I made my first batch of IMBC last night - a soupy mess, I beat and refridgerate, beat and beat and nothing. I think I had either of 2 problems. I tried to half the recipe because half way into my bake session I realized I didn't have enough eggs - so I used too many egg whites (3). OR my butter was too cold or warm.

How do you guys do your butter? Do you take it out of the fridge, cut it and put it back in until you make the sugar like it says in the recipe? I am not sure what semi-cold butter is supposed to mean

How long do you beat the thing before it starts to be fluffy?

Help, I am trying again tonight!

First.. what was your exact amounts you put in? How many eggwhites, how much sugar, how much butter?

When I add my butter I make sure that it's room temp. It takes a little while to beat it all in and have it get fluffy. Normally I do 10 egg whites, 2 cups of sugar, 6 sticks of butter, and flavoring. (I make SMBC but the proprtions are teh same making IMBC you just need water for the sugar syrup). So let me know what you did and I'll see if I can hlpe you salvage it.

I did 3 egg whites (probably part of the problem). 1/2 +1/8 cup sugar. one half of a third (i am awesome at fractions, can you tell?) of water, 1 1/2 sticks of butter...this recipe was a pain to half (halve), so that could have been a problem.

Yeah.. that's a doozey..

I'd scrap it and try again. I think looking at that you might not have enough butter.. a 5 eggwhite recipe should have 3-4 sticks.

If you want to stick with IMBC try this for proportions.. 5 egg whites, 1 cup sugar 1/3 of a cup of water, and 3 sticks of unsalted butter and then add some vanilla to taste. Follow the directions you have and it should work. Do be aware that the meringue based BC's go through odd little phases when youare mixing them. First the meringue is beautiful and pollowy and then you add some butter and it turns to soup and then you add more butter and it can look lumpy and curdled and then you add the rest of the butter and let it mix and it magically comes together.

When you chill it you must let it come to room temp before re-beating it and even then you will probably have what looks like a soupy curdled mess on your hands.. don't worry.. just heat it up a little (I use my culinary torch but placing it over a pot of boiling water will do more than fine) and keep beating it.. it will come back together.

HTH's a bit and if you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask.

OMG what a world of difference! I definitely didn't get my sugar hot enough. And my butter was too cold and hard still. This time it never went soupy, but stayed fluffy the whole time! Yey! now I just need to get the technique down to smooth it out and I will be good to go!

awesome! I love meringue buttercreams.. SO much nicer than the powdered sugar based stuff. You should try adding some things to it.. Lemon curd.. strawberry puree.. chocolate ganache.. mmmmmmm.