Swiss Meringue Buttercream by Karen Yee

Swiss Meringue Buttercream (Adapted from Nasi Lemak Lover)

Ingredients
3 large egg whites
135g sugar
227g unsalted butter, soft but still cold, cut into small equal size of cubes
2 tsp of vanilla extract

Method
• Remove butter from fridge and cut into small cubes, set aside. Lightly whisk egg whites in a mixing bowl, place over a pot of simmering water (double boiler).
• Add in sugar in 3 batches, whisk sugar and egg whites till sugar is fully dissolved (rub some with your fingers, if it feels grainy, it hasn't dissolved yet), take about 2-3mins.
• Remove from heat and whisk for about 5mins till peaks are stiff, thick and glossy (Hand mixer speed at 3).
• At this point, the mixing bowl should be cool to the touch but still slight warm at the bottom.
Place the bowl of meringue on top of a large bowl with few ice cubes and water.
• With the mixer at low, add in the butter cube one by one, ensuring that each addition is well incorporated before adding the next one.
• Beat till mixture become curdles, stop the mixer, take a spatula, continue to fold and stir till the mixture become creamy and satiny. (Even the mixture not totally smooth also ok, because when you add coloring, you need to stir and this time it will turn smooth).
• Add colouring and flavour if desired and mix till evenly distributed.