French Buttercream
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Of all the buttercreams, the French is the undisputed aristocrat. While its siblings—the sugary American, the sturdy Swiss Meringue, the sharp Italian—all have their virtues, none can achieve its particular brand of alchemy. It begins not with egg whites or simple syrup, but with a custard: a crème Anglaise of such silken perfection it could be a dessert in its own right. This is where the magic lies. The warm, liquid custard is allowed to cool then butter is beaten into the custard. It possesses a melt-in-the-mouth quality that is both rich and ethereally light, with a subtle, complex depth that no meringue-based buttercream can replicate.
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Of all the buttercreams, the French is the undisputed aristocrat...
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French Buttercream
- Start by bringing milk to a boil with sugar and vanilla. Turn it off, cover with the lid and let infuse for 20 minutes. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar. Next, bring the vanilla infused milk back to a boil and temper the egg-sugar mixture by slowly incorporating the hot milk into the bowl while continuously whisking. Cook the mixture until it reaches 185ºF/85ºC. Strain it over the mixing bowl. Rinse and save vanilla pod. With the whisk attachment, begin to whip custard on medium-high speed allowing the mixture to cool to 82ºF/28-30ºC. Then add the cubed and cooled butter to the lukewarm custard. Whip on full blast until light and fluffy. Fold in chilled Italian meringue if desired.
Buttercream Troubleshoot
- If your buttercream separates or becomes too soft, there are easy fixes to bring it back to the desired consistency. Gently warm up the mixture using a blow torch or a bain-marie to help the ingredients emulsify and come together. Alternatively, if the buttercream is too soft, place it in the freezer for a brief period to firm up before whipping it again to regain the desired texture. Remember to always use buttercream at room temperature.
Storage
- French buttercream, because it contains cooked egg yolks is more perishable. It should always be refrigerated if not being used within 3 hours. Buttercream freezes exceptionally well for up to 3 months. For easy portioning, consider scooping the buttercream into a heavy-duty freezer bag, pressing out all the air, and sealing it. You can also use airtight containers.A day prior to use: Transfer the frozen buttercream from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it thaw completely (overnight is best). Once thawed, bring it to room temperature. Re-whip it in your mixer until smooth and fluffy before using.
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