Silk Meringue Buttercream--Anyone Use It

Baking By tdovewings Updated 9 Oct 2011 , 1:18am by scp1127

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tdovewings Posted 7 Oct 2011 , 11:55pm
post #1 of 15

I've tried making Rose Levy Beranbaum's silk meringue buttercream, just to test the recipe out and it was soo delicious, I could have sat there and ate the whole bowl with a spoon. I ended up using it on cupcakes.

I don't see hardly any references here to folks using the silk meringue buttercream. Everything is IMBC or SMBC. Is there a reason why? Anything I should be on the look out for. I was thinking of using it on a fairly large cake this weekend.

14 replies
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JanH Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 1:37am
post #2 of 15

Different preparation methods determine if a meringue b/c is Italian or Swiss, etc.:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttercream

Rose Levy Beranbaum's silk meringue buttercream seems to be an IMBC:

http://eatandbehappy.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/lemon-cupcakes-round-ii-mini-lemon-pound-cakes-with-lemon-silk-meringue-buttercream/

HTH

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auzzi Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 1:48am
post #3 of 15

It gets good reviews from people who have used it.

Making crème patisserie, then an Italian Meringue, then amalgamating the two together, may just be a little involved when you are on a tight decorating schedule ...

Quote:
Quote:

Rose Levy Beranbaum's silk meringue buttercream seems to be an IMBC:




Not actually - it's an amalgamation of German Buttercream and Italian Meringue .. it ends up being neither.

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JanH Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 2:00am
post #4 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by auzzi


Not actually - it's an amalgamation of German Buttercream and Italian Meringue .. it ends up being neither.




But the techniques needed to make this amalgamation must be performed separately for each of the different components.

And the technique involved to make the meringue component is the same one used to make IMBC..... as indicated in the recipe I linked to.

Some members also combine ABC and IMBC:
(But each recipe must also be made separately using different techniques.)

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-28824.html

HTH

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tdovewings Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 2:07am
post #5 of 15

So aside from being time consuming, there is nothing precluding me from frosting and decorating a cake with it? I made the silk meringue before I got into cake decorating and now I'm more concerned about it holding up for piping borders and some light scroll work. It is involved it took me two days to make my first time. I made the pastry cream on day one then the IMBC on day two, then combined them. I guess this type of buttercream would be easier if you worked in a bakery that kept both on hand.

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scp1127 Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 7:53am
post #6 of 15

I use German BC, IMBC, FBC, and SMBC. I haven't combined IMBC and GBC. Just a note: The GBC application is not as sturdy as the other three. Probably why it is less used. So even mixed with IMBC, it will be less structurally sound. This is fine for my dessert applications, but for those of you who make wedding cakes, you will lose some stiffness and it is more susceptible to heat.

Personally ( just me, because I have enjoyed every RLB recipe), I would not see the point in the combination, as the GBC is so unique in its allowance for full flavor. Adding meringue will dilute its flavor properties, as they are usually subtle to begin with. Kind of like those recipes that call for adding tons of whipped cream to pastry cream. In GBC, you will already be diluting the custard or cream with butter.

I use each of the European buttercreams for their different properties: SMBC because it makes a perfect caramel, IMBC because it is a blank palate, FBC because it adds richness, and GBC because of the great flavor possibliities from flavored custards not attainable with the others.

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FACSlady Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 1:47pm
post #7 of 15

When I started combining ABC and IMBC, people started telling me my cakes/cupcakes were the best they'd ever had. I know I like the flavor better, because to me, IMBC tastes too much like plain butter (which I happen to love, by the way) and ABC is too gritty and too sweet. Together they strike just the right balance for me. I would like to try Silk MBC sometime, though. pretty much the same amount of work as combining IMBC and ABC.

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jeartist Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 2:45pm
post #8 of 15

What please is ABC? I get all the rest but not sure what that is?

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tdovewings Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 3:08pm
post #9 of 15

I think it's American Buttercream (powdered sugar, butter, flavoring, no cooking involved)

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CalhounsCakery Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 3:19pm
post #10 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by FACSlady

When I started combining ABC and IMBC, people started telling me my cakes/cupcakes were the best they'd ever had. I know I like the flavor better, because to me, IMBC tastes too much like plain butter (which I happen to love, by the way) and ABC is too gritty and too sweet. Together they strike just the right balance for me. I would like to try Silk MBC sometime, though. pretty much the same amount of work as combining IMBC and ABC.




When you combine your IMBC and ABC, how much of each do you use? Is your ABC made with straight shortning, and if so, do you think it would work the same with a butter based buttercream?

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FACSlady Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 3:58pm
post #11 of 15

It depends on how much of each I have, but usually half and half.

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FACSlady Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 4:00pm
post #12 of 15

I use ABC with shortening for this application, but it woyuld work with butter, too - it just wouldn't be as stable in warm temperatures.

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scp1127 Posted 8 Oct 2011 , 9:33pm
post #13 of 15

For anyone reading this post, don't get confused. It was about European buttercreams which are the polar oppposite to ABC.

When you combine these two, you have taken away the European influence.

For those of you following this original thread, please don't sub ABC in your European buttercreams.

Not knocking ABC, but in this thread, we are talking about Old World artisan buttercreams, not crisco. It will be confusing to those trying to learn European buttercream techniques.

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FACSlady Posted 9 Oct 2011 , 12:08am
post #14 of 15

Missed the memo about talking exclusively about European Buttercream. In that case, I'm also quite fond of French Buttercream. I think the addition of egg yolks ameliorates the buttery flavor as compared to IMBC.

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scp1127 Posted 9 Oct 2011 , 1:18am
post #15 of 15

Not trying to be a pain, but when referring to European buttercreams, those not familiar will get confused when adding in a shortening based frosting, which isn't buttercream. I is like a thread about scratch baking and the OP wanted to add fake pudding. She got all bent when I said that it is no longer scratch. This is important in the scratch baking threads because new people can get confused.

What seasoned vets do with the buttercream is their business. It's just clearer if it is know that no shortening is ever used in the European buttercreams.

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