The reason I don't like making IMBC is that pouring hot sugar into the meringue is a very hit-or-miss affair, for me. Generally, the whisk whips a lot of the sugar onto the sides of the bowl, so it doesn't get fully incorporated. Also, it never feels nearly as hot as the eggs I whisk over water for SMBC (I basically whisk them until they're too hot to touch). With IMBC, the meringue might feel a little warm, but that's about it. And how do I know *all* of the meringue came into contact with the boiling sugar (particularly if some of the sugar is hardened on the side of the bowl, or top of the whisk)?
I just think it's easier to make SMBC and guarantee those eggs are getting hot enough. And while I don't doubt it's true that IMBC is more stable, since I've heard it from so many sources, I've never noticed any difference.
IMBC, I tried it & burned myself while hot syrup flew all over. After that I found a video tutorial that said to just stop the mixer, pour in a little syrup, then restart the mixer..... repeat. duh.
Just haven't tried it again. Probably should try it again though, just so I can see for myself what the difference is - I may love it !!! Especially as it's said to be stronger-more stable than SMBC. Ohhhh I'll bet it makes lovely rosettes.
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IMBC, I tried it & burned myself while hot syrup flew all over. After that I found a video tutorial that said to just stop the mixer, pour in a little syrup, then restart the mixer..... repeat. duh.
Just haven't tried it again. Probably should try it again though, just so I can see for myself what the difference is - I may love it !!! Especially as it's said to be stronger-more stable than SMBC. Ohhhh I'll bet it makes lovely rosettes.
I've seen tutorials where people pour the sugar into a measuring cup first, then slooooowly pour it into the meringue. I take the pot off of the stove and pour it right into the mixer bowl as it spins on high. It heats the sugar up fast and it probably gets the eggs hotter than it would if you transfer the sugar around between containers. I've never had it spin out of the bowl, though...that wouldn't be fun.
ASo many buttercream so little time. I think I will stick with the SMBC since I have just recently tried it, the IMBC sounds a lil scary ;). I'll try to master the SMBC first, lol. I also saw on global sugar art video (I have only recently discovered this delightful man as well!) that there is also a French meringue buttercream. Do you all like that too? I know some of experienced ladies in this thread have probably already mastered that too, lol! You all have some mad skills!
I admit it!! Sometimes I'm an idiot, and I probably did everything wrong on that one attempt at IMBC. do you use the paddle or the wire whip when adding the sugar syrup to the meringue?
ps: ( @costumeczar I've learned to trust your judgment and your recommendations so I'm happy to try it on my next cake
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I admit it!! Sometimes I'm an idiot, and I probably did everything wrong on that one attempt at IMBC. do you use the paddle or the wire whip when adding the sugar syrup to the meringue?
ps: ( @costumeczar I've learned to trust your judgment and your recommendations so I'm happy to try it on my next cake)
Well, I burn myself on 340 degree isomalt all the time, so 250 degree sugar seems like cool water by comparison.
I use the whip attachment, not the paddle. I use a small pan to cook the sugar and seriously just dump it in the running mixer, I dump the whole pan's worth in, kind of between the side of the bowl and the middle, then scrape the rest in with a rubber spatula. All of the sugar goes into the bowl at 250 degrees so it heats up nicely.
AI'm with costumeczar, I use the whisk and pour straight from the pan into the bowl of the mixer. I once worked with a chef who used to say "not on the bowl, not on the whisk", so now I hear his voice every time I make Italian meringue! The only thing I do is slow the mixer a little just while I'm pouring in the syrup, then I crank it up and let it go.
Glad to hear it @winniemog. You've also given me good solid advice...... I'm looking forward to this IMBC redo. You can never have too many great recipes.
AOh and I've burnt myself three times already today (and it's only 3pm - so many hours to fill with potential burns left!)....and none of those burns were from any Italian meringue - I seem to have a fatal attraction between my fingers and those oven shelves.....
