Now That's Italian! - Italian Meringue Buttercrème

This is not a commercial for "Good Season's Salad Dressing", trust me, it's SO much better.

There are many forms of Buttercrème out there, but they pretty much fall into 4 types.  French, American, Swiss and Italian.

Both Swiss and Italian are based on a Meringue while French contains only yolks and American uses the whole egg.  Personally, I am an Italian Meringue Buttercrème person.  It's lightly sweet, not OVERLY rich (I know, that is kind of an oxymoron) and has a lighter texture.  From a working standpoint, it seems to be the most stable version.  Though I still would not leave it out of the refrigerator for more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 80 degrees.

Yes, I am making another birthday cake, this time for my other nephew Wyatt.  I have included a sneak peek at the finished product, but I wanted to wait and post the actual cake baking and construction in one post.  Because of this, I figured I should cover the Buttercrème process first, but I actually baked the cake first and had it wrapped and chilled in the refrigerator.   (Just wanted to make sure you all knew that I didn't put the cart before the horse, or rather the frosting before the cake)  :)
 

Italian Meringue Buttercrème

1 1/2 LB (24 oz) (710 g) Unsalted Butter
8 large Egg Whites (This is about 1 cup)
Pinch or two of Kosher Salt
1 1/2 cups (11 oz) (325 g) Granulated Sugar; divided
1/4 cup (2 oz) (60 ml) Water
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
optional 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract (If just making Vanilla, go with 2 tsp)
optional 2 tsp Peppermint Extract


Remove the butter from the refrigerator and slice into 1 TB portions 30 minutes before you begin (it works better when slightly cooler than room temperature)

Separate the egg whites and place them in the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment,

then toss in a pinch or two of salt. (Balance)

Combine 1 cup (7.5 oz) (220 g) of the Sugar and the Water in a small saucepan and set over medium flame, stiring until dissolved and the mixture begins to boil. 

Add a Candy thermometer and turn your attention to the egg whites.

Whip egg whites on low medium until frothy, then add cream of tarter and continue whipping on Medium speed.

Once soft peaks form begin adding the 1/2 cup (3.5 oz) (105 g) sugar in a thin stream.

Continue to beat on medium speed while you wait for the sugar syrup to reach 242º F (Firm Ball), on a Candy Thermometer.
If egg whites haven't yet reached a shiny/stiff peaks stage turn the mixer up onto high to finish beating.
If whites are at shiny/stiff peaks stage before sugar syrup is ready, reduce speed to low and keep mixing until syrup is ready.

When syrup is ready, increase mixer to medium-high, and add the syrup in a thin stream, being careful not to hit the side of the bowl or the whisk, or you will have sugar shards in your final buttercrème.

Once all the syrup has been added (DO NOT scrape the pan) continue beating the meringue until it has cooled to about 95° F.

You want the meringue to return to a stiff/shiny peak before adding the butter. (this will make a more stable Buttercrème)
When the Meringue has cooled, switch to the paddle attachment and medium speed.

Begin adding the butter one TB at a time allowing the butter to incorporate before adding the next TB.

Continue until all butter is mixed in.
First, it will appear kind of "runny", just keep adding the butter...

Then it will look kind of grainy & lumpy, just continue adding butter and beating. (this can take as long as 15 minutes after the last TB of butter is added)

If mixture completely breaks, just continue beating at medium speed and mixture will come back together and begin to make that "slapping" sound that Buttercrème is known for.

Now is the flavoring point...   Though you can skip the mint part and flavor with just Vanilla Extract, Orange, Lemon and/or Lime extract or oil, Brandy, Cognac, Bourbon... The choices are endless.

I removed 1 1/4 cups of the Buttercrème to a separate bowl and added 2 oz (57 g) of melted 55% chocolate....

And stirred it all together to form my Minted Chocolate filling....

Here is a sneak peek at the finished cake, which I will talk about tomorrow.

Chocolate cake, with minted chocolate Buttercrème filling, coated in mint Buttercrème, and decorated with "After 8" Mints and Hershey's Kisses & Hugs to make a checker board/chess board type look.


