Colleen's Q: Each time I've made a batch of Kaye’s Buttercream, (using a Kitchenaid 6 quart Professional mixer), the boiled sugar crystallizes on the side of the mixing bowl near the rim as I slowly pour it down the side of the bowl into the whipped egg whites. Inevitably, some of those crystals get into the icing, clogging the pastry bag tip. I've resorted to stopping the whipping process after all of the sugar is incorporated and transferred the contents to another bowl. I then wash out the crystallized sugar in the mixer bowl, re-add the contents and then whip in the butter. I have fewer crystals - but the butter doesn't fully incorporate or the end result is not sweetened enough. What am I doing wrong? Here are some additional questions:
· What should the exact temperature of the sugar be when it is ready for use? (After the 7 minute boil).
· What temperature should the egg whites be at? I've been going with room temperature.
· Do you separate your egg whites from fresh eggs or do you think I can purchase the liquid egg whites found in the grocer's dairy section?
A: First, to avoid sugar crystals in your buttercream make sure, while the sugar is cooking, to wash the crystals off the side of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Also when pouring the sugar into the bowl of the electric mixer, pour it in a continuous stream that hits just the egg whites, avoiding the side of the bowl and the whip. If it easier to pour the sugar into a Pyrex first, than do so.
As far approximate temperatures, you can start whipping your egg whites when the sugar reaches 242° F and pour the sugar into the egg whites when it reaches 255° F.
Since we make our buttercream in a 60-quart mixer, we use pre-separated pasteurized egg whites (I assume that is similar to what you find in the grocery store) but we separated fresh eggs for the recipe in our book. Although it easier to separate the egg white from the yolk when eggs are cold, you can make the buttercream with the eggs at room temperature.
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