just to say thanks again to jkalman for her "blowtorch" tip. today i made espresso SMBC and got over excited. i added cold butter so my mixture was curdled. then i remembered jkalman's tip and used one of those candle lighters and warmed my bowl as the mixer was going at it. and sure enough, the butter melted enough to mix well with the meringue.
i was also able to pipe a border on my cake with the SMBC despite the temperamental weather (hot one minute then pouring rain the next!) I did what i'd like to call a reverse shell border but i actually have no idea what it was LOL I still need practice smoothing it though because it kept melting i had to keep putting it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or so. but it was really good and yummy and everyone gave me compliments about the frosting since they hadn't tasted anything like it before
it was awesome! this thread is just a gift that keeps on giving
so glad the tip worked for you. Many times I have used my torch to warm my SMBC because I added butter that was too cold.. we all get impatient.
I usually just let my mixer run longer. I'll have to get one of those candle lighters.
Sharon (Sugarshack) -
We are all anxiously awaiting your first effort in making SMBC.
If I may interject - use the brand of butter which you prefer the taste of. Some people prefer brand name, others are happy with generic or store brand. I happen to live in an area where the brand name dairy also makes a particular store brand, and they are of equal quality, so I have the advantage of saving some money there.
If you have a BJ's or Sam's near you, their brand of butter (they carry the same brand where I live) has a good taste in SMBC.
Theresa
jkalman, tell me about it! i had a hard time cutting the butter so that should've told me to wait. LOL
playingwithsugar, you are so right! the unsalted butter i normally use was out of stock unfortunately. so instead i got this brand of butter that i absolutely love (i have the now tight in the waist jeans to prove it) and used it instead. it still turned out really good.
i have a lot left from the batch i made and i think if i closed my eyes i can hear little cupcakes begging me to bake them and slather SMBC all over them
Cupcakeshoppe -
My theory about butter is that there are different qualities, according to butterfat content. If you are not happy with the taste of the butter on a piece of bread, you will not be happy with it in your icing, no matter how many extra flavors are added.
SMBC batches are large. I made a batch for two 9", 2-layer cakes, and ended up with enough to cover a full batch of cupcakes, too!
And it's so easy to flavor. When I need chocolate SMBC, I add semi-sweet ganache. If I need it fudgy, I add a semi/bittersweet ganache combination. For fruit flavors, I normally use icing fruit, but have infrequently used Polaner Simply Fruit (no sugar or sweeteners added), and have gotten wonderful results.
SMBC belongs in the "freezes beautifully" section of any cookbook. In the time before we moved, I used up the food items in the freezer so I wouldn't have to tote them along. I found a bag of SMBC in the bottom of the chest freezer, which had been there for about a year. I had put it in a vacuum-seal bag and sucked all the air out of it. I took it out of the bag, dropped the lump into the mixer bowl, covered it with plastic to prevent condensation, and let it thaw. When it was about 60 degrees through the center, I re-whipped it, and it was just as perfect as day 1.
Theresa
Theresa
Oh yes.. it really does freeze beautifully. And if by chance you whip it up a little too cold (thinking of us impatient people here) and it turns to cottage cheese soup on you.. whip out the culinary torch (or candle lighter.. good idea!) and warm it up some and viola.. it's perfect again.
I usually use fruit purees to flavor it a fruit flavor.. raspberry is one of my favs.. strawberry is amazing to.. oooh and lemon.. and pina colada (pineapple filling and some coco lopez).. add some nutella in too OMG so good.. sub some peppermint extract (not as much as you would add vanilla though) and add some crushed candy canes and plop that on some chocolate cake.. mmmmmmmmmm.. It's a good thing I have a tasting coming up.. I am craving all of them now.
Hahahahaha... I have a trove of ideas..
And now my ass looks like it could fit in a trove as well from testing them out..
I just need to post! After reading this thread, I made my first batch of SMBC. I piped it on cupcakes and sent it to work with the DH. All in all, totally positive reviews except one person who loved the super sweet icing. Then I made more cupcakes and took them up to our Admin. Bldg. They loved it too. So, I gave some to a friend I was making a big cake for. She loved it too and asked me to use it on her cake. I have to laugh now, because who in their right mind would try a totally new buttercream for their first enormous cake! I ended up having to make 4 huge batches....80 egg white, 20 cups of sugar and 12 pounds of butter!
