Butter cream (also known as buttercream, butter icing or mock cream) is a type of icing Icing, also called frosting, is a sweet often creamy glaze made of sugar with a liquid such as water or milk, that is often enriched with ingredients such as butter, egg whites, cream cheese, or flavorings and is used to cover or decorate baked goods, such as cakes or cookies used inside cakes, as a coating, and as decoration Cake decorating is one of the sugar arts that uses icing and other edible decorative elements to make otherwise plain cakes more visually interesting. Alternatively, cakes can be molded and sculpted to resemble three-dimensional persons, places and things. In its simplest form, it is made by creaming Creaming, in baking, is the technique of blending ingredients — usually granulated sugar — together with a solid fat like shortening or butter. The technique is most often used in making buttercream, cake batter or cookie dough. The dry ingredients are mixed or beaten with the fat until it becomes light and fluffy and increased in volume, due butter Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying. Butter consists of butterfat, water and milk proteins with powdered sugar Powdered sugar, also known as confectioner's sugar or icing sugar, is very fine powdered sugar. When intended for home use, it typically contains a small amount of anti-caking agent, although other fats Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are generally triesters of glycerol and fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure and composition. Although the words "oils", "fats", can be used, such as margarine Margarine , as a generic term, can indicate any of a wide range of butter substitutes. In many parts of the world, the market share of margarine and spreads has overtaken that of butter. Margarine is an ingredient in the preparation of many foods and, in recipes and colloquially, is sometimes called oleo. Colorings and flavorings are often added, such as cocoa powder The separation of the two components may be accomplished by a press, or by the Broma process. The resulting powder, sold as natural cocoa powder, is more reddish than the traditional "chocolate" color, and relatively low in pH, causing a sour or acidic taste. Dutch process chocolate has been treated so as to neutralize the acidity and or vanilla extract Vanilla extract is a solution containing the flavor compound vanillin[citation needed]. Pure vanilla extract is made with an extraction from vanilla beans in an alcoholic solution. In order for a vanilla extract to be called pure, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires that the solution contain a minimum of 35% alcohol and 13.35 ounces of.
One use of buttercream is in cupcakes A cupcake is a small cake designed to serve one person, frequently baked in a small, thin paper or aluminum cup. As with larger cakes, frosting and other cake decorations, such as sprinkles, are common on cupcakes, although it is popular as a topping for many other forms of Victoria sponge Sponge cake is a cake based on flour , sugar, and eggs, sometimes leavened with baking powder, that derives its structure from an egg foam into which the other ingredients are folded. The sponge cake is thought to be one of the first of the non-yeasted cakes, and though it does not appear in Hannah Glasse's The Art of Cookery in the late 18th.
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Major types of buttercream
Simple buttercream
Simple buttercream, also known as American buttercream, is made by creaming together fat Shortening is a semisolid fat used in food preparation, especially baked goods, and is so called because it promotes a "short" or crumbly texture . Shortening is fat or lard from an animal or vegetable. The term "shortening" can be used more broadly to apply to any fat that is used for baking and which is solid at room and powdered sugar Powdered sugar, also known as confectioner's sugar or icing sugar, is very fine powdered sugar. When intended for home use, it typically contains a small amount of anti-caking agent (also known as "icing sugar" or "confectioner's" sugar) to the desired consistency and lightness. Small quantities of whole eggs An egg is a spheroid or ovoid shaped cell laid by females of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Eggs have been eaten by mankind for millennia. Bird eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen (egg white), and vitellus (egg yolk), contained within various thin membranes, egg whites, egg yolks, or milk may be included. Some recipes also call for non-fat milk solids Powdered milk is a manufactured dairy product made by evaporating milk to dryness. One purpose of drying milk is to preserve it; milk powder has a far longer shelf life than liquid milk and does not need to be refrigerated, due to its low moisture content. Another purpose is to reduce its bulk for economy of transportation. Powdered milk and dairy. Due to a high sugar content, the frosting can form a thin crust, which prevents sticking.
Decorator's buttercream
Sometimes called Rose Paste, this buttercream is creamed much less than a regular simple buttercream resulting in a stiff paste suitable for making flowers and other cake decorations. It is usually the sweetest of all the buttercreams.
