Italian meringue buttercream

Best Italian meringue buttercream frosting recipe, silky smooth icing, perfect in pastry to fill and decorate your cakes and cupcakes!

It is easy to prepare and stable at room temperature. It keeps its pretty shapes which makes it an perfect icing recipe !

this recipe

Don't be intimidated by this frosting that sounds so complex just by hearing its name! This cream is fabulous, incredibly, so sweet and a texture silky smooth, it's perfect icing!

I will show you here, that this meringue buttercream is not inaccessible! And after this article you will pass a higher level in pastry making and you won't be afraid to make this recipe anymore!

What is Italian buttercream?

It is often called IMBC, its small diminutive which means: Italian Meringue Butter Cream.

A buttercream containing a meringue with the technique called Italian meringue. A syrup of sugar cooked at 244°F / 118°C and incorporated into the whites, which gives a firm, smooth and shiny Italian meringue.

I very often use Italian meringue to make the shells of macarons or to decorate a pie such as lemon meringue tarts.

This frosting is similar to other meringue buttercreams, like the Swiss meringue buttercream  or the French meringue buttercream.

Why choose Italian meringue buttercream?

• It's delicious, sweet, soft and creamy!
• It keeps its shape! And it's great for decorating cupcakes.
  
• It is stable at room temperature, an ideal cream for wedding cakes and birthday cakes that remain exposed for long hours.

Useful tools to make this recipe

• Stand mixer, although it is possible to make it with an electric mixer. (for small quantities) I strongly advise to use a stand up robot to make this cream.
• A cooking thermometer is essential to reach the right temperature of the syrup and obtain a nice Italian meringue.
• Egg yolk separator, useful to separate the whites from the yolks.

Ingredients notes

• Egg whites, at room temperature without any traces of yolk, otherwise the risk of missing the meringue is greater.
• White granulated sugar, do not use whole sugar or confectioners sugar.
• Unsalted butter, at room temperature, but not too softened either.
• Pure vanilla extract, to flavor the butter cream.
• Pinch of salt, as a flavour enhancer and helps to whisk the whites to snow.

How to Store Meringue Butter Cream

It can be kept in the fridge preferably for about 1-2 weeks.

Also it is stable at room temperature without sanitary risk for 48 hours in a chill place.

And you can keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

What to do with IMBC?

The Italian meringue butter cream is a cream that perfumes and colors easily, it is mainly used for cake decoration.

• Topping of cupcakes.
• Decoration and external smoothing of a layer cake
• Pastry bag decoration with icing sleeves.

Swiss Meringue Butter Cream vs. Italian Meringue Butter Cream

No big difference between these two creams, except that the Italian version contains more butter. This makes it smoother with prettier shapes and catches the light even more. For me it is the cream to choose for decorating and icing cupcakes.

The Swiss meringue butter cream is most likely the favorite! It's easier to make, easier to use and perfect for smoothing out a layer of cake.

FAQS about Italian buttercream

- Recover a granular butter cream (sliced)

You will have this aspect of granular cream, after the addition of butter and after a passage in the cold, here is how to proceed:

During the preparation of the cream, after the addition of butter it takes this granular texture.

1. Simply let the mixer turn until it takes back a homogeneous and smooth texture.

After a cold passage, the cream is like cold butter, if you try to whip it immediately it will slice.

1. Warm the cream, in the microwave or in a bain marie (just a few moments just to soften the butter).
2. And mix with an electric whisk.

- The butter cream is full of air bubbles.

The quick whisk mixing has incorporated air into the cream, to evacuate these air bubbles, here's how to do it:

1. Before using the cream, mix it with the flat spatula of the food processor for 1-2 minutes at medium speed.
2. And finish by mixing the cream with the spatula, spreading it over the edges of the bowl to smooth it.

- My buttercream is liquid

If your butter is too softened, or even melted, the cream will be too liquid.

1. Place your cream in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
2. And whisk the mixture again.

- How do I color my butter cream with Italian meringue?

• By adding food coloring gels.

How to flavor the butter cream

• Fruit purée, strawberry and raspberry coulis
  
• Food flavor
• Melted chocolate or unsweetened cocoa powder
• Mixed cookies (oreo, speculoos, cookies)
• Squeezed lemon juice or other citrus fruits

More frosting recipes

• Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• Mascarpone whipped cream
• Best vanilla Buttercream frosting
• White chocolate whipped ganache recipe
• Vanilla diplomat cream
• Whipped white chocolate ganache frosting
• Coconut frosting

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