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sweetlayers
Regular Member
Joined: Jul 15, 2008
Posts: 183
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 Posted:
Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:53 am |
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1. Does it cost more to make than traditional American butter cream?
2. How do you achieve the smoothe sides of a cake?
3. Does it have to be refridgerated?
4. Do you frost your wedding cakes in it?
5. What are your thoughts on it regarding taste, texture, etc?
Thanks in advance.  Sorry for all the questions.  |
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sadsmile
Forum Fanatic
Joined: Jun 22, 2008
Posts: 1578
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:30 am |
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You would have to look at the recipe you intend to use and cost it out based on what ingredients cost for you compared with the ingredients of BC
It is lighter in texture and mouth feel and is more luxurious and less sweet then BC
It requires refrigeration and can only sit out for a very limited time or sit in a very cool place. |
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KitchenKat
Frequent Member
Joined: Nov 09, 2006
Posts: 456
Birthday: Sep 09
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:06 am |
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| sadsmile wrote: | | It requires refrigeration and can only sit out for a very limited time or sit in a very cool place. |
Not really. I leave out cakes frosted & filled with IMBC without refrigeration for a few days and they're fine. I live in South East Asia - very hot and humid. IMBC specifically an all butter mousseline is almost all I ever use for non ganache or non fondant cakes. I've never had a problem with melting or running even when cakes are displayed & served outdoors in 90 degree F weather. Of course common sense rules apply like never leave in a parked car nor sitting in the sun.
I love this frosting and so do my consumers.
As for smoothing, I use a benchscraper to smooth the sides and top and then refine the surface with a piece of flexible plastic, kinda like the plastic you see on cheap ring binders. If I want it ultra smooth, I chill the cakes and smooth it with a hot knife. |
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supakiki
Newbie
Joined: Sep 16, 2008
Posts: 8
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:20 am |
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IMBC ices like a DREAM!!! You HAVE to try it! It ices so much easier than traditional buttercream. I don't even have to do a crumb coat on a quick cake. My instructions say it can be left at room temp for about a day. I wouldn't want to push that because of risk of salmonilla (spell?). It is somewhat fussy, as it does need refrigeration and you have to let it sit at room temp and re-whip before use. But still. It's soooo yummy, I think it's worth the extra effort. Also, the price of powdered sugar has gone up so much, I think it's probably just a little more money to make IMBC. |
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prterrell
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Mar 20, 2007
Posts: 2629
Location: Newnan, GA
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:39 am |
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1. Depends on whether you make the American with all butter or not. The butter is the biggest cost in IMBC
2. IMBC smoothes extremely easily. I just use the spatula and a plastic bowl scraper. It smoothes almost by itself. So much easier than crusting BC
3. No
4. Yes
5. I won't eat American/crusting BC I never cared for icing until I tried meringue based BC It is soft and light and creamy and silken and luxurious and buttery and lightly sweet. |
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sweetlayers
Regular Member
Joined: Jul 15, 2008
Posts: 183
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:23 pm |
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Thanks guys for the sharing your knowledge.
So it sounds like this is not the proper stuff to frost a wedding cake in. Is that correct?
Also, while searching online, I found this video by Warren Brown. While he did mention that food born illnesses are found in the yolk, I didn't hear him say anything about refridgeration. (At least I don't think he did.) Just thought I'd share.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxWmiHRTMz8 |
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stephaniescakenj
Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 19, 2006
Posts: 862
Location: NJ
Birthday: Dec 11
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:50 pm |
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you can most definitely use it to frost a wedding cake. I do it all the time. I find it easiest to work with if you chill your layers before stacking. It avoids finger prints in the icing. Hot spatulas work like a charm to smooth it as stated above. It tastes so much better than powdered sugar based icings. I've never priced out how much it would cost me to make an icing with powdered sugar but I know that I can make a batch of IMBC for $3.50, that includes 6 eggs, 6 sticks of butter, 2 cups sugar and a splash of vanilla. |
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Peridot
Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 13, 2009
Posts: 563
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:54 pm |
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This sounds so good - but can it be used under fondant?? I would not think so.
What kind of decorations do you put on a cake that is made with IMBC Regular buttercream, fondant, gumpaste? |
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SugarFiend
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 16, 2009
Posts: 29
Location: New York's Mid-Hudson Valley
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:08 pm |
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I'm also curious about how it is under fondant!