Meringue-type buttercream
Also known as Italian buttercream, this buttercream is similar in preparation to a French buttercream. A boiling syrup of sugar and water cooked to soft-ball stage Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added. Candies come in numerous colors and varieties and have a long history in popular culture is poured over beaten egg whites to create a meringue Meringue is a type of dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar. Some meringue recipes call for adding a binding agent such as cream of tartar or the cornstarch found in confectioner's sugar. Meringues are often flavoured with vanilla and a small amount of almond or coconut extract. They are light, airy and sweet. The sugar syrup essentially cooks the egg whites, eliminating most health concerns. Fat is added to the meringue as it cools. Frequently, when adding in the butter or shortening, the mixture will separate and look "curdled Curds are a dairy product obtained by curdling milk with rennet or an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar and then draining off the liquid portion (called whey). Milk that has been left to sour (raw milk alone or pasteurized milk with added lactic acid bacteria or yeast) will also naturally produce curds, and sour milk cheese is". Extensive mixing is needed to incorporate the ingredients. This is the most commonly used frosting for bakery cakes, and it does not form a crust.
Alternatively the sugar can be added directly to cold egg whites in a bowl over a simmering water bath. The mixture is whipped until the temperature of the mix reaches 140 F. At this point the egg is safely pasteurized. The mixture is then whipped at high speed until it forms stiff peaks and has cooled. Butter is added with a small amount of margarine to stabilize the cream. This is known as a Swiss buttercream.
French buttercream
French buttercreams are made by beating a sugar syrup which has reached the soft-ball stage Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added. Candies come in numerous colors and varieties and have a long history in popular culture into beaten egg yolks and whipping to a light foam. Softened butter Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying. Butter consists of butterfat, water and milk proteins is then whipped in. This icing is very rich, smooth, and light. French buttercreams tend to melt faster than other buttercreams due to the high content of fat from the egg yolks and butter.
Pastry cream-type buttercream
Pastry cream types, sometimes referred to as German buttercreams, are made by beating together thick pastry cream and softened butter, and may be additionally sweetened with extra confectioners' sugar Powdered sugar, also known as confectioner's sugar or icing sugar, is very fine powdered sugar. When intended for home use, it typically contains a small amount of anti-caking agent. Similarly, a light custard Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on a cooked mixture of milk or cream and egg yolk. Depending on how much egg or thickener is used, custard may vary in consistency from a thin pouring sauce , to a thick pastry cream used to fill éclairs. The most common custards are used as desserts or dessert sauces and typically include sugar can be made and beaten with butter.
Fondant-type buttercream
Fondant buttercream is made by creaming together equal parts fondant Poured fondant is a cream confection used as a filling or coating for cakes, pastries, and candies or sweets. In its simplest form, it is sugar and water cooked to the soft-ball stage, cooled slightly, and stirred or beaten until it is an opaque mass of creamy consistency. Sometimes lemon is added to the mixture, mainly for taste. Other and butter.
Choice of Fat
The choice of fat in a buttercream frosting relates closely to the stability. Often, some amount of vegetable shortening is combined with butter for better consistency and resistance to heat.
Butter
Sweet cream unsalted butter is traditionally the fat Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are generally triesters of glycerol and fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure and composition. Although the words "oils", "fats", of choice for buttercreams, as evidenced by the name. Butter provides a more delicate texture and superior flavor Flavor or flavour is the sensory impression of a food or other substance, and is determined mainly by the chemical senses of taste and smell. The "trigeminal senses", which detect chemical irritants in the mouth and throat, may also occasionally determine flavor. The flavor of the food, as such, can be altered with natural or artificial and mouthfeel Mouthfeel is a product's physical and chemical interaction in the mouth, an aspect of food rheology. It is a concept used in many areas related to the testing and evaluating of foodstuffs, such as wine-tasting and rheology. It is evaluated from initial perception on the palate, to first bite, through mastication to swallowing and aftertaste. In (texture) when compared to vegetable shortening Crisco is a brand of shortening that is popular in the United States. It was first produced in 1911 by Procter & Gamble and was the first shortening to be made entirely of vegetable oil. As such, Crisco may be considered appropriate for vegan diets as it contains no animal products. Butter melts at a lower temperature, though, making it more difficult to use. The coloring provided by the butter is slightly off-white in the final frosting.
