Italian Meringue Buttercream
Decorating By ruralepicure Updated 3 Apr 2007 , 12:58am by Valentinemommy2002
I finally made my first batch of IMBC. I was so excited to try it but I wasn't so pleased with the outcome. I used the recipe on Martha Stewart's website and I had two problems:
1. TOO buttery. I love butter but I thought it was a bit much.
2. I used it on a couple of cupcakes and I felt like it could melt off of cupcakes/cake in the middle of a cold Iowa winter!!
Was I supposed to have refrigerated this before decorating? It looked gorgeous on the cupcakes, nice and shiny and oh so pretty.
I don't want to give up and I desperately want to love this frosting. Any ideas or tips?
Check out ShirleyW's recipe for IMBC (its in the recipe section here). I recall her saying that she reduced the amount of butter in her recipe, as she also found Martha Stewart's too buttery (apologies Shirley if I'm quoting you incorrectly!). I made Shirley's version of this recipe today, for the second time and it is delicious!
Kelly
Did you add Vanilla at the end? It seems to make all the difference for me. Don't fridge it first or you will never be able to use it!
I have tried the recipe in the Whimsical Bakehouse cookbook.....didn't care for it either. It is sooo smooth on a cake but it's like eating straight butter. I've decided that it's not for me.
I too think it's too buttery so I do half shortening and half butter. I like it alot better that way
It's still buttery but not like grabbing a stick of butter and munching, if you know what I mean
I had to LOL when I read this as it was exactly what I was thinking when I made my first batch of IMBC this weekend. I thought wow why didn't I just soften the butter and add sugar an put it on the cake...
Anyway, I agree totally... I used ShirleyW's recipe from here (note: it's also almost the same as Whimsical Bake House's recipe) and it still was too buttery (for me) but good also, it's just not my style, nor taste. I'll have to try it again though and try cutting the butter in half and use Crisco for the rest. I am a diehard of regular buttercream and I love my sugar. 
I even just made 4 different batches of whipped cream frosting just to find one that tasted sweet enough for me. I just posted my findings here to share for those of us who like it sweet! I doubt you did anything wrong you might not just like the overly buttery taste as it was for me. I think it's good but like fondant icing... you got to like it, or work with it till you find a version you like. Also, do not refrigerate... it's like getting a stick of butter out again.
Good luck...
- Paula
i havent ever done it, but I would suggest instead of crisco, to use high ratio.. it is less greasy feeling than crisco and also has like the same water/fat as butter so can be subbed like for like.
I havent tried Shirleys IMBC but Im sure its delish becasue I already love imbc
I only use IMBC in my cakes. I use the one in the Cake Bible only it's called Mousseline Buttercream. I often add more egg whites to get a larger batch of merengue. I use 1 lb. of butter per batch.
Believe it or not, I don't like the taste of butter either, but when I tried this, I was hooked. I also like the recipe in Dede Wilson's book. It makes a really big batch and it taste marvelous and not so overwhelmingly buttery. I can't stand the taste of shortening - crisco or high ratio. I have used both but just can't get past the fact that it doesn't dissolve in my mouth!
Is this the one you use...????
http://www.baking911.com/asksarahbb/index.php?showtopic=913
there is no getting around the fact that it is a buttery frosting. it just is. you could try cutting the icing a bit by beating in some powdered sugar, but then you change the charateristics of the icing.
Don't add icing sugar to IMBC, it splits it and ruins it. It turns grainy and icky. 
Antonia is so right!!!! I did just that this weekend to make dam icing. I thought IMBC too soft so added some and it disintegrated! Some people blend IMBC and regular xxx BC... Not sure why that works and this doesn't.... Anyone?
I can't see how folks could do roses, borders or basketweave with it. When it's cool it's more solid but what happens when it warms up?
I have to practice more with it. I have to say Shirley's recipe is very delicious. Our fav. BC so far....
Thanks everybody! I had never read anything bad about IMBC so I felt horrible when I didn't fall in love with it.
I would love your recipe Gingerela, if possible.
Thanks!!
I actually like IMBC, and regular BC (where you cook the sugar). I use BC with shortning for kids B-Days because thats what they are use to. FOr special events like Weddings and such I use IMBC.
I guess I like it because it's really rich so you don't have to add a heavy layer to cake.
I really like the orange extract that ShirleyW adds to her recipe. I still make a SMBC recipe instead of using Shirley's exact recipe, but I add the orange extract now and find that it really adds depth to the flavor of the icing.
I also use at least 1/2 salted butter instead of all unsalted. I think it makes the flavor richer.
I have tried mixing 1/2 IMBC and half regular buttercream (my all-butter powdered sugar version). It was yummy, and probably something people who are wary about the taste of straight IMBC would like.
I really want to try a chocolate IMBC. I think that sounds heavenly!
Anyone know how to make a caramel version? I think that sounds really, really good, too.
