French buttercream

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 450 g butter
• 160 g egg(s) (about 3 large eggs)
• 150 g sugar
• ½ vanilla pod(s), pulp

Instructions

Working time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 25 minutes

for a cake, petit fours or cupcakes

There are three different types of buttercream: German buttercream is made from custard and butter. Italian buttercream is made from egg whites and butter. And French buttercream, which I’m presenting here, is made from an egg mixture (whole eggs and sugar beaten into a rose), and of course also with butter. The ratio of butter to the other ingredients is basically 3:1. Beat the butter, which shouldn’t be too warm but also not too cold, on medium speed until it’s nice and creamy (about 3-4 minutes). Now, in a mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water, use a large whisk to immediately beat the fresh eggs with the sugar (if you simply add the sugar to the egg, lumps of sugar can form that are difficult to dissolve). Now reduce the heat to 3/4. Beat the mixture thoroughly on all sides with the whisk until it becomes lighter in color and is as warm as your finger can feel (otherwise you’ll have scrambled eggs). Immediately transfer the mixture to another bowl, add the vanilla seeds, and beat on high for about 5-7 minutes. You can beat it for quite a while; nothing bad will happen. Now add the mixture to the butter and beat until the cream is nicely emulsified (about 3-4 minutes). The buttercream is now ready and enough for an entire cake (about 600g of cream). The cream will keep for 3-4 days by heating the egg mixture and is easy to spread. You can vary it as desired with roasted nuts, flaked almonds, amaretto, marzipan, rum, coconut flakes, cocoa, brittle, strawberry puree, or raspberry puree. Here are my favorite variations: For a marzipan cream, I knead the marzipan mixture with a little amaretto until soft, so that it can be mixed into the buttercream. I also chop flaked almonds by hand and stir them in. For a mocha cream, I add some freshly brewed coffee and melted dark chocolate. For a regular chocolate cream, just stir in cocoa powder.