Smbc Won't Firm Up - Is It Fixable?

Baking By Claire138 Updated 7 Mar 2011 , 8:53am by Claire138

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Claire138 Posted 6 Mar 2011 , 3:32pm
post #1 of 13

My smbc came out perfectly and then I added some raspberry sauce that I had made to it (frozen raspberries, lemon juice and sugar) and now it is all loose and bitty (if you understand what I mean) with liquid (red from the raspberry all around the side of the bowl) & what ever I do I can't get it to gel together. I've tried putting it into the fridge and then beating it again, or beating it on low for 20 minutes or on high for 20 minutes but nothing is working.
If anyone could help I'd much appreciate it as I hate to throw it away.
TIA

12 replies
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Claire138 Posted 6 Mar 2011 , 4:30pm
post #2 of 13

Anyone? Please?

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BlakesCakes Posted 6 Mar 2011 , 11:01pm
post #3 of 13

I don't make meringue based buttercreams, but from my experience with acidic fruits and dairy (butter), the acid & enzymes in the berries and lemon juice were enough so that the mixture is broken.

Since it's not just a temperature issue, but actually a chemistry issue, I don't think there's anything you can do to bring it back.

Hope someone else can help.

Rae

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drakegore Posted 6 Mar 2011 , 11:35pm
post #4 of 13

how much puree did you put in against how many eggs and sugar?

that should not have happened....the only thing i can think of is you put too much liquid puree in. should not be more than 1/4" cup plus two tablespoons per 5 egg whites/ 1 1/4 cup sugar/4 sticks butter.

were there ice crystals in the puree when you put it in? maybe you got water into your smbc which could cause problems in cohesiveness.

diane

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CakeandDazzle Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 12:14am
post #5 of 13

im sorry i have no clue either, i never add purees to mine... but i know if mine is too loose I can add more butter or even shortening to thicken it... maybe that will help??

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LindaF144a Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 1:57am
post #6 of 13

Waiting only an hour on a Sunday morning For a reply is not a long time...... We are either sleeping in or at church ( at least in the US).

It sounds like you added too much raspberry to you SMBC. Plus bring they were frozen, they probably had more liquid then fresh. And I don't see why you needed to add the lemon juice either.

Try more vutter or even powdered sugar a little at a time til it is the consistency you want. But the it is not a true SMBC. Still it will probably become a frosting you can at least use.

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lilmissbakesalot Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 2:12am
post #7 of 13

It should be fine... if the puree was cold, it just chilled up the butter too much and that makes it clump together and look like cottage cheese and water (or in yourcase raspberry water... LOL). If you let it come to room temp, or set it over boiling water for a minute or so at a time it will come back together. Just put your mixer bowl over the boiling water and whisk it a little and do it again until it comes together.

She made the raspberry sauce with lemon juice and sugar... pretty standard really for making a raspberry sauce... so I don't see the lemon juice as an issue. Meringue BC's don't have the separation issues that PS based BC's do. I add straight lemon juice to SMBC all the time with no issue at all. However... you don't need to add the sugar. I just heat frozen raspberries until they burst and strain the seeds out and then boil some of the water out of it and use that to make raspberr SMBC... you don't need the extra sugar so save yourself a step. icon_smile.gif

Hopefully you were able to get it to work... I know the first time my SMBC curdled I freaked out and tossed it... such a waste. It's pretty indestructable stuff.

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genevieveyum Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 2:20am
post #8 of 13

I make fillings this way all the time- what happened was that what you added was too cold and stayed separate from the emulsion. Place your mixer bowl in a larger pot/bowl of very hot water and whisk until it comes together, then put it back on your mixer with icepacks around it to re-chill.

It looks terrible as you go along, but it works every time!

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Claire138 Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 7:17am
post #9 of 13

Thanks everyone for your responses, unfortunately by the time I got the answers (I'm on the continent so different time zone) I'd already messed around with it too much and had to throw in down the drain. I added some corn flour, then tried mixing it again, then re-heated it and whisked it again & then added some icing sugar, it turned into soup! - all in all a waste of money and time. Wish I would have waited until this morning when your answers came in. Am off to make another batch - thanks again and bless!

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FromScratchSF Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 7:40am
post #10 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by Claire138

Thanks everyone for your responses, unfortunately by the time I got the answers (I'm on the continent so different time zone) I'd already messed around with it too much and had to throw in down the drain. I added some corn flour, then tried mixing it again, then re-heated it and whisked it again & then added some icing sugar, it turned into soup! - all in all a waste of money and time. Wish I would have waited until this morning when your answers came in. Am off to make another batch - thanks again and bless!




Eeek! Yeah, your fixes are no bueno, sorry you had such a hard time! Next time do a search in the threads, SMBC comes up daily, several times a day, so you might have gotten your answer there.

I add tons of liquid to my SMBC - especially puree. Never have any problems.

Better luck next time!

Jen

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Claire138 Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 7:44am
post #11 of 13

Thanks Jen,
Is there any particular way I should add the puree? at what point? at what speed?
I'm nervous to add anything to it now,

Claire

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FromScratchSF Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 8:26am
post #12 of 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by Claire138

Thanks Jen,
Is there any particular way I should add the puree? at what point? at what speed?
I'm nervous to add anything to it now,

Claire




Always to completed buttercream. I don't know what SMBC recipe you are using but I have a thread going sharing mine and my method. I don't mention puree in it, but for strawberry I add probably close to a whole cup of puree to one batch of SMBC (it's to taste). Just don't forget to add a splash of acid (like a bit of lemon or lime juice) to preserve the color of the fruit. Comes together just fine.

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-711181.html

Jen

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Claire138 Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 8:53am
post #13 of 13

Thanks Jen,

I have read your thread and will follow your advice hoping for better results. I'm having one of those days (well 2 days), have just made a genoise cake that I don't think is working (it's in the oven but I think it will be flat), I'm starting to panic.

Thanks again,

Claire

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