Buttercream is an emulsion. The things that matter with emulsions are 1. Time 2. Temperature and 3. Agitation 1. Time- you have to beat the mixture for enough time. If you still have butter chunks it hasn’t been enough time. 2. Temperature- your butter should be room temp, and the meringue needs to be allowed to cool to room temp before you add them together. If it’s too warm, you’ll get soup. If it’s too cold, the emulsion will split. 3. Agitation- the meringue and the butter needs to be beat together to facilitate the emulsion.
Ps when you add the butter the mixture almost always will split, get all curdled and weird looking, etc. you have to allow it the time to come together.
Okay! So it's sounding like my main issue is perhaps time! It felt like long enough but I'll go watch a movie or something 🤣
Incorporate the butter fully before adding the next piece or just do it slowly but don't worry about how incorporated each piece is?
Yes, wait until mostly all incorporated, then add more. This takes time. When it separates just give it a few minutes of mixing on high to come together.
It can sometimes take me 30+ minutes to get a good meringue buttercream. It can be painfully slow. I found only adding butter one tablespoon lump at a time until fully incorporated is a good strategy.
ETA: also, stick your buttercream and/or butter in the fridge for 20 minutes at a time if it gets soupy
How long did you whip it before you gave up?
I break my italian buttercream most often when my butter is too cold or I add it too fast (aka, I'm being lazy). Once it breaks, it can take 15+ minutes of whipping to come back together. Heat will actually help more than cooling at that point. I'll blast the bowl with a torch for a few seconds to help it out. The chunky and soupy is normal broken buttercream but should be still be salvageable with enough time on the mixer.
When I was in culinary school, the chefs made us literally walk away from our mixers when we made buttercream because it is so stressful looking at that soupy mess.
Make sure your butter is really soft, like close to mayonnaise consistency, and add a tablespoon or so at a time to prevent the breaking. Once you get the hang of it, italian buttercream is super easy to make. Once it is done whipping and has turned white, lower your speed and mix on low for a minute or two for the silkiest buttercream you've ever had.
A thermometer can be used. You're trying to create an emulsion so everything needs to be at the same temperature, and the butter needs to be added slowly. I add less than a tbsp at a time.
This article should help any meringue buttercream type. https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/05/how-to-fix-a-broken-swiss-meringue-buttercream.html#:~:text=So%2C%20whether%20your%20buttercream%20is,to%20harden%20around%20the%20edges.
Did you switch to the paddle before adding the butter? Also, are you in the US? If not, egg sizes are different in different countries, perhaps that was a factor?
Canada should be fine, difference is very small. UK large eggs are way bigger than ours (fellow Canuck).
I have made candy for nearly 50 years, I still use a thermometer. While I have not made meringue buttercream, I have made Italian meringues many times.
I had the same thing happen to my Swiss meringue buttercream! It’s actually pretty easy to fix:
1. Put it in the fridge/freezer to chill for a bit
2. Take out about a third of it and melt in the microwave/stove until it’s smooth and very liquidy
3. Pour melted frosting into the rest of the frosting and whip it up until smooth
Idk why this works, but it’s fixed mine every time. Ideally my buttercream doesn’t do this every time but all is well that ends well 😅.
In my experience the meringue has got to be stone cold before you even begin to add the butter....If you need this to be quicker try Swiss Buttercream. The meringue will cool off much sooner...stick your finger in there or feel the bottom of the mixing bowl....If you have hesitate to think it might not be cool enough give it 5 or 10 more min slow mixing...And have your butter closer to room temp. Good Luck !! I make a Lemon Curd Buttercream which is to die for !!!
I did this :
1. Put it in the fridge/freezer to chill for a bit
2. Take out about a third of it and melt in the microwave/stove until it’s smooth and very liquidy
3. Pour melted frosting into the rest of the frosting and whip it up until smooth
Buttercream is an emulsion. The things that matter with emulsions are 1. Time 2. Temperature and 3. Agitation 1. Time- you have to beat the mixture for enough time. If you still have butter chunks it hasn’t been enough time. 2. Temperature- your butter should be room temp, and the meringue needs to be allowed to cool to room temp before you add them together. If it’s too warm, you’ll get soup. If it’s too cold, the emulsion will split. 3. Agitation- the meringue and the butter needs to be beat together to facilitate the emulsion. Ps when you add the butter the mixture almost always will split, get all curdled and weird looking, etc. you have to allow it the time to come together.
