Recipe Book

Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Updated: 25 Apr 2015

Ingredients

• 130g caster sugar
• 60ml water
• 60ml double cream

• Pinch sea salt

• 340g unsalted butter, room temp

• 70g caster sugar
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Place 130g sugar and 60ml water in a saucepan. Boil over a medium heat; don’t stir. Cook until the caramel is dark amber, about 345F on a sugar thermometer. Remove from heat and add the cream, whisking by hand until smooth. Whisk in sea salt and leave to cool.
2. Beat the butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, using electric beaters. Set to one side.
3. Place a clean bowl over a pan of simmering water (bain marie). Add the four egg whites and 70g sugar. Whisk slowly and gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture registers 160F on a sugar thermometer. Remove from the heat just as the first white clumps appear.
4. Fit the whisk attachment to the electric mixer and whisk until stiff glossy peaks appear, about 5 minutes. Once the bottom of the bowl is neutral and no longer warm to the touch reduce speed to medium-low and add the beaten butter a little at a time. Keep whisking even if it starts to look like it’s separating.
5. Once the butter is all combined, add the cooled caramel and a teaspoon of vanilla and mix until smooth.