Double Chocolate European Style Buttercream Recipes

Steps:

• Set-up a pan with about an inch of water and warm it to 160 degrees.
• Chop chocolate and place in a clean, dry, bowl that fits in the pan without touching the water, but is within an inch or so.
• Stir chocolate (with a clean, dry spoon) occasionally until almost melted.
• Remove from heat and continue stirring until smooth, the residual heat will finish the job.
• In a large bowl that will also fit over the pan with water (I use the bowl from my standing mixer), place eggs, cocoa, sugar and salt.
• Whisk lightly until blended.
• Turn heat up so water simmers, place the bowl with the egg mixture over the simmering water and whisk gently until the mixture reaches 165 degrees.
• 160 degrees is the ‘instant’ kill temperature for salmonella and many other nasty bacteria.
• If you don’t have an instant read thermometer, then the mixture should feel fairly warm, but not too hot.
• If you start to smell eggs cooking then you’re too hot.
• (It’s OK, so long as there are no actual egg chunks) Place the bowl on your mixer, or pour it into your mixer bowl, and, with a whisk attachment, beat at high speed until cooled to room temperature.
• I like to do this in the winter and open up a window next to my mixer.
• If you don’t have a standing mixer, you can place your bowl in an ice bath and do it with a hand mixer on high speed.
• Lower speed on mixer to medium-low, add vanilla extract.
• Start adding butter one chunk at a time mix until each chunk is incorporated.
• When all butter is added whip on high speed for a minute or so.
• Turn off mixer, add chocolate and run on low speed until incorporated.
• Use immediately, keep at a cool room temperature for a day, refrigerate for a week, or freeze for 3 months.
• Re-whip before using.

Steps:

• Note: to melt the chocolate, place in a double boiler over simmering water on low heat for 5-10 minutes; stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely smooth and no pieces remain; remove from heat and let cool 5-15 minutes or until lukewarm.
• To make the buttercream: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter using an electric mixer on MEDIUM speed for about 3 minutes or until creamy.
• Add the milk carefully and beat until smooth.
• Add the melted chocolate and beat well for 2 minutes.
• Add the vanilla and beat for 3 minutes.
• Gradually add in the sugar and beat on LOW speed until creamy and of desired consistency.
• **For icing a 3-layer cake use the following measurements: 2 cups unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons milk, 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 cups sifted powdered sugar.

Steps:

• Chop chocolate. In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth, and let cool. Cut butter into pieces and soften to cool room temperature.
• In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 248°F.
• While syrup is boiling, in a bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with a pinch salt until foamy and beat in cream of tartar. Beat whites until they just hold stiff peaks and beat in hot syrup in a stream (try to avoid pouring onto beaters and side of bowl). Beat mixture at medium speed until completely cool, 5 to 10 minutes. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, beating until mixture is thickened and smooth. (Buttercream will at first appear very thin and at some point look like it is breaking but, as more butter is beaten in, it will thicken and become glossy and smooth.) Beat in cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and a pinch salt, beating until smooth. (Buttercream may be made 2 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container. Bring buttercream to room temperature and beat before using.) (If buttercream is too cold when beaten it will not be glossy and smooth.)