Mangia!!
~~

I See Sea Foam - Sea Foam Frosting

Few things on the planet are as delicious as Sea Foam (Hokey Pokey, Cinder Toffee, Sponge Toffee, etc.)  But, when you combine the deliciousness of Sea Foam and the fluffy marshmallowy goodness of 7 minute frosting.  Stop the bus, cause I am getting off here!

Sea Foam Frosting is sometimes referred to as Penuche frosting.  Whatever you want to call it, it's just yummy.  I have given up on using pasteurized whites for this, simply because I find that with only 2 egg whites and so much 235 degree syrup, the temperature is well above the 140 degree mark, so the whites are getting "cooked" plenty well enough. The nice thing about this is that fresh whites whip up higher than pasteurized ones do.  Thus, a more fluffy frosting.

Now if you will excuse me, I have to go bury my face in the bowl.   :)

Sea Foam Frosting

1 1/2 cups Dark Brown Sugar, Packed
1/3 cup water
Pinch of Kosher salt
2 Egg Whites
up to 1 tsp Vanilla (I usually leave it out)

Place Dark Brown Sugar, Water and salt in a medium saucepan over medium flame. (it doesn't look like there is that much in the pan, but when it starts to boil, it will foam a lot)

Stir the mixture until it comes to a boil then place a thermometer in the mix an let it boil until it reaches 235 degrees (you need to cook the brown sugar a little longer than the regular granulated sugar used in normal 7 minute frosting)

Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, and wisk them to stiff peaks.

When the syrup is at temperature, remove the thermometer and turn the mixer on medium, slowly pour the dark syrup into the egg whites, being careful not to hit the whisk or the side of the bowl. (you don't want shards of sugar crystals in your frosting)

When all the syrup has been incorporated, beat for 1 more minute, then switch out the whisk for the paddle attachment (it just works better at this point)

Continue beating for at least 7 minutes, or until the frosting cools to room temperature.

What you will have is a delicious fluffy brown sugary frosting (similar in texture to marshmallow cream)

Use the frosting immediately.  No crumb coats or anything like that, as this frosting cannot be refrigerated and must stay at room temperature.

Just pile it all over whatever cake you have "lion" around.

In this case, a Baker's Cut-up cake design for my nephew Weston's 4th birthday.   These were the cake patterns my mom and grandma used while I and my brothers were growing up, yielding things like fish, turtles, giraffes, rocking horses, penguins, elephants, & various other animals like my nephew's lion.   LOL 

This one is made from Chocolate cake, with Sea Foam Frosting and a mane of Toasted Coconut;  almost like a Violet Crumble in reverse (chocolate covered in sea foam, as opposed to sea foam toffee covered in chocolate)   Add a few licorice legs and a tail with a seafoam frosted marshmallow, a gum drop nose, ear and tongue and your good to go.

Mangia!!
~~

When Rabbits and Bees Attack - Honey Nut Carrot Cake

My bestest friend Stephanie's Birthday was Monday (23rd). We will be celebrating this weekend. Which should be a hoot, it always is. When asked what kind of cake she wanted for her Birthday, she asked me for a Carrot Cake. That made me extremely happy, for not only is it one of my favorite childhood cakes, it has also got to be the easiest cake ever.

I really love this recipe from my mom because it contains pineapple, NOT raisins, which tend to obtain a strange texture after cooking.  It also contains no Baking Powder, instead utilizing Honey (which is an acid) and Baking Soda for a leavening reaction.

I like to grate my carrots REALLY fine. This is really the only problematic part of the cake batter assemblage.  Let's face it, it takes awhile to grate 3 cups of carrots.

Honey Nut Carrot Cake

3 cups Carrots, finely grated
3 cups AP Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 cups Honey (Orange Blossom)
4 Eggs
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 small can crushed Pineapple in it's own juice (Drained)
1/2 - 1 cup Walnuts or Pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line 2 9-inch round pans with parchment
Grate carrots.

Dump Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, Cinnamon and Ginger together in a large bowl.

And whisk em all together...

Add Carrots, Honey, Eggs, Oil and Pineapple.

Mix well then fold in the nuts.

Divide between the two prepared pans.

Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 15 minutes.

Then run a knife around the outside edge and turning out onto a rack to cool completely.

Then chill until ready to frost with Italian Cream Cheese Frosting - Which I will be doing tomorrow.
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