I've loved reading everyone's responses!
Okay, those of you that use meringue powder - what's your recipe? I'm curious...
I've only ever used pasteurized egg whites and they've worked fine - not that I've made this a lot... The carton of whites is much cheaper for me. I can buy 32 whites for less than 1.5 doz. eggs.
Thanks for all the information. I've learned so much!
I'm a certified convert!!! I've always had to use (note the dismay in my voice.... I really don't like PS buttercream, it's like creating diabetis in a mixing bowl 
)american BC for my cakes, due to the finicky weather I have to deal with in my country. NOT ANYMORE! 
I've just completed my first foray into IMBC and I love it. I piped rosettes on top of cupcakes and did a test run on one of them (poor thing) by leaving it out to sit on the kitchen table on a typical sweltering afternoon, and guess what ? NO WEEPING! And its yummy too! This frosting is a godsend!
Ok, regarding MBC's - I notice on the different cake shows, the decorators are often heating their KA bowls with a blow torch...??? Do I need to purchase a blow torch in order to make SMBC? and...how safe is it for a clumsymommy? lol...and where can I buy them/how much are they?
TIA!
I've loved reading everyone's responses!
Okay, those of you that use meringue powder - what's your recipe? I'm curious...
I've only ever used pasteurized egg whites and they've worked fine - not that I've made this a lot... The carton of whites is much cheaper for me. I can buy 32 whites for less than 1.5 doz. eggs.
Thanks for all the information. I've learned so much!
I use the following chart to determine how much powder to use, it says Just White, which we don't have around here, I use Wiltons Meringue Powder. I do use fresh eggwhites often too if I know there are no pregnant women or elderly in the crowd, I can't really tell the diff. but it has to be a bit better with fresh:
For 1 Egg White - use 2 tsp. Just Whites + 2 Tbsp. Warm Water
For 2 Egg Whites - use 4 tsp. Just Whites + 1/4 cup Warm Water
For 3 Egg Whites - use 2 Tbsp. Just Whites + 6 Tbsp. Warm Water
For 6 Egg Whites - use 1/4 cup Just Whites + 3/4 cup Warm Water
For 8 Egg Whites - use 1/3 cup Just Whites + 1 cup Warm Water
For 12 Egg Whites - use 1/2 cup Just Whites + 1-1/2 cups Warm Water
The recipe I use is:
1 1/2 c. egg whites
3c sugar
3lbs unsalted butter
1T vanilla
I still heat the sugar and whites in a double boiler (to 160 if using fresh eggs), then whip to firm peak, and add soften butter slowly, whip til creamy. That's it.
Also, I always thought they used the blow torches to just to soften the premade buttercream. They bring everything premade to those things, the cake, buttercreams, 50% of the decorations are allow to be premade, and I think they can even color their fondant beforehand. Anyway, that's my guess.
Ok, regarding MBC's - I notice on the different cake shows, the decorators are often heating their KA bowls with a blow torch...??? Do I need to purchase a blow torch in order to make SMBC? and...how safe is it for a clumsymommy? lol...and where can I buy them/how much are they?
TIA!
Just put the sugar and eggwhites in your KA metal mixing bowl, on a double boiler and heat to 160 degrees whisking constantly, then snap bowl onto your KA mixer and beat with whip attachment til stiff peaks form, add soften butter slowly. Always check your recipes they may be different
[quote="tinygoose"]
The recipe I use is:
1 1/2 c. egg whites
3c sugar
3lbs unsalted butter
1T vanilla
I have the 4.5qt tilt-head mixer and was wondering how much does this recipe make? It sounds like a lot of the ingredients, but maybe that's because it makes a lot of frosting, lol. And what size KA bowl do you use to mix it in?
I've been a true believe in psbc, then found a whipped cream bc recipe (on cc I think.....) that doesn't use gelatin. Tried a gelatin recipe the first time, and ended up with rivlets of gelatin in my icing 
I looooove the wcbc, but you all have raved about the smbc on here, so I might give that a try, lol. My only hesitation is I don't like the flavor of butter in my bc (I use 100% crisco in my psbc).
another smbc question for the pros - how long does it keep? can I ice a cake w/it today and it still look and taste great tomorrow? or do I need to do it the day of only? does it require refridgeration? (both after it 's made still in bowl, and then after it's on a cake?)
TIA!
aaaannnnnddddd...can you decorate/pipe with it? Like borders or using the big icer tip?
yellobutterfly, you can definitely decorate and pipe with it. Here's a great thread with examples of IMBC decorated cakes http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=404613&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=imbc&&start=0
IMBC is good for about 8 days in the fridge, and several months in the freezer (3? 6?). I'd assume that SMBC is the same since it's the same end product. Just let it come to room temp (only about an hour, maybe less) before serving. Some will state that it does not require refrigeration for 1-2 days but personally I always refrigerate. If you refrigerate it in the bowl, rebeat gently before using to ice, but be sure it's room temperature before you do so (if it's too cold it will look all curdled and you'll have to warm up the bowl a bit to restore it's silky consistency).
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