Joyeux Kitchen: Salted Caramel Buttercream

It shouldn't come as a surprise to any of you that I'm a frosting snob.  I'll just come out and say it: The canned stuff is yucky, and the film it leaves in your mouth is caused by the junk they put in it to make it 'shelf stable' (look at the ingredient list--I'm not lying).  Bleh.  Making your own is cheap and easy; even this recipe, which is more complex than most, hardly takes any time at all.  I put this particular buttercream on espresso cupcakes, creating what I like to think of as a "Caramel Macchiato on a plate".  You could also just serve it in a parfait dish, maybe, with a steaming espresso shooter. :) 

You'll need:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) salted butter, softened/room temp.
• 2 cups powdered sugar

(Double this recipe if you like mounded frosting on your cupcakes, like I do.)  Stir together the granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium high heat.  Continue cooking, without stirring, until the mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6-7 minutes.

Remove from heat and slowly add the cream and vanilla (start with a tablespoon or two), stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth.  If the cream you added was too cold, the mixture will start to separate and you'll think all is lost!!  Don't despair, put it back on the still-hot stove top and stir until it comes back together, then remove from heat.  Set aside until cool to the touch, about 30 minutes. 

Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated.  Turn off the mixer, then add the cool caramel.  Beat frosting on low to combine, and then increase to medium-high and beat until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes.  Refrigerate if not using immediately (or to harden the frosting a bit).

Salted Caramel Buttercream originally from Gimme Some Oven!

Joyeux Kitchen: MY OH MY Espresso Cakes

Sunny Anderson's Espresso Cakes With Peanut Butter Frosting

These are amazing.  I'm just going to link to the recipe, I made no alterations whatsoever--can't mess with perfection.  I had a little trouble finding the espresso powder but spotted it on the coffee aisle in a little jar; the brand is Medaglia D'Oro with a green lid.  I don't think regular instant coffee would do the trick for intense flavor, but if you try it let me know how it works out.  I doubled the frosting because I'm a frosting-aholic ("Hello, My Name Is Sarah And I'm Addicted To ButterCream").  Also, the recipe calls for four mini-loaf pans.  For me it made four mini-loafs plus seven cupcakes.  You should make these now.  Go.  Do it.  Really.



Joyeux Kitchen: It's All About The Frosting, Baby

This weekend was crazy.  We had an Under The Sea themed joint birthday party for the girls; good food, great friends and family.  The culinary highlight of the evening, I think, at least for the grown-ups, was the Swiss Meringue Buttercream on these cupcakes.  Ooooooh Martha it was good.  I wanted to swim in it, like that old gal on Patch Adams whose life dream was to swim in a pool of noodles.  The cupcakes themselves were great too, all Martha of course, (click here for all the recipes--side note: I added the seeds of one vanilla bean to the Vanilla Cupcake recipe) but I really want to focus on the frosting.

I had no idea how many different preparations of buttercream existed--thank you Wikipedia!  The Swiss is magical, and not for timid beginners.  It took a lot of mixing and I don't know how you would do this one without a stand mixer.  It would be wonderful on any cake, or on sugar cookies, or in a bowl accompanied by a hot cup of coffee... I'm having strong feelings for this frosting.  I'm in love.  So what if the recipe takes two  entire  boxes of butter.  Throw caution to the wind!  Your happiness depends on you tasting this frosting.

From MarthaStewart.com
You'll need:

• 2 1/2 cups of sugar
• 10 large egg whites
• 4 cups (8 sticks) of unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Sheer joy.  This frosting (which isn't even an adequate word to describe it) is perfect for mounding on top of cupcakes or smoothing thin layers on a cake.  Because of the preparation it will never 'dry out' or form a crust on the top layer--it will remain glossy and sticky to the touch.  These directions are straight from the woman herself--I took no liberties with Martha's buttercream.

Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.

Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.

Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.

Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.

I do have a couple things to add.  As it says in step 3, the buttercream WILL appear curdled after you get all the butter in.  You will panic.  Have a glass of wine and step away from the mixer.  Everything's going to be fine.    It's magic!  Culinary magic!  Also, if you're preparing it ahead of time, there will be more moments of panic.  I pulled it out of the fridge the morning of the party and let it 'come to room temperature' for two and a half hours.  It wasn't long enough.  In the mixer, it turned into something that looked like aqua blue cottage cheese in blue milk.  Gasp.  Not the canned stuff....  I had a Plan B but I wasn't eager to use it.  In Martha I Trust.  I turned the Kitchenaid on Medium/High, put my hands around the bowl of the mixer to warm it, and closed my eyes.  Six minutes later all was well--smooth, creamy perfection. 

I hope you'll try it.  Leave me a note if you do.  It will be a looooove note, I'm sure. xo