Swiss Meringue Buttercream

In a clean stand mixer bowl, mix together your egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (not boiling), whisking constantly but gently, until the temperature reaches 70°C on a candy thermometer.

Remove from the heat.

Place the bowl onto the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip the mixture until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch (this can take up to 10mins or longer).

Once cool, switch over to the paddle attachment and, with the mixer on low speed, add the chilled butter. Adjust the speed to medium and mix until the buttercream has reached a silky smooth texture (it will look like it’s curdled at some point, just keep mixing and it will come together nicely).

Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice and mix to incorporate. Once mixed through you can colour your  buttercream as desired using powder or gel food colouring.

Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for 3 months.

TIP: Always rewhip before using or even if it’s stood a while during use.