Holy Liquid Italian Butter Cream...why?!

Decorating By TheDoughHo Updated 24 Oct 2014 , 6:52pm by Lfredden

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TheDoughHo Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 1:54am
post #1 of 12

I've made IBC before so I'm not sure WHAT happened....

Whites to soft peaks, 700g of sugar and .75 cup of water to 240 degrees....poured in a thin stream and SOUP...

Whipped for 25 minutes and still soup, it never stiffened.

Confused, I added the butter to see if a miracle would happen. NOPE.

 

I haven't made IBC in a long time so maybe I read my directions wrong?

I did use carton egg whites. They formed soft peaks but obviously something went terribly wrong once the sugar was added.

 

Any ideas?

I've seen it "fall apart" when butter is added but this was water well before that and never turned into a meringue....

11 replies
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costumeczar Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 2:16am
post #2 of 12

sometimes carton whites don't whip right because they've already been heated to pasteurize them...However, try sticking the whole mixture into the fridge (if you haven't thrown it out yet) and when it cools off whip it up again. it might come together.  I've also saved IMBC soup by sticking bags of frozen vegetables under the bowl to cool it off while it whips. Or use bags of ice. It takes a longer time to save soupy IMBC than it does to save a broken IMBC, but it can be done.

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TheDoughHo Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 2:57am
post #3 of 12

You know I had read about the risk of carton eggs but since it had worked for me before I disregarded. Can't say I'll do THAT again. But my goodness, what on Earth do you use 13 yolks for after removing the white!?

 

I wish I had saved it but I was frantic to finish so went with a standard buttercream. Thanks for confirming the cooling method...I'll keep that in mind should I try this again.

 

Such a disappointment!

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DeniseNH Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 3:13am
post #4 of 12

If you had used the whites from cracking fresh eggs then I guess I would have questioned whether or not you got a bit of yellow in the white.  Even a little yellow kills the whites and leaves you with soup.  But I totally agree with others, cartons of egg whites may be the problem.

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jennicake Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 4:09am
post #5 of 12

I've had this problem too!  Used carton egg whites for years with no problem, and then it just stopped working for me.  I've noticed that the egg whites that didn't work for me were much more watery than they used to be.  I can't recall what brand it was, but maybe they've changed something :(

 

Both times this happened to me, I added the butter anyways and it did eventually come together to a good consistency, but nowhere near the volume it should be and it turned out really yellow and tasting of mostly butter.  

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MBalaska Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 6:40am
post #6 of 12

What to do?  You make egg yolk cookies of course.  If I use just the vanilla I call them 'EggNog' cookies.

 

Directions:

  1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
  2. Separately, beat egg yolks and add extracts.
  3. Add beaten egg yolk mixture to creamed butter and sugar.
  4. Blend well.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and cream of tartar).
  6. Add dry ingredients to creamed butter, sugar and egg mixture, mixing until well blended.
  7. Form into balls about the size of a walnut.
  8. Roll balls in sugar, place on greased cookie sheet or parchment lined cookie sheet, and slightly flatten.
  9. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on desired softness/crispness.

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cazza1 Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 9:49am
post #7 of 12

What a waste of good egg yolks.  Don't listen to MB, MAKE ICE-CREAM.  YUUUUUUUUMMMMMMM

 

I am the opposite.  I am always looking for things to use my whites up on.  Have decided I need to play with buttercream more.

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costumeczar Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 10:32am
post #8 of 12

AI have a yellow cake recipe that uses 4 yolks, so if. I make IMBC and that it kind of evens itself out. Then there's always lemon curd and ice cream to be made!

I do throw out a lot of yolks, though.

And the tiny bit of yolk in a lot of whites really won't make a big difference, I did this experiment once because they'd beaten such a fear of meringue failure into me. I think it was probably the carton whites that caused the problem, they just don't work the same as real eggs. I can't believe I wrote this 4 years ago, I saw the date and just about fell over. http://acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2010/11/egg-yolks-in-meringue.html

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JWinslow Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 12:46pm
post #9 of 12

I've had problems with carton egg whites with SMBC let alone IMBC.  I swore I wouldn't use them again.  I know people use them with success but I'm wondering if heating the egg carton whites kills them, so to speak. 

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ellavanilla Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 6:10pm
post #10 of 12

I don't use pasteurized egg whites but I do make a lot of IMBC and I have to say that I don't think you heated it high enough. My recipe calls for 250 degrees f and anything less won't come together, in my experience. 

 

 

as far as the egg yolks go, I use them to make French buttercream, which is great for chocolate, or colored BC. 

 

 

eggs in the shell are less expensive than pasteurized and you get double the use if you make FBC

 

 

jen

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MBalaska Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 6:32pm
post #11 of 12

This is what my local grocery store sells.  Here is their webpage with information.  This links you to the page that says:  "not recommended for meringues"             http://www.allwhiteseggwhites.com/faq/

 

So the trade off for getting pasteurized egg whites, is egg whites that just don't whip up to exactly the same stiff firm peak as egg whites out of the shell.  You simply get a slightly softer buttercream.

 

(I tried the ice cream machine at home and it didn't work for me, so philosophically I agree with @cazza1 ):)

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Lfredden Posted 24 Oct 2014 , 6:52pm
post #12 of 12

I whip my whites with a couple of T of sugar to stiff peaks.  Maybe you didn't beat your egg whites long enough?

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