Oh well, at least all these burns lets me pretend I'm a real baker. And they look much tougher at the school pickup than the usual brightly coloured hands....last week I had a meeting with the school principal and my hands were bright blue with gold fingertips.....hmmmm......I think burns are easier to explain. The principal probably thinks I'm a tranny who bakes really tasty cakes between musical numbers......
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Original message sent by winniemog
Oh and I've burnt myself three times already today (and it's only 3pm - so many hours to fill with potential burns left!)....and none of those burns were from any Italian meringue - I seem to have a fatal attraction between my fingers and those oven shelves.....
Oh well, at least all these burns lets me pretend I'm a real baker.[B] And they look much tougher at the school pickup than the usual brightly coloured hands....last week I had a meeting with the school principal and my hands were bright blue with gold fingertips.....hmmmm......I think burns are easier to explain. The principal probably thinks I'm a tranny who bakes really tasty cakes between musical numbers......[/B]
Lmao :lol: I always get that when I go to family/friend parties where I've done the cake - I can't remember the last time I wore nail varnish rather than my usual blue /black /red hands :-D At least when it's a client they don't see the mess you're in when you deliver!
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Oh and I've burnt myself three times already today (and it's only 3pm - so many hours to fill with potential burns left!)....and none of those burns were from any Italian meringue - I seem to have a fatal attraction between my fingers and those oven shelves.....
Oh well, at least all these burns lets me pretend I'm a real baker. And they look much tougher at the school pickup than the usual brightly coloured hands....last week I had a meeting with the school principal and my hands were bright blue with gold fingertips.....hmmmm......I think burns are easier to explain. The principal probably thinks I'm a tranny who bakes really tasty cakes between musical numbers......
I call those "baker's tattoos"...the horizontal marks on your forearms where the oven rack has scarred you. I sport quite a few of those bad boys.
I've learned that when people say "what's on your hands?" when they're covered with food coloring, the most amusing response is "the blood of my enemies."
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I'm with costumeczar, I use the whisk and pour straight from the pan into the bowl of the mixer. I once worked with a chef who used to say "not on the bowl, not on the whisk", so now I hear his voice every time I make Italian meringue! The only thing I do is slow the mixer a little just while I'm pouring in the syrup, then I crank it up and let it go.
See, this is what I don't get--and I'm sure it's because I'm doing something wrong. My whisk nearly touches the side of the bowl on my standing mixer, and whenever I pour the sugar into the meringue, I invariably end up with a lot of sugar on the whisk and on the sides of the bowl. The whisk just slings it around. I guess I should drop the whisk speed down to low and just pour in spurts, stopping each time the whisk reaches that side of the bowl. Once the sugar is on the whisk or the sides of the bowl, it hardens pretty fast.
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See, this is what I don't get--and I'm sure it's because I'm doing something wrong. My whisk nearly touches the side of the bowl on my standing mixer, and whenever I pour the sugar into the meringue, I invariably end up with a lot of sugar on the whisk and on the sides of the bowl. The whisk just slings it around. I guess I should drop the whisk speed down to low and just pour in spurts, stopping each time the whisk reaches that side of the bowl. Once the sugar is on the whisk or the sides of the bowl, it hardens pretty fast.
The whisk touches the bowl on my mixer too...I guess that some sugar does get on the whip but if you don't pour it in slowly it goes right in and if the mixer is on high it doesn't end up al over the bowl. What I find is that if you have it at 250 degrees it doesn't harden all over the bowl, but when you let it cool off by transferring it to a pyrex cup, blah blah blah it cools and is thicker when you put it in the mixer, and that's when it hardens all over everything.
Really, my "method" is to take the sugar off the stove, go straight to the mixer, turn it on the highest speed and DUMP the sugar in. No delicate pouring of a thin stream, none of that. Just dump it in, then I scrape what's left out of the pan and into the bowl. When you slow down that addition time by pouring it slowly or using different vessels, that's when it hardens up.
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The whisk touches the bowl on my mixer too...I guess that some sugar does get on the whip but if you don't pour it in slowly it goes right in and if the mixer is on high it doesn't end up al over the bowl. What I find is that if you have it at 250 degrees it doesn't harden all over the bowl, but when you let it cool off by transferring it to a pyrex cup, blah blah blah it cools and is thicker when you put it in the mixer, and that's when it hardens all over everything.
