I'm trying out SMBC for the first time tonight. The recipe I used said to put the sugar and eggs over a steam bath until they reached 160 degrees. I had that water on high and after 45 minutes it still hadn't gotten over 130. Is it normal to take that long?

I finally just took it off and started whipping it since I'm not completely worried about raw eggs but I tasted it (before I put in the butter and flavoring and it taste a bit like cooked eggs. Is this nomal too?

Thanks in advance for any help!!

I don't remember ever waiting that long to reach 160. It may be that your water bath wasn't hot enough or close enough to the steam. Maybe your thermometer broke?

I love making smbc and I never had a problem. I put my eggs in a bowl of warm water for about 10mins before I separate them makes it easier to. then put the eggwhites in my kitchen aid bowl and put it in a pot of boiling water for the double broiler or steam bath as you call it but the water has to be touching the outside bottom of the bowl and add the sugar mixing constantly. The temp usually will take 10 mins if on high..put to your kitchen aid or whatever you have then whip on high till the bowl gets cool.I would put a cool towel around the bottom if I'm in a hurry.. switch to a paddle then add your flavoring and butter and mix on high till it comes together....hope this could help you out...

Okay well that may have been my problem. My eggs were probably too cold to start and my bowl wasn't touching the water. It got hot but it was probably 5 inches from the top of the water. Also, some of the sugar/egg hardened to the bowl on the edges. I'm wondering if that is what gave it an egg like taste.

I finished it off despite all of these things and the consistency was great the flavor was just off. I'm not going to use it but may try again tomorrow. Thanks for everyone's advice!

No! Don't put your bowl of sugar/eggs in boiling water. You will scramble your eggs. You essentially need to make a double boiler with the bowl of your Kitchen Aid over a pot of boiling water. It needs to have a seal, or at least as close to it as you can make it. You should have about 1 inch of water boiling and the bowl of your Kitchen Aid should be 1/2" above it.

It should only take about 3 minutes to get your eggs to 160 for one batch of SMBC. It takes about 5 minutes for me when I tripple my batch.

Keep trying!

Jen

I'm wondering if your thermometer is off. Maybe you should recalibrate it before you start a new batch.

You can also try the finger test. After 3-4 minutes of whisking, dip your finger in the egg mixture and rub your index finger and thumb together. If it doesn't feel gritty then the sugar has dissolved and you can move on to the next step.

Where are you OP? Are you using degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius? It's 71degrees celsius, if that's what you're using.

I make SMBC frequently; however, I would like to know what can be done to make it have a stiffer consistency? I have trouble using it to decorate with.