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Swiss Meringue Buttercream in red bowl — Swiss Meringue Buttercream

What is Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Swiss Meringue Buttercream is a cooked buttercream made by heating egg whites and sugar together, whipped in a mixer until cool, then adding butter.

This buttercream is very smooth. It can be made with or without confectioners’ sugar, depending on how sweet you like it.

It takes a bit of time and you’ll need to clean a few more dishes, but it’s worth it!

Big scoop of Swiss Meringue Buttercream — Swiss Meringue Buttercream

The Mixer

I’d suggest to use a stand mixer for this recipe because you will be whipping the meringue for a while. Could you use a hand mixer? You could, but be ready to bring your strength, stamina, and endurance.

What is a double boiler

A double boiler is a small pot that fits inside of a larger pot, they are used together to heat a mixture slowly over simmering water.

A small amount of water is placed in the bottom of the pot and brought to a simmer. The ingredients go into the bowl that sits on the top of the pot. The steam generated by the simmering water will hit the bottom of the bowl and slowly heat the contents.

If you don’t have a double boiler, no problem. Find a bowl that sits on top of a pot…now you have a DIY double boiler!

Setting bowl in pot over simmering water — Make your own double boiler by setting a bowl on top of a pot over simmering water

The trick is the bowl should not touch the surface of the water and the water should be at a simmer, not a full on raging boil.

Using a double boiler is a great way to melt or heat something slowly. For this Swiss Meringue Buttercream, the double boiler is used to heat the egg whites and sugar together.

Tips:

The bottom of the bowl should not touch the surface of the water
Usually 1-2 inches of water is fine; that’s just enough to get a nice simmer going but not enough to touch the bottom of the bowl
The water should be at a simmer, not a full on raging boil

What is high ratio shortening

High ratio shortening contains more emulsifiers. It can hold more air and moisture which means it can absorb more sugar and liquid making a smooth buttercream.

It’s less greasy and cloying than regular shortening. It is also more stable and it holds up in higher temperatures.

High ratio shortening can typically be found in baking supply or craft stores as well as online.

This recipe uses both high ratio shortening and butter. If you don’t have high ratio shortening you can substitute regular shortening or butter.

How to soften butter

I like to soften butter in the microwave in stages. I start at 20% power for 60 seconds, then 10% power for 30-60 second intervals. I continue until the butter is soft enough to press my thumb into and leave an indent but not so soft that I can press my thumb straight through it; the middle will still be slightly firm and cool.

Each microwave is different so adjustments to the timing and power may be needed. Start with short intervals and low power percentage while you learn what works best in your microwave.

Troubleshooting: If the butter is too soft or melts, no worries. Throw it in the fridge until it firms up, then start over with the process.

You can also soften butter simply by leaving out on a plate at room temperature; this could take 1-2 hours. To help the process, cut the butter into chunks; this will help create more surface area which will allow the butter to soften faster.

How to store buttercream

Buttercream should be stored in an air tight container.

I like to follow these recommendations

Room Temperature – 3 days
Refrigerator – 2 weeks
Freezer – 2 months

Tip: Before using frozen buttercream, bring the buttercream to room temperature then put back in the mixer with a paddle attachment and mix until smooth.

The Buttercream: Step-By-Step

1. Separate egg whites into a bowl. Be careful not to get any yolks in the whites.

2. Combine egg whites with granulated sugar. Mix with a whisk or fork until you no longer see any streaks of egg whites. I should have used a larger bowl here. I made it work but use a medium bowl if you can.

Whisking together egg whites and sugar — Whisk together egg whites and sugar

3. Heat the egg mixture on top of the double boiler. Make sure the metal bowl does not touch the surface of the water. The heat and the steam is going to hit the bottom of the bowl and that’s what you want.

Heat the egg mixture slowly, stirring constantly until it reaches 140°F. *If you don’t have a candy thermometer you can test by rubbing the mixture betweeen your fingers, you shouldn’t feel any grains of sugar.

