Cake Decorating Basics, Frosting, Recipes

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

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If you are a chocolate lover you have to try this Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Even if you are not a chocolate lover you will love this recipe of buttercream, it is one of my favorites.

It is not a super sweet frosting, it is just right. It is very tasty, easy to smooth out on your cake and it goes well almost with any cake flavor.

I know it sounds intimidating to make a swiss meringue buttercream but believe me, once you know what to expect and how to troubleshoot if needed, you will not look back.

Chocolate-Swiss-Meringue-Buttercream-recipe
This is a chocolate cake decorated with Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Topped with fresh cherries and white chocolate shavings.

How to make a delicious Swiss chocolate buttercream with just a few ingredients.

Here are the ingredients:

  • Egg-whites
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Butter – unsalted
  • Chocolate
  • Vanilla Extract

The best way to do this chocolate buttercream is to use semisweet or unsweetened chocolate. The one I used is the Bakers brand and it worked really well.

Use this buttercream and the ultimate Chocolate Cake recipe to get a decadent chocolate cake.



You need a double boiler to melt the chocolate and then let it cool down.

 

In a mixing bowl mix the egg-whites and sugar, place the bowl on the double boiler with simmering water underneath. Slowly let the sugar dissolve into the egg-whites. The key is not to stop whisking the mixture because then the egg-whites will get cooked and you end up with chunks of eggs.

The mixture should reach 155 F and the sugar should be completely dissolved.

 

Pasteurization of the eggs and the sugar to make the meringue for the buttercream

Remove the bowl from the heat and with the whisk attachment, whisk the mixture on high until you reach stiff peaks and you can touch the side of the bowl and not burn yourself.

Add the butter and keep mixing. There is going to be a point were the buttercream looks like cottage cheese, just keep on mixing it all comes together. Add the vanilla and add the melted chocolate. Let everything incorporate.

Add butter to stiff peak meringue to make SMBC
Add the melted chocolate to the SMBC.

Scrape the sides and fold the buttercream to remove some of the air.

If the buttercream is too soft place it in the fridge for about 15 minutes and mix again.

It is ready to be used as a filling and to decorate your cake.

Show me how to make the buttercream

You can watch me make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream ~SMBC.   in the next video, the only thing is that with the Chocolate SMBC recipe you add the melted chocolate at the end.

How to store SMBC

Once I decorate my cake, depending on the size I use I end up with buttercream leftovers. The easiest way to store it is by putting it in an airtight container.

Sometimes I do not have just a lot left to use one of the containers, so what I do is to use saran wrap and then a ziploc bag. Pop it in the fridge until you are ready to use it again. I would say just about a week. When you are ready to use it just let it come to room temp on top of the counter. Whip it for a couple of minutes and it is ready to be used again.

If you need to use it right this is what you need to do:

  1. Take it out of the fridge and place it in a mixer bowl. You will need the whisk attachment.
  2. Get some of the cold buttercream in a microwaveable container, I always use a soup bowl.
  3. Microwave it until it melts….this happens really fast since it is butter and sugar. Do not boil it.
  4. Once it is warm/melted, return it back to the mixer bowl and start whipping the cold and melted buttercream together.
  5. Repeat the steps if it doesn’t come all together.
  6. It should look like freshly made.

It looks like cottage cheese when you first start mixing the cold buttercream, so do not panic. Just keep whipping until it gets smooth.

In case you speak Spanish you can see me doing the previous steps. I thought I was live in a Spanish FB page but I wasn’t.

Tips to be successful in making the Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

  • I do not recommend you using carton egg whites, I always use fresh eggs and separate the egg whites from the yolks. They make a strong meringue. Don’t you worry about wasting the yolks, you can always make Creme Brulee or Lemon Curd
  • Do not use powdered cocoa instead of the melted chocolate, the buttercream will become sandy.
  • Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved or the sugar will crystalize and the buttercream will have sugar granules.
  • Do not stop stirring the mixture when dissolving the sugar, or the eggs will cook and create chunks of sweet eggs.
  • Butter should be at room temperature when added to the meringue, if it is too cold you might find chunks of butter that did not mix well.
  • If your buttercream looks cuddle and you think you did something wrong, you didn’t. It is normal that at one point it looks that way. Keep whipping it and it all will come together.
  • To get rid of some of the air bubbles, use the paddle attachment and mix the SMBC for a couple of minutes at a slow speed.
  • Leftover buttercream can be used as macaron filler.

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Make Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream and fill and frost your cakes.

  • 6 oz egg whites
  • 9 oz Granulated Sugar
  • 1 lb unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbs Vanilla extract
  • 6 oz Semisweet or Unsweet chocolate
  1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Melt the chocolate using a double boiler and set aside.

  2. On a clean mixing bowl combine the sugar and egg whites.

  3. Place the mixing bowl over a double boiler (simmering water). Water should not touch the mixing bowl.
  4. Stir the mixture constantly. Check for granules and keep on stirring until no granules are present and the mixture temperature reaches 155 F.
  5. Remove the mixing bowl from the heat and place it in the mixer. Using the whip attachment, whip up the meringue until it is close to stiff peaks and the bowl is cool to the touch.
  6. With the mixer at medium speed, add the cubed butter and keep on mixing until the buttercream becomes thick.
  7. Add the vanilla extract and mix together.

  8. Add the melted chocolate and mix all together. Buttercream is ready to use.

Butter and Egg Whites should be at room temperature.