Swiss meringue buttercream (mocha)

Recipe

Mocha buttercream - Liv for cake

• I used double the espresso.

• I only had semi-sweet chocolate, so I used that instead of dark. To keep the balance of sweetness, I used slightly less sugar.
  

I also referenced her helpful step-by-step guide of the basics for Swiss meringue buttercream.

How it turned out

So great! My hypothesis after the American buttercream disappointment was correct — I don't dislike all buttercream, just American. In contrast to the sickeningly sweet and grainy American kind, the Swiss one had a perfectly subtle sweetness with a silky smooth texture.

The best part is it freezes very well. So until I have a cake to put it on or event to use it for, it's just keeping beautifully in the freezer.

What I learned

Go hands free where possible. My stand-mixer was a game changer. It let me walk away while the buttercream was being mixed for 10 minutes to cool it down. Next time I think I'd go even more hands free and and clip on a candy thermometre to the pot while bringing the egg whites and sugar up to temperature. (I used a hand held thermometre, and it was a little tricky to whisk vigorously and measure at the same time).

When it doubt, keep mixing. Buttercream looks too lumpy? Keep mixing. Does it look runny? Keep mixing. It fixes all emulsion woes.