Perfect French Buttercream

Name: Perfect French Buttercream
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 120 g Egg yolks (From 7 large eggs); 80 g Water; 200 g Granulated sugar; 450 g Unsalted butter (softened); 0.125 teaspoon Salt (optional)

20m

Serves 1

pastryliving.com

Perfect French Buttercream

pastryliving.com

20m

Serves 1

Directions

1Add egg yolks to a bowl of a stand mixer and whip them at very high speed until they get very fluffy and pale.
2Meanwhile, add water and sugar to a small saucepan.
3Ensure that all the sugar is wet to prevent it from getting crystallized while heating the syrup.
4Wash off any sugar attached to the side with water using a pastry brush.
5Start heating the mixture at medium heat, without shaking or mixing the syrup, until the temperature gets closer to 244ºF.
6Wash off the side with water once or twice while heating.
7Remove from the heat once it reaches 244ºF | 118ºC.
8Turn down to low heat toward the end to avoid missing the temperature.
9Swirl the pot to make the temperature even for an accurate reading.
10Immediately add the hot syrup to the whipped egg yolks because the syrup gets a lot thicker as it cools down.
11Slowly add the hot syrup from the side of the bowl as you continue whipping the egg yolks at high speed.
12Flip the pot upside down at the end to add all the syrup left in the pot.
13Continue whipping the mixture at high speed while it's hot or very warm.
14Turn it down to medium-low speed once it cools down to gently warm.
15Finally, stop whipping it when it cools down to room temperature; the finished pate à bombe should look smooth and shiny.
16Add softened butter and salt and whip for about 5-10 minutes at medium speed until it gets very fluffy for a lighter, more airy texture.
17Scrape off the bottom and the sides of the bowl to pick up any butter that might be left out, and mix.

Ingredients

120 g Egg yolks (From 7 large eggs)
80 g Water
200 g Granulated sugar
450 g Unsalted butter (softened)
0.125 teaspoon Salt (optional)

Equipment

Stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand mixerSmall saucepanPastry brushDigital thermometerSilicone spatula

Tips

Use clean pot and tools to prevent sugar crystallization.
Heating the sugar syrup to 244°F (118 °C) makes a slightly thicker pâte à bombe for stiffer French buttercream.
Immediately add hot syrup to whipped egg yolks as it thickens quickly upon cooling.
Whip egg yolks at high speed while adding hot syrup slowly from the side of the bowl to ensure even incorporation.
Use soft butter at room temperature to create smooth and fluffy buttercream; avoid partially melted or firm butter.
Ensure the pâte à bombe is not warm when adding butter to prevent the butter from melting and making the buttercream loose.
For flavoring, add vanilla extract, melted chocolate or cocoa powder, lemon curd, caramel sauce, jam, or coffee powder.
Use gel paste food colorings instead of liquid colorings for more vivid colors and to prevent the buttercream from getting too loose.

Perfect French Buttercream

20m

Serves 1

pastryliving.com

Perfect French Buttercream

pastryliving.com

20m

Serves 1

Directions

1Add egg yolks to a bowl of a stand mixer and whip them at very high speed until they get very fluffy and pale.
2Meanwhile, add water and sugar to a small saucepan.
3Ensure that all the sugar is wet to prevent it from getting crystallized while heating the syrup.
4Wash off any sugar attached to the side with water using a pastry brush.
5Start heating the mixture at medium heat, without shaking or mixing the syrup, until the temperature gets closer to 244ºF.
6Wash off the side with water once or twice while heating.
7Remove from the heat once it reaches 244ºF | 118ºC.
8Turn down to low heat toward the end to avoid missing the temperature.
9Swirl the pot to make the temperature even for an accurate reading.
10Immediately add the hot syrup to the whipped egg yolks because the syrup gets a lot thicker as it cools down.
11Slowly add the hot syrup from the side of the bowl as you continue whipping the egg yolks at high speed.
12Flip the pot upside down at the end to add all the syrup left in the pot.
13Continue whipping the mixture at high speed while it's hot or very warm.
14Turn it down to medium-low speed once it cools down to gently warm.
15Finally, stop whipping it when it cools down to room temperature; the finished pate à bombe should look smooth and shiny.
16Add softened butter and salt and whip for about 5-10 minutes at medium speed until it gets very fluffy for a lighter, more airy texture.
17Scrape off the bottom and the sides of the bowl to pick up any butter that might be left out, and mix.

Ingredients

120 g Egg yolks (From 7 large eggs)
80 g Water
200 g Granulated sugar
450 g Unsalted butter (softened)
0.125 teaspoon Salt (optional)

Equipment

Stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand mixerSmall saucepanPastry brushDigital thermometerSilicone spatula

Tips

Use clean pot and tools to prevent sugar crystallization.
Heating the sugar syrup to 244°F (118 °C) makes a slightly thicker pâte à bombe for stiffer French buttercream.
Immediately add hot syrup to whipped egg yolks as it thickens quickly upon cooling.
Whip egg yolks at high speed while adding hot syrup slowly from the side of the bowl to ensure even incorporation.
Use soft butter at room temperature to create smooth and fluffy buttercream; avoid partially melted or firm butter.
Ensure the pâte à bombe is not warm when adding butter to prevent the butter from melting and making the buttercream loose.
For flavoring, add vanilla extract, melted chocolate or cocoa powder, lemon curd, caramel sauce, jam, or coffee powder.
Use gel paste food colorings instead of liquid colorings for more vivid colors and to prevent the buttercream from getting too loose.