Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe (IMBC)

Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe (IMBC)

Italian meringue buttercream is made with egg white and boiled sugar syrup instead of powder sugar. So it’s usually less sweet; more creamy and has a velvet like silky smooth feel on the tongue. A bit more complicated than making Swiss Meringue but the stability of the meringue is much better and last fluffy longer.

Once you’ve tired a meringue based buttercream it’s almost impossible to go back to the sweet regular buttercream. I still love my American Buttercream. In fact, I have one of the best American Buttercream (ABC)  recipes you will find.
BUT!!!  A meringue based buttercream? be it Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMBC) or Italian Meringue Buttercream (IMBC) both meringue based buttercreams are lighter, fluffier,  less sweet, creamy, like having a velvet feel on your month that just melts your taste buds.

Those of you that cannot use raw egg whites in your buttercream may like to try my recipe – Meringue Buttercream made using meringue powder 

Making Italian meringue (IMBC) is not difficult but the process is a bit more tricky unlike Swiss Meringue Buttercream 

Difference between Swiss Meringue Buttercream Vs Italian Meringue Buttercream

The first most important difference is that Italian meringue buttercream is made using a candy thermometer while Swiss MC is made without a candy thermometer.

• Some say IMBC holds up better in humidity due to the boiling sugar syrup; that’s what we heard (not sure how much is true).
• They  look the same and have a similar velvet sheen,
• Excellent in spreading and piping.
• Both hold well on their own. (Firm peaks).
• I personally love them on cupcakes exclusively!!!

Tools

• Candy Thermometer
• Sauce Pan
• Mixer – preferably a K-mix or
  Kitchen-Aid type; but
  Hand-Mixer works too!

Ingredients

• 6 Egg Whites
• 1/8 tsp Cream of tartar
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1/3 cup extra fine granulated sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 400 grams/ 16 oz unsalted Butter
• 2 tsp – Flavoring – You can use any flavoring just as you do in any buttercream.
• Vanilla, strawberry, peppermint, liquor, 1/2 cup fruit puree, about 200 grams/8 oz melted chocolate.

Method:

• Have all your ingredients at room temperature, especially the eggs and butter.
• Separate the egg whites from egg yolks.
• Cut the Butter into cubes like so.
• Place your egg whites and salt in the bowl. Start the mixer on medium low.

Make Sugar Syrup

• In a sauce pan add the one cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Stir to combine.
• Heat on medium high heat.

Go back to the Eggs

• Add cream of tartar to the Egg whites and turn the mixer on medium high.

Watch over both sugar and meringue

• After 2 minutes, your meringue should be at soft peak consistency.
• Add in the 1/3 cup extra fine granulated sugar.
• Your sugar syrup should be boiling. Place your candy thermometer in.
• By now you should also have a stiff meringue in your mixer bowl. The meringue should hold peaks but still shinny not dry. Turn the mixer off. Do not over mix.
• Once your sugar syrup reaches 220 F degrees watch closely.
• Some chefs suggest to use 245 F for the sugar syrup but I prefer to use 240 F as the sugar syrup will continue to cook in the hot pot.
• Once sugar syrup has reached 240 F. Turn the flame off. Take the pan off the heat.
• Turn the mixer with the meringue on high for 20 secs – reduce to medium low. As shown in the progress pictures below. DO NOT RUSH.
• It is not necessary to run the mixture on high while you pour the syrup. I have always done it on med low and have had no accidents.
• Start pouring the hot sugar syrup into the mixer bowl
• Once all the syrup is in. Turn the mixer on high and whisk for about 5 to 7 minutes – The outside of the bowl will be hot at first and then be barely warm.
• Your meringue should look shinny and stiff.

Adding the Butter

• Let the mixer run on low until it is cold.
• Add in the butter – once cube at a time.
• The meringue mixture will loose a bit of volume as soon as you incorporate the fat but that’s normal.
• Once all the butter is in – add in flavoring.
• Run the mixture for another minute or two until you have a smooth and satin like buttercream.

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Progress Pictures – Italian Meringue Buttercream Recipe

Here’s the first half – from having and preparing all your ingredients to cooking the sugar and whipping the meringue.

Here’s – after you pour the hot syrup to adding butter and finishing it off.

Voila!! Creamy velvety and luxurious..

I tell you one thing.. once you get on the IMBC or SMBC wagon.. there is no other buttercream that comes even close to these. Having said that if you love American Buttercream (ABC) I insist you check out my Velvet American Buttercream Recipe – the word is velvet.. for a reason – find out why for your self.

My Tips

• Use a candy thermometer. If you do not own a candy thermometer, make Swiss Meringue Buttercream SMBC
• Prepare the mixer bowl – Wash your mixer bowl and whisk clean with soap and water. Add a tsp of vinegar onto a clean kitchen cloth and wipe the inside of your wet bowl dry – The vinegar will kill any trace of fat in the bowl.
• Once the sugar syrup comes to a boil – stop stirring or shaking the pot. Any sugar crystal that may have formed on the sides of your pot will fall into the syrup and crystallize the whole pot.
• When whipping the warm eggs, start on medium and move to high speed.
• Try to pour the sugar syrup between the bowl and the whisk. If you run the mixer on medium low that is easily achievable if you run the mixer on high you must be very very careful not to scald your self.
• Very important – Make sure the meringue is COOL before you add the butter. Check twice or even four times; but if you are not sure don’t add the butter – give it a minute or two more.
• If you add butter too early the warm meringue will melt the butter turning the mixture into a meringue soup. DON’T PANIC.
  Just place the whole mixer bowl in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes. Then whip the hell out of that cooled mixture – I promise you IMBC is back.

Storage

• Meringue Buttercream will keep at room temperature for a few hours.
• It should be treated just as butter; If left out in high temperature or humidity it will melt just like butter.
• It can be kept refrigerated for up to one week or in the freezer for up to three months.
• When frozen it is best thawed in the fridge over night. Whip with paddle attachment for about five minutes to restore consistency.

 Recipe Card – Italian Meringue Buttercream