Stirring egg mixture with a rubber spatula using double boiler — Heating egg mixture using a double boiler

TROUBLESHOOTING: If you see bits of cooked egg whites it may be because the eggs whites and sugar weren’t mixed together thoroughly. No problem, when the mixture has reached temp, just pour through a fine wire strainer.

4. Be sure to use potholders when transferring the egg mixture from the stove to the mixer, the bowl from the double boiler will be very hot!

Potholders lifting bowl with mixture heated on double boiler — Removing egg mixture from double boiler

Transfer the egg mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer set with a whisk attachment

Egg mixture in stand mixer bowl with whisk attachment — Egg mixture in bowl of stand mixer

5. Whip on high until the mixture has cooled and the outside of the bowl is no longer hot. This could take 10-15 minutes. The reason you want it to be cooled down is because you don’t want the butter to melt when adding to the meringue.

6. With the mixer set at a low speed, slowly add the confectioners’ sugar.

Note: The confectioners’ sugar can be sifted ahead of time using a wire strainer set over parchment paper or wax paper. Any lumps in the confectioners’ sugar can be broken up by pressing them through the wire strainer with the back of a spoon.

Sifting confectioners' sugar using wire strainer — Sifting confectioners’ sugar through a wire strainer

Adding confectioners' sugar to meringue — Add confectioners’ sugar to meringue

Once all of the confectioners’ sugar has been added, turn up mixer to a high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. If you prefer a buttercream that’s less sweet, do not add the confectioners’ sugar. It’s sweet and delicious both ways!

7. With the mixer set at a medium speed, add the butter to the meringue in small chunks.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream adding butter — Adding butter to meringue

TIP: If your mixer speed is set too high and you add chunks too quickly you may end up with meringue all over your kitchen. If it starts to happen just lower the speed of your mixer and decrease the size of the butter you’re adding…and grab a lot of paper towels.

8. Add the shortening. I like to use high-ratio shortening but vegetable shortening will work too. You can also swap out the shortening for another ¾ cups butter.

Adding shortening to buttercream — Add shortening to buttercream

9. Add the flavorings, the vanilla extract and salt. I like to use clear vanilla extract but you can use regular vanilla extract just the same. I make my own vanilla extract but this is where I make a point to use store-bought vanilla.

Tip: For the salt use plain fine popcorn salt. I got that tip from Chef Alan Tetreault. Make sure that it’s plain salt, not buttery or seasoned.

10. Finish the buttercream by paddling it out with a paddle attachment. Not required, but this will help boost that smooth silky texture.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream in stand mixer — Finishing buttercream with paddle attachment

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Shannon Rivero

If you want a buttercream that is smooth and sweet, this is the buttercream you’ll want to try. It is particularly good for cakes and cupcakes.

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Course Dessert

Ingredients

6 large egg whites
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 cups unsalted butter, softened (4 sticks)
¾ cup shortening
2-3 tsp vanilla extract
Dash of salt

Instructions

Prepare a double boiler, putting about an inch of water in the bottom of the pot and bringing to a simmer.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, mix together egg whites and sugar. Mix with a whisk or fork until you no longer see streaks of egg whites.
Heat the egg mixture in the bowl on top of the double boiler, stirring constantly, until it reaches 140°F. *If you don't have a candy thermometer you can test by rubbing the mixture betweeen your fingers, you shouldn't feel any grains of sugar.
TROUBLESHOOTING: If you end up with cooked egg bits in the mixture, pour the mixture through a wire strainer.
Transfer the egg mixture to a stand mixer with a wire whisk attachment. With the mixer on high, whip the egg mixture until it has cooled, approximately 10-15 minutes.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the confectioners’ sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
With the mixer on medium, add the butter in small chunks. If you add butter as whole sticks the meringue may jump out of the bowl. 😊
Add the shortening. This can be high-ratio shortening, vegetable shortening, or you can swap out for butter.
Lastly add the vanilla and salt.

Video

Notes

Store buttercream in an airtight container. It can be kept at room temperature for 3 days, the refrigerator for 2 weeks and in the freezer for 2 months.