I should go to bed before I start foraging in the fridge. I'm getting hungry!
I can't see how folks could do roses, borders or with it. When it's cool it's more solid but what happens when it warms up?
It's so fun to make flowers with it! And they don't melt or fall off at room temp (though I imagine you'd have to be careful in very hot weather.
Here are some cupcakes I did with IMBC for my daughter's birthday. They sat at warm room temp for about 2 hours and were soft, but not melting.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=HollyPJ&cat=0&pos=21
Thanks everybody! I had never read anything bad about IMBC so I felt horrible when I didn't fall in love with it.
I would love your recipe Gingerela, if possible.
Thanks!!
Don't feel badly, I think it is an acquired taste. Especially if you have grown up with powdered sugar based buttercreams. Some love IMBC, some don't. I have been lucky that everyone who has tried it whether family, friends or clients have liked it, and that makes me happy because I find it so nice to work with.
I really like the orange extract that ShirleyW adds to her recipe. I still make a SMBC recipe instead of using Shirley's exact recipe, but I add the orange extract now and find that it really adds depth to the flavor of the icing.
I also use at least 1/2 salted butter instead of all unsalted. I think it makes the flavor richer.
I have tried mixing 1/2 IMBC and half regular buttercream (my all-butter powdered sugar version). It was yummy, and probably something people who are wary about the taste of straight IMBC would like.
I really want to try a chocolate IMBC. I think that sounds heavenly!
Anyone know how to make a caramel version? I think that sounds really, really good, too.
I should go to bed before I start foraging in the fridge. I'm getting hungry!
I am going to have to break down and try SMBC sometime. I just found the IMBC to be easy to make and after cutting the amount of butter down I liked the taste and texture. So I never went any further in trying other recipes.
It's funny though, I have made Alice Medrich's cooked buttercream (similar to IMBC) and mixed it half and half with powdered sugar/Crisco buttercream and it worked well, especially in warm weather. But I tried the same Powdered sugar buttercream with IMBC and it broke down and separated. Don't know why.
Shirley-I've kind of just stuck to what I know, too. I'm fastest at making SMBC, probably because I've done it more, so that's generally what I do.
I should probably clarify, too, that I haven't tried your recipe yet. I just used the orange extract idea from it! Next time I make an IMBC cake, though, I'm going to give it a go.
And like you said, nobody should feel bad about not likely IMBC. It's not flavor/texture that most people are familiar with in icing.
The first time I made it I was a little wary. But by the 5th or 6th spoonful I was hooked. It kept tasting better and better... 
HollyPJ,
Same happened to me. Now I'm hooked. And like I said, I don't even like the taste of butter!
I'm certainly no expert but tried Shirley's recipe the other day....didn't like the lack of sweetness so I added a cup of powdered sugar at the end....now I can't stay away from it!!! I love, love, love this now!!! Thank You!
I'm certainly no expert but tried Shirley's recipe the other day....didn't like the lack of sweetness so I added a cup of powdered sugar at the end....now I can't stay away from it!!! I love, love, love this now!!! Thank You!
I like it just for that reason, powdered sugar buttercream is too sweet to me. So adding the powdered sugar didn't break this icing down? What did it do to the texture? I can't imagine it would go on as smoothly as regular IMBC, but I have not tried doing that.
I use the mousseline buttercream recipe from the Cake Bible as the base for most of my icings ( mostly because I make about 6 dozen creme brulees a week and have loads of egg whites to dispense with). If you use quality butter and manage your temperature, you can cut back the amount of butter by about 30% and still have perfect icing.
I have found that the icing becomes much more stable with the addition of chocolate. When the solids in the chocolate come back to room temperature, the icing is perfect for piping etc, as well as smoothing on a cake with no roller/viva etc required.
I use the mousseline buttercream recipe from the Cake Bible as the base for most of my icings ( mostly because I make about 6 dozen creme brulees a week and have loads of egg whites to dispense with). If you use quality butter and manage your temperature, you can cut back the amount of butter by about 30% and still have perfect icing.
I have found that the icing becomes much more stable with the addition of chocolate. When the solids in the chocolate come back to room temperature, the icing is perfect for piping etc, as well as smoothing on a cake with no roller/viva etc required.
Do you get even coloring as you smoothed the icing when adding chocolate? I have a friend who added 1/2 cup melted and cooled semi sweet chocolate to the SMBC after the icing was completely beaten with the butter. She said it had a nice flavor but is a light brown in color and she found it went patchy in places when she tried to smotth it. I have not tried it myself.
If I want white icing, I use white chocolate. I have never had a problem with spotty icing. I use 12 oz of chocolate per large Mousseline BC recipe ( the one in the back of the book)
I make the base recipe. As the flavoring I add 1/4 white cream de cocoa and 1/4 c. vanilla. After those are thoroughly combined, I add the chocolate which needs to be cooled to something under 90 degrees or it'll make the buttercream go horribly soft.
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