Really, my "method" is to take the sugar off the stove, go straight to the mixer, turn it on the highest speed and DUMP the sugar in. No delicate pouring of a thin stream, none of that. Just dump it in, then I scrape what's left out of the pan and into the bowl. When you slow down that addition time by pouring it slowly or using different vessels, that's when it hardens up.
Thanks very much... this is great advice! I think I feel a test batch of IMBC coming on. ;)
I have to make some this week, maybe I'll try to do a video of the dumping.
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Original message sent by costumeczar
I have to make some this week, maybe I'll try to do a video of the dumping.
Please do, would love to see you in action! :)
Okay, all of you who fear IMBC...here's how easy it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYaYePGrc7c&list=UUDru9n0gVtJlapF93R1npSw
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Okay, all of you who fear IMBC...here's how easy it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYaYePGrc7c&list=UUDru9n0gVtJlapF93R1npSw
That is awesome!! Thanks so much for doing that. I need to make some buttercream this weekend, and I'm definitely going to follow your lead. :)
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Okay, all of you who fear IMBC...here's how easy it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYaYePGrc7c&list=UUDru9n0gVtJlapF93R1npSw
Thanks so much for the video!!! I loved it, seemed very exciting to me anyways. I am going to make some this weekend. I have nothing to use it on, but I will come up with SOME excuse to use it :). Just think a few weeks ago I had never made anything other than ABC. This is very exciting!
THANK YOU!!!
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Thanks so much for the video!!! I loved it, seemed very exciting to me anyways. I am going to make some this weekend. I have nothing to use it on, but I will come up with SOME excuse to use it :). Just think a few weeks ago I had never made anything other than ABC. This is very exciting!
THANK YOU!!!
You're welcome! If you flavor it with nutella you can just eat it with a spoon, it needs no other purpose.
I remember when I first tried SMBC, it was like magic. I was in love! Now I prefer IMBC, I find the process easier as well. I don't like whisking the eggs on the stove! Boiling up a bit of sugar syrup is much easier, lol! Yes, it's pure laziness that drives me ;) I think the taste is the same between the two, it just depends which way is easier for you. I do also think my IMBC seems more stable than SMBC as well. CZ, I pour my syrup in a streaky stream, I think I'll watch the video of you dumping it in - it sounds easier still!
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Okay, all of you who fear IMBC...here's how easy it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYaYePGrc7c&list=UUDru9n0gVtJlapF93R1npSw
@costumeczar it's great when you say that you do "what works", and then show how perfectly it does work. Thanks for putting that tutorial together for everyone.
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@costumeczar it's great when you say that you do "what works", and then show how perfectly it does work. Thanks for putting that tutorial together for everyone.
No problem, it's easier to show than to describe!
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You bet, and if the butter was warm I'd let the meringue cool off more then just dump the whole load of butter in at once too!
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I fall asleep any time I sit still for more than about two minutes.
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You bet, and if the butter was warm I'd let the meringue cool off more then just dump the whole load of butter in at once too!
Yeah, I always dump the butter in at once, hahahaha! I've always just been a bit delicate with my meringue making. Not any more! Thankyou xxx
Well, I told you I would figure out an excuse to make this. I remembered my grandmother had left me a bunch of pans when she past (she was my teacher growing up, wonderful woman, but i digress) & thought I saw some heart shaped pans. Huh Valentines day is right around the corner so viola. Quite touching actually, the pans were still in their original plastic, so she never got a chance to use them, I'll use them for her :) Can't think of a better use for my first attempt at IMBC :)
Thank you so much for introducing me to SMBC (which i have now tried twice & have fallen in love) & IMBC which I'm VERY excited to try :)
ALL of you women ROCK in my book & your artistry is often unappreciated (from the business threads I have read on CC) so i will say my sincerest thanks, I'm having a lot of fun learning new things!!! :)
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