Swiss Meringue Buttercream

 - American Recipe

Directions:

1. Whip the egg whites and sugar (and vanilla if it is powdered) on high for 5 minutes or until very stiff. 

2. Melt the chocolate in 15 second intervals in the microwave until smooth. *skip this step if you don't want to make chocolate flavored.*

3. Set the chocolate aside. 

4. Add butter (and vanilla if it is liquid) to the egg white mixture (now called meringue) a little bit at a time, mixing on medium and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. 

5. Once the buttercream is smooth, it is ready to use, add the melted chocolate to, or add other flavors or colors. 

Notes: 

- Pasturized egg whites are something I have come to find makes a huge difference in in theis recipe. Pasteurized egg whites take about 5 minutes to become a stiff merengue. Freshly separated egg whites take significantly longer (about 30 minutes) to reach a stiff meringue. 

- If you are going to use freshly separated egg whites, add a little bit of lemon juice and that should help with the whipping ability of the egg whites. 

- This recipe tends to be a little bit softer of a butter cream. The flavor is a little more mild as well. 

- The butter can also be replaced with margarine. I recommend using half margarine and half butter because it helps the buttercreams stablity and heat resistence. 

- Stored at room temperature, this buttercream can last up to 2 days, up to 2 weeks in the fridge, and up to 3 months in the freezer. Be sure  to seal in a plastic container or the buttercream will change flavors.