And I also have one more question, if I may: Are IMBC and SMBC more or less interchangeable as far as the finished product goes, or is there any significant difference? |
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sadsmile
Forum Fanatic
Joined: Jun 22, 2008
Posts: 1578
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:19 pm |
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| stephaniescakenj wrote: | | you can most definitely use it to frost a wedding cake. I do it all the time. I find it easiest to work with if you chill your layers before stacking. It avoids finger prints in the icing. Hot spatulas work like a charm to smooth it as stated above. It tastes so much better than powdered sugar based icings. I've never priced out how much it would cost me to make an icing with powdered sugar but I know that I can make a batch of IMBC for $3.50, that includes 6 eggs, 6 sticks of butter, 2 cups sugar and a splash of vanilla. |
Where do you live and how are you getting your ingredients that cheep? Four sticks of butter cost that much! |
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prterrell
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Mar 20, 2007
Posts: 2629
Location: Newnan, GA
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:14 pm |
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IMBC/SMBC can ABSOLUTELY be used to frost and decorate wedding cakes!
They can both be used under fondant.
The are very similar. The difference between IMBC and SMBC is in the preparation of the meringue. IM is made by pouring a hot sugar syrup into whipped egg whites and then whipping further. SM is made by cooking the egg whites and sugar together in a bain-marie (a bowl set over a pot of simmering water) and then whipping.
You can use any decoration with IMBC/SMBC. Both IMBC and SMBC can be used to pipe decorations. You can cover both in fondant or put fondant pieces on them. You can put gumpaste pieces on them. You can put dried RI pieces on them. You can use both to make FBCT
I do not use American buttercream at all. I ONLY use the European buttercreams. IMBC is my preferred, but I plan to expirement with French buttercream in the near future. (French buttercream is made with the yolks instead of the whites. The preparation is similar to IMBC Here is a recipe: http://joepastry.site.aplus.ne.....&tb=1&pb=1.) |
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mmm-cake
Newbie
Joined: Mar 06, 2008
Posts: 5
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:41 pm |
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I'm a big fan of IMBC - One of my cake designing mentors once said that the difference between a European buttercream and American buttercream is like the difference between 600 and 200 thread count sheets - much smoother and more refined in taste.
With some practice and skill, it is a dream to work with, too. A thin layer under fondant is perfect.
A word of caution when stacking chilled cakes - there is a big risk of cracking the bc and once it starts to crack, you'll have a "San Andreas" situation. I wait for mine to come to room temp, and then stack them. |
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__Jamie__
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Aug 16, 2008
Posts: 5025
Location: The less seriously you take me, the better off we'll all be!
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:47 pm |
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I do SMBC same thing pretty much. I smooth with a hot bench scraper. I only stack chilled. No finger dings and scrapes that way. You shouldn't have to worry about cracks unless your support structure is not proper or you're banging it around too much. |
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ceshell
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Feb 05, 2006
Posts: 2739
Location: Sunny Southern California
Birthday: May 01
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Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:44 pm |
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My favorite thread about decorating with IMBC http://cakecentral.com/cake-de.....613-.html. Halfway down p.2 you will find AWESOME smoothing instructions from Antonia74. Look for the post that includes the photo of the bench scraper. I used to have a devil of a time getting it smooth but now it's a cinch using her fantastic instructions. This technique has worked MUCH better for me than the hot spatula, especially when I've colored the icing.
I stack chilled too.
With regard to salmonella, I use pasteurized egg whites from the carton to completely eliminate the concern. Any brand except All Whites has always worked fine for me. The plain-wrap supermarket brands usually perform best - go figure. |
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kristiezen920
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 25, 2006
Posts: 51
Location: Baltimore, MD
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Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:31 am |
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prterrell,
When I make my IMBC instead of throwing out the yolks I make a batch of FBC at the same time. I double the sugar syrup, pour half into the whipped egg whites and the other half into the whipped egg yolks. Then I add butter to both. I use the french buttercream for the filling. It is much richer than IMBC and is to die for when you mix in chocolate. I use it as a filling because I find its a little less stable than IMBC
And sadsmile, if you buy your butter at Costco or Sams the butter costs about $5-$6 for 4lbs. |
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