Classic Buttercream
Submitted by cowgirl on October 11, 2002 at 2:25 am

DESCRIPTION
Classic Buttercream

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under cakes

INSTRUCTIONS
Classic or Neoclassic Buttercream from the Cake Bible ( Rose Levy Beranbaum)

6 large egg yolks
200 grams sugar
½ cup water
1 pound butter (must be room temperature)

Stir together water and sugar, heat over medium until sugar dissolves. Don’t stir anymore, boil syrup to soft ball stage.
In the meantime beat the egg yolks until light in color, if using stand mixer stop it, pour a small amount of syrup over the yolks, beat on high for 5 seconds, add the remainder in a thin but steady stream, take care not to pour syrup directly on the beater.
Beat this until completely cool. Add butter in about 8 pieces, add flavoring, beat until smooth and fluffy.
If it’s too warm it might be helpful to refrigerate the buttercream, but bring to room temperature before rebeating or it may curdle.

Neoclassic Buttercream:
*Replace sugar & water with ½ cup corn syrup and 150 grams sugar, bringing this mixture to a rolling boil and stop cooking immediately, add this to the yolks.
*You can use maple syrup instead of corn syrup and add 2 teaspoons of maple extract.
*for a chocolate variation add up to 6 oz. melted, cooled chocolate into the buttercream.
*for coffee variation add 2 – 3 tbsp. instant coffee, dissolved in 2 tsp. boiling water
*for mocha add 2 tbsp. instant coffee, dissolved in 2 tsp. boiling water to chocolate buttercream

Above are my directions, I didn’t type it right from the book, plus I’ve always added a little additional powdered sugar to the buttercream cause it wasn’t sweet enough for me…I’ll try to use more sugar in the syrup next time, maybe 50 grams more.
The buttercream is wonderful, it can also be refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for 8 months.