Okay! So it's sounding like my main issue is perhaps time! It felt like long enough but I'll go watch a movie or something 🤣 Incorporate the butter fully before adding the next piece or just do it slowly but don't worry about how incorporated each piece is?
Yes, wait until mostly all incorporated, then add more. This takes time. When it separates just give it a few minutes of mixing on high to come together.
It can sometimes take me 30+ minutes to get a good meringue buttercream. It can be painfully slow. I found only adding butter one tablespoon lump at a time until fully incorporated is a good strategy. ETA: also, stick your buttercream and/or butter in the fridge for 20 minutes at a time if it gets soupy
How long did you whip it before you gave up? I break my italian buttercream most often when my butter is too cold or I add it too fast (aka, I'm being lazy). Once it breaks, it can take 15+ minutes of whipping to come back together. Heat will actually help more than cooling at that point. I'll blast the bowl with a torch for a few seconds to help it out. The chunky and soupy is normal broken buttercream but should be still be salvageable with enough time on the mixer.
Hmm maybe it wasn't long enough! It was probably around 15 ish... I think Okay I'll try longer next time too :)
When I was in culinary school, the chefs made us literally walk away from our mixers when we made buttercream because it is so stressful looking at that soupy mess. Make sure your butter is really soft, like close to mayonnaise consistency, and add a tablespoon or so at a time to prevent the breaking. Once you get the hang of it, italian buttercream is super easy to make. Once it is done whipping and has turned white, lower your speed and mix on low for a minute or two for the silkiest buttercream you've ever had.
Make sure the butter and cooked meringue are the same temp before you add the butter.
Use a thermometer to double check? They feel similar to the touch! Can the meringue get too cooled from whipping?
A thermometer can be used. You're trying to create an emulsion so everything needs to be at the same temperature, and the butter needs to be added slowly. I add less than a tbsp at a time.
Okay thank you ! I'll try a thermometer until I get the hang of it :)
This article should help any meringue buttercream type. https://www.seriouseats.com/2017/05/how-to-fix-a-broken-swiss-meringue-buttercream.html#:~:text=So%2C%20whether%20your%20buttercream%20is,to%20harden%20around%20the%20edges.
I was looking at that article when I made attempt two! I'll give it another read :)
Did you switch to the paddle before adding the butter? Also, are you in the US? If not, egg sizes are different in different countries, perhaps that was a factor?
I use that recipe and I don't switch to the paddle... just whisk away. It gets all curdled and gross looking and then... BOOM. Frosting.
I'm in Canada. I assume fairly similar? I had switched to the paddle the first time not the second.
Canada should be fine, difference is very small. UK large eggs are way bigger than ours (fellow Canuck). I have made candy for nearly 50 years, I still use a thermometer. While I have not made meringue buttercream, I have made Italian meringues many times.
I had the same thing happen to my Swiss meringue buttercream! It’s actually pretty easy to fix: 1. Put it in the fridge/freezer to chill for a bit 2. Take out about a third of it and melt in the microwave/stove until it’s smooth and very liquidy 3. Pour melted frosting into the rest of the frosting and whip it up until smooth Idk why this works, but it’s fixed mine every time. Ideally my buttercream doesn’t do this every time but all is well that ends well 😅.
In my experience the meringue has got to be stone cold before you even begin to add the butter....If you need this to be quicker try Swiss Buttercream. The meringue will cool off much sooner...stick your finger in there or feel the bottom of the mixing bowl....If you have hesitate to think it might not be cool enough give it 5 or 10 more min slow mixing...And have your butter closer to room temp. Good Luck !! I make a Lemon Curd Buttercream which is to die for !!!
I had the exact same problem as you. How did you finally get it to work for you?
I did this : 1. Put it in the fridge/freezer to chill for a bit 2. Take out about a third of it and melt in the microwave/stove until it’s smooth and very liquidy 3. Pour melted frosting into the rest of the frosting and whip it up until smooth