Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

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Smooth, creamy, silky... so light it barely lasts on your tongue despite all that butter. This is how to make Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting. Also referred to as "SMB" for short, this luscious frosting is used by pastry chefs all over the world to create intricate decorations and apply piping techniques to cakes and cupcakes. It is also often used as a filling for macarons and pastries. It is my favorite of all types of frosting, and it sits somewhere between American Buttercream and Italian Meringue Buttercream in terms of its difficulty.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Simple ingredients - you only need 5 basic ingredients to make chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream.
Silky smooth texture - the consistency is a smooth as silk and melts so effortlessly on the tongue. There is no grittiness that is often associated with American buttercream.
Light and creamy flavor - you will be surprised how it tastes light, creamy and silky smooth despite 1 cup of