At the party, I got SO many compliments on the buttercream. People had never had anything like it. I mean, I had people coming into the kitchen where we were cutting the cake to ask me about it! The wait staff and caterer all told me it was the best cake they ever had. I was glowing, as you can imagine!
I need to get WAY better at smoothing, but SMBC is going to be my buttercream of choice from now on! Thanks so much for this thread and ALL the tips and comments you've all posted!
Jodie
oh wow! that cake looks awesome! and 80 egg whites? what did you do with the egg yolks?
i get the same compliments from people, too. they had never tasted anything like it, the closest being ice cream awww i love it.
I could eat SMBC with a spoon. How about you?
Note to all you SMBC newbies who just got converted -
Welcome to the wonderful world of meringue buttercreams.
Now, remember to raise your prices to offset the cost involved in making it.
And when someone asks for the recipe, tell them, "Sorry, it's a trade secret."
Theresa
hi,
I spent an entire day reading this post from beginning to end. I am so glad that this was posted.
Being in Florida, I am afraid to use the SMBC. I have been using the wilton recipe and frankly, it's gross! But it does stand up to the He!!- like heat down here. Even if i put the A/c on in the car for 20 minutes before putting in the cake, it's still hot.
jkalman, do you think that if I use your recipe with half butter & half crisco it will taste as good?
I just think that shortening holds up better in this heat. And if I use it in my SMBC will it change it dramatically?
I have no idea where to buy high ratio shortening down here locally.
playingwithsugar, my son't birthday is comming up this week, (12 years old) and I am making him a boxing ring cake complete with glove holding a towel with his name on it. (inspired by the CCers on this site)
I will let everyone know how the CMBC comes out since I won't have to drive it anywhere.
My son actually doesn't like cake, but he loves cream. The SMBC sounds devine and it will be a nice surprise for him.
I am dying to find out if Sharon has tried it yet.
oops, I'm sorry, i guess it's too early in the morning for me to realize all my spelling errors.
Cupcakeshoppe...I used some of the yolks in the curd fillings, made some creme brulee to reward myself for the 50 hours that cake took to do and, sadly, I did pitch a lot of them because I was exhausted and didn't know what else to do with them!
Malishka,
I too live in Florida and the heat is unbearable. I only use SMBC even under fondant and haven't had a problem yet. All of the cakes that I've done sit indoors (I don't like to take risks!). In put the A/C in my van in full blast. I've also used the 1/2 shortening and 1/2 butter and it works also, but my reason behind it is to get the icing whiter...not so ivory. It also pipes beautifully. The hexagon cake is iced and decorated with SMBC (except for the monogram).
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1213747
I have never used crisco in it, but I know some who use high ratio shortening and it works fine.
ANY IDEA IF CLARIFIED BUTTER (GHEE) COULD BE SUBSTITUTED FOR UNSALTED BUTTER AS IT TOO IS ESSENTIALLY UNSALTED?
I don't know. I have never used ghee before.. but I think you need the butter solids in there.. might be worth an experiment on a really small batch.
For the life of me I can't remember where I've seen something about this before but from what I remember you want to make sure the butter does not turn to ghee as it will effect the end result. Sorry I can't remember where I saw this.
If you do decide your up for an experiment let us know how it goes!!!
Me and experiments, now that's another story.....
This is a great thread. It did take a while to read, but I am feeling soooo good about trying this.
Thanks!
Have you guys seen Mike McCarey's DVD? You should see how he uses SMBC! He uses it in several layers and his technique is definitely "interesting".
I picked up Mike's new DVD at ICES. It's called "Cakenology" vol. 1. He shows how to do a Mustang GT to-scale. I don't do car cakes, but this DVD is totally entertaining and packed with a lot of nice detail that can definitely help with other projects. He layers SMBC to get his smooth detail and structure. I would definitely recommend it, especially if you admire Mike McCarey's work.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%