Margarine
Hydrogenated Hydrogenation, a form of chemical reduction, is a chemical reaction between molecular hydrogen and another compound or element, usually in the presence of a catalyst. The process is commonly employed to reduce or saturate organic compounds. Hydrogenation typically constitutes the addition of pairs of hydrogen atoms to a molecule, generally an vegetable shortenings Shortening is a semisolid fat used in food preparation, especially baked goods, and is so called because it promotes a "short" or crumbly texture . Shortening is fat or lard from an animal or vegetable. The term "shortening" can be used more broadly to apply to any fat that is used for baking and which is solid at room (margarine) have become a popular ingredient in commercial icings during the 20th century because they are cheaper and more stable at room temperature, and therefore easier to work with than butter. The whiter color is also favored, especially for wedding cakes. However, shortening does not dissolve in the mouth like butter, leading to a heavy, greasy feel inside of the mouth. The flavor of the buttercream is also not as intense, and the resulting product raises health concerns due to the presence of polyunsaturated and trans fats Trans fat is the common name for unsaturated fat with trans-isomer fatty acid. Trans fats may be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated but never saturated.
Additions
Flavorings are commonly present in a buttercream frosting. Vanilla Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla native to Mexico. Etymologically, vanilla derives from the Spanish word "vainilla", little pod. Originally cultivated by Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican peoples, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés is credited with introducing both vanilla and chocolate to Europe in the 1520s and chocolate Chocolate (pronounced /ˈtʃɒklɨt/ or /ˈtʃɒkəlɨt/) comprises a number of raw and processed foods produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America, with its earliest documented use around 1100 BC. The majority of the Mesoamerican peoples are the most common additions, with coffee Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted seeds, commonly called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. They are seeds of coffee cherries that grow on trees in over 70 countries. Green unroasted coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. Due to its caffeine content, coffee can have a stimulating effect in humans also a popular flavoring. Clear vanilla extract can be used to create a lighter-colored frosting. For chocolate buttercreams, cocoa powder or melted chocolate is added during the creaming stage or towards the end. Liqueurs A liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that has been flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are typically quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during their production to allow flavors to marry or extracts An extract is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures or in powder form, such as almond The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus Prunus, it is classified with the peach in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated shell (endocarp) surrounding the seed or peppermint Peppermint is a hybrid mint, a cross between the watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). The plant, indigenous to Europe, is now widespread in cultivation throughout all regions of the world. It is found wild occasionally with its parent species, can also be added. For meringue-type and French buttercreams, the sugar syrup can be prepared with finely grated citrus Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae, originating in tropical and subtropical southeast regions of the world. The most well known examples are the oranges, lemons, grapefruit and limes zest or liquids such as juice for increased flavor. Food coloring can be added easily to any buttercream.
Handling
Most buttercreams can be left at room temperature Room temperature is a common term to denote a certain temperature within enclosed space to which humans are accustomed. Room temperature is thus often indicated by general human comfort, with the common range of 20 °C to 25 °C (77 °F), though climate may acclimatize people to higher or lower temperatures without melting. Buttercreams made with shortening and a higher sugar content withstand warmer temperatures better than those made solely with butter. Cooling buttercream will cause it to harden. If a frosted cake is cooled, the buttercream may crack.
For French buttercream, it is better to leave the cakes with butter cream covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Remove them 10 or 15 minutes before serving or longer to mitigate the chill.
When using buttercream to frost a cake, it is best to work with it when it is soft and spreadable. Icings may be stored, covered, in the refrigerator A refrigerator is a cooling appliance comprising a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump—chemical or mechanical means—to transfer heat from it to the external environment, cooling the contents to a temperature below ambient. Cooling is a popular food storage technique in developed countries and works by decreasing the reproduction for several days. Before use, the icing needs to sit outside the fridge so it can come up to room temperature Room temperature is a common term to denote a certain temperature within enclosed space to which humans are accustomed. Room temperature is thus often indicated by general human comfort, with the common range of 20 °C to 25 °C (77 °F), though climate may acclimatize people to higher or lower temperatures. If it must be warmed quickly or if it curdles, it can be heated over warm water (such as a bain marie A bain-marie is a French term for a piece of equipment used in science, industry, and cooking to heat materials gently and gradually to fixed temperatures, or to keep materials warm over a period of time or double boiler A double boiler is a stovetop apparatus used to cook delicate sauces such as beurre blanc or to melt chocolate without burning or seizing. It is a double-decker saucepan with an upper vessel that fits into a lower pot) and beaten until it becomes smooth again. Avoid directly heating the buttercream.
External links
- Cooking For Engineers - American Buttercream - recipe with step-by-step photographs
Categories: Desserts | Foods featuring butter
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Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:12:30 GMT+00:00
Rochester City Newspaper Step three literally puts the icing on the cake with several choices ranging from cream cheese to mint chocolate to buttercream . And finally you can top off ...
