Italian/swiss Meringue Buttercream Questions
Decorating By madicakes Updated 8 Sep 2006 , 6:25pm by PerryStCakes
I've never used these type of icings before and was thinking about trying them. I have a couple questions.
1) What is the difference between the Italian and the Swiss?
2) Which of the two is better tasting?
3) Can I use meringue powder and water in place of the egg whites?
4) If I use the meringue powder does the icing need to be refrigerated? Should it be anyway?
Thanks!
Hope
Hi there - I use these all the time.
1) The Italian is better for large groups b/c the egg white are thoroughly cooked.
2) They taste similar and heavenly. Swiss is very slightly less sweet.
3). Haven't tried this.
4). Yes, keep it refrigerated.
Hope this helps!
Yes! But I am away from my kitchen right now and don't have the recipe with me 
PM me and I will send it to you Sunday.
On second thought, I think I know it by heart. You need the 6 qt. mixer - (or else, cut the recipe in half, which works well, too).
13 large egg whites
3 1/2 Cups sugar
12 sticks butter (room temp but not oily)
3/4 cup water
6 Tablespoons of vanilla.
Put the eggs in your mixer using the whisk attachment.
ahhhh! sorry.
Ok, beat the eggs on 4-6 speed. Get them to turn opaque and form soft peaks.
Meanwhile, put the sugar in a medium saucepan and add the water. Use a wooden spoon to get all the clumps out and make sure the sugar is all moistened. Turn on meduim heat, insert a CANDY thermometer. Don't touch the sugar water once the heat is on. You can brush down the sides of the pot to make sure no sugar crystals form. Once the thermometer reaches 240 degrees, take off the heat.
Turn your mixer on high speed with the eggs in there, pour the hot sugar into the mixer slowly (thin stream, side of mixer, not in the middle) so that you don't make scrambled eggs. Once that's all in, turn the mixer to medium high. Let is mix for 25-35 minuters.
Once you return the mixer bowl should be moderately warm, but not hot like before and the eggs should have lost some volume. Add in the sticks of butter (careful, they tend to fly out of the bowl) about a quarter of a stick at a time. Let that all mix - it might look like cottage cheese for a little while, but dont worry - it will come together. Once the buttercream is light and fluffy and looks like little clouds, add the vanilla (use clear if you want it to be very light in color). Mix 5 more minutes. DOne. Now taste it. Is that the best or what!!!!
Yes, those just whites would work.
The powder I am not sure of - the key is to get the soft peaks formed which you can do with the Just Whites and I assume you can with meringue powder but I have not attempted this.
Thanks so much for the recipe! I can't believe you actually knew that by heart
I can't wait to try this.
Lol! I know, it's sick! I have made it about 10,000 times so I guess I can do it in my sleep too!
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