How to make perfect cream cheese frosting?

[Flingingmelon]

Mine either turns runny or grainy (little butter blobs). I have a magimix and a stick blender, I've been using icing sugar, phili and butter.

How should I be making it? Need to make it perfectly for Friday. I can practise all tomorrow.

Help!

Do you have an electric whisk? I make mine in my kitchen aid - use the beater to beat the butter and icing sugar together til fluffy, then use the whisk to whisk in the phili. If you beat the phili it goes runny, but if you whisk it it goes lovely and light and fluffy.

No kitchenaid I'm afraid.

That's why I asked about an electric whisk, a handheld would do it.

Use marscarpone instead of philli, or half and half. It's much nicer and less "cheesey"

I always soak as much liquid as I can out of the cream cheese with kitchen paper so it's more solid. I think in the US the cream cheese they use for icing is drier than the philly we get in tubs here, because without soaking the moisture out Ive never managed to get an American recipe to work. I also think you need to use some butter, it seems to stabilise it and prevent it becoming grainy.

I'll try that. I don't have an electric whisk as I almost never bake. If I invest is there a good one that isn't crazy expensive?

My cake came out fine, so my frosting disasters aren't a good reason not to keep going with it.

The cream cheese needs to be room temperature. If it's fridge cold it goes grainy. Same thing happened to me!

The Magimix should work fine.

I'm with Artesia mascapone or half and half also never use low fat philli, it does not cope with being whisked.

They don't have to be expensive. Quite a few here around £10. I'm sure you could get one in a supermarket about the same price.

Oh yes, definitely full fat philadelphia.

'now even creamier' full fat philli now contains Stabiliser (Locust Bean Gum), look at home brands and try to find one without stabilisers.

Really? It has been a while since I made it. It'd be a shame if that means it doesn't work. I might have to make a carrot cake to test it out

Full fat Philadelphia, and your butter needs to be very, very soft. I had the little blobs of butter at first, but not any more. Put your cheese in the bowl, and add the very soft butter bit by bit and it mixes in perfectly. Then add the icing sugar.

If you can't be bothered to strain your Philadelphia get to Lidl! kerrycooks.com/foolproof-thick-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/
good luck! xxx