This ultimate buttercream is so rich and silky smooth it will melt in your mouth. Compared to Italian buttercream, french buttercream has egg yolks in it which gives it a richer flavor.
- 6 large pasteurized eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Whip egg yolks on high speed until light and fluffy. The eggs will be light in color.
- Combine the sugar and water in saucepan and heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Have a small bowl of water and pastry brush ready to wet down the insides of pan to remove any sugar crystals, which can ruin the syrup; Stop stirring and bring to boil until syrup reaches the softball stage (238°F).
- Slowly pour the syrup into the whipped eggs and whip until cool. This may take up to 15 minutes.
- Add butter (in small chunks) when the eggs are cool; if you add butter to soon (not cool enough) you will ruin your whole batch!
- On medium speed add a few tablespoons at a time. The egg mixture will change as the butter is incorporated.
- Continue whipping butter cream until all butter is added.
- Add vanilla. Keep beating the butter cream until completely smooth.
Variation:
Chocolate: add 4-6 ounces melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate to finished buttercream.
Raspberry: add 1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh raspberry sauce to finished buttercream.
Lemon: add 1/4 cup, at a time, of lemon curd to finished buttercream until desired flavor is achieved. Just make sure to watch the consistency of the frosting as you are slowly adding the lemon curd.
Feel free vary the amounts of your added flavors although; do so in small increments as buttercream can get to thin or thick depending what you are adding to it.