Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 4 large egg whites
• 28 tablespoons (31⁄ 2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cooking Instructions: 

1. Whisk the sugar, egg whites, and 2 tablespoons of water in the work bowl of a standing heavy-duty electric mixer, just to combine. 
2. Place over a saucepan of gently simmering water—the bottom of the bowl should not
3. touch the water. 
4. Stir gently with the whisk (do not incorporate air at this point) until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture feels very hot to the touch.
5. Attach the bowl to the mixer and affix the whisk attachment. 
6. Beat at low speed until the mixture is foamy. 
7. Increase the speed to high and beat until the meringue forms stiff, shiny peaks. 
8. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and beat until the meringue is cool, about 10 minutes.
9. One tablespoon at a time, beat the butter into the meringue. 
10. Beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Use immediately.

** Bourbon Buttercream: Beat 2 tablespoons of bourbon into the finished buttercream