Italian meringue buttercream

[TheFlyingFishFinger]

Has anybody made this and it been a success?

I've tried twice and I've had zero luck, it just doesn't Seem to come together.

I make swiss meringue buttercream, and its been dead easy - maybe give that a go ?

Is it the same?

Same effect, but you heat the egg white with the sugar, then beat the butter in. Very light and tasty

I have never heard of either of these, what do you do with them? middle of a cake type of arrangement?

You use them just like regular buttercream icing, but they are less sickly and pipe really neatly

I've made Italian meringue buttercream a few times now (boiling granulated sugar, then whisking it into a meringue, then adding softened butter) but to be honest, the idea of it has always ended up being more tempting than the reality. It's not quite as sickly sweet as ordinary buttercream but it tastes more fatty, like whisked butter - which is what it is, I suppose! It's nice and creamy to pipe with and holds up well, so it's good for wedding cupcakes.

It's pretty normal for it to go through a splitting phase before it's done; you just have to trust in the recipe and keep on whisking/adding butter.

Might give Swiss buttercream a go instead!

Ahh right! That's put me off now haha. Might give the Swiss one a go.

I do really want to try it though but no cupcake shops seem to sell cupcakes with it on

this is a great step-by-step guide to making Italian Buttercream - I sometimes add a little almond flavouring, which takes the edge off the butteriness.

What a brilliant guide, thanks wild

I make this loads. The key is temperature. I wouldnt try it without a thermometer. when heating the sugar/water it needs to go to 117-120° no more, no less and dont stir it.
Then just keep going with whisking the butter in. it can take ages. It needs the mixture to cool down before it will thicken.