 80 degrees F. See Swiss Meringue Buttercream warm weather tips.
Italian Meringue Buttercream (IMBC) This is more popular than Swiss Meringue Buttercream. After the meringue is whipped to stiff peaks, and in the case of the Italian Meringue, cooled to room temperature. is made with softball (240 degree F) sugar syrup poured into whipping egg whites. Once whipped, add softened butter to the bowl, little at a time and whip until a fluffy consistency is reached. You can make the icing in advance; keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week. Italian Meringue Buttercream can be frozen for up to 3 months (some baker's have reported that it has kept longer). NOTE: In the book, ON FOOD AND COOKING, by Harold McGee, he says that "Because much of the syrup's heat is lost to the bowl...the foam mass normally gets no hotter than 130 or 135 degrees F, which is insufficient to kill salmonella", page 108. You can use powdered pasteurized egg whites to make the Italian Meringue Buttercream is you are concerned.
As to whether Swiss or Italian Meringue Buttercream is "better", that is up to its use. Because Swiss meringue isn't made with a sugar syrup as Italian Meringue Buttercream is, you don't have to worry about little crystallized bits of sugar that you can get with an Italian Meringue. The primary difference between Italian and Swiss Meringue Buttercreams is stability or how well they hold up in all situations. Swiss tends to deflate slightly faster and doesn't hold up as well in warm environments. Italian is more dependable and heartier. Either can be frozen for long-term storage. Both types of Buttercream often take quite a bit of whipping in order to reach the right consistency of light and fluffy. Cool butter is whipped in and many times the meringue buttercream breaks, but with more beating it comes together and makes a silky, very buttery, not too sweet or grainy buttercream. How to fix meringue buttercream.
I just copied these from the baking911 website. Hope this helps
Everyone's tastes are different. I tried swiss meringue buttercream because I kept hearing rave reviews and people saying things like "Once you try SMBC, you'll never go back to nasty powdered sugar buttercreams!" I hated it. It tasted like mildly sweetened butter and felt like an oil slick in my mouth. When I made the batch and kept adding ANOTHER stick of butter, then ANOTHER stick of butter, I just thought...oh man, for the sake of my waistline I hope I don't like this! And I didn't.
This is the recipe I use off this site (altered slightly) I use it ALL the time with different variations: eg. add rasp, choc (white or reg). at the very end. It is the best frosting according to EVERYONE I know!! I find it refrigerates great and softens up within half an hour to an hour without affecting the taste. Sometimes I add more then the recipe calls for for flavor maybe 1 tbsp instead it is great either way. Sometimes the mixing seems tedious but with a stand mixer it really is no big deal I usually have something I could be doing anyway. I have never over or under mixed(egg whites and sugar) and I vary my mixing times and I just wait till it is like a meringue.
Sinful Swiss Meringue Butter Cream
Ingredients
* 1/2 cup (4 oz) of egg whites
1 cup (8 oz) of granulated sugar
1 1/2 (12 oz) cup butter
1 tsp of flavoring (I use 3/4 tsp van & 1/4 tsp almond)
Instructions
Put eggs and sugar in your mixing bowl and beat with whisk until well combined. Put bowl over a hot bath on stove top and KEEP mixing until mixture is no longer grainy to the touch (approx 3 min). When thats done, take bowl to mixer using the balloon whisk on medium speed until a meringue like texture is achieved may take up to 10 min(but worth it if you want a slightly stiffer frosting). Replace balloon whisk for paddle. Slowly add your room temp butter in pieces and mix until smooth. Now add your extracts and (color optional-pref gel). You will notice it curd a bit approx. 3 min into mixing, keep it on medium for another 3-4 min and it will be smooth & silky. Dont get impatient it will turn out so good! Hope you enjoy.
Sorry so long I am REALLY passionate about SMBC!
To me SMBC tastes like melted ice cream that has been whipped into a buttercream...it is smooth as silk...heaven in my mouth. But thats me
Very good description Me too. It only taste like a stick of butter if you don't add flavoring.
To me, it tastes silky, smooth and mildly sweet. When flavored correctly, it is the best buttercream imho. It doesn't have the clawing sweetness of american buttercream.
SMBC is my favorite. I agree with kassie11, when flavored correctly it tastes amazing. I'd much prefer eating butter, egg whites and sugar to a bunch of fat and powdered sugar.
To the OP: you should make a batch of SMBC and see for yourself!
mamawrobin! Forgive me, I just realized I told you wrong. I didn't use the entire egg, I only used egg yolks. This was referred to as Swiss Butter Meringue Buttercream or Neoclassic Buttercream by Rose Levy's Cake Bible.
It used egg yolks, sugar, lt. corn syrup and butter with flavoring.
So sorry for the misinformation!
I was trying to use up my leftover egg yolks when making a huge wedding cake needing all egg whites. I had a ton of them left over! So I tried this. It was good!
mamawrobin! Forgive me, I just realized I told you wrong. I didn't use the entire egg, I only used egg yolks. This was referred to as Swiss Butter Meringue Buttercream or Neoclassic Buttercream by Rose Levy's Cake Bible.
It used egg yolks, sugar, lt. corn syrup and butter with flavoring.
So sorry for the misinformation!
I was trying to use up my leftover egg yolks when making a huge wedding cake needing all egg whites. I had a ton of them left over! So I tried this. It was good!
I'd love to have the receipe whenever you have the time to pm it to me. I am always looking for ways to use the egg yolks rather than throw them out. I see how you were confused as the name is so similar.
I know Martha Stewart's recipe for SMBC also suggests cooking the egg white and sugar until it feels slippery, and not grainy to the touch. My concern is that this happens much sooner than it reaches 160 degrees, which is when the salmonella is killed off. So, for those that don't use a thermometer, are they risking making people sick? I'm no expert, but I just wasn't sure why Martha was recommending this?
I personally love SMBC and so do all the people I make it for. I recently made a homemade strawberry glace to mix in with it and it was heavenly. It certainly does need strong flavors because on its own it is too buttery. Chocolate, mocha, vanilla, coconut, brown sugar vanilla, strawberry - all delightful. It is the texture that really makes it.
Enjoy!
when I make my SMBC, I use a little less butter than typically called for - my recipe is
4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
3 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup flavoring....such as puree, liqueors, etc
My receipe has only 3 sticks of butter as well. The only difference in yours and mine is that I use 5 egg whites and no cream of tarter.
I know Martha Stewart's recipe for SMBC also suggests cooking the egg white and sugar until it feels slippery, and not grainy to the touch. My concern is that this happens much sooner than it reaches 160 degrees, which is when the salmonella is killed off. So, for those that don't use a thermometer, are they risking making people sick? I'm no expert, but I just wasn't sure why Martha was recommending this?
I personally love SMBC and so do all the people I make it for. I recently made a homemade strawberry glace to mix in with it and it was heavenly. It certainly does need strong flavors because on its own it is too buttery. Chocolate, mocha, vanilla, coconut, brown sugar vanilla, strawberry - all delightful. It is the texture that really makes it.
Enjoy!
I don't recommend making SMBC without a thermometer. I paid about $4.00 for mine so there's no excuse not to have one.
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Yes, mamawrobin, this is my feeling exactly. I just think that we need to be safety conscious with perishable food items. My understanding is that SMBC shouldn't be out of the fridge for more than 5 hours, especially on a warm day. It sounds like other people leave it out for longer, but isn't there a risk of food poisoning?
Yes, mamawrobin, this is my feeling exactly. I just think that we need to be safety conscious with perishable food items. My understanding is that SMBC shouldn't be out of the fridge for more than 5 hours, especially on a warm day. It sounds like other people leave it out for longer, but isn't there a risk of food poisoning?
Some say yes...others say no.. 
I use the pasturized egg whites because they are safer for this very reason. I've also heard that if the whites are heated to 160 degrees it kills the bacteria so that makes it ok to sit out for a day or two. I just don't know. Mine never last long enough to worry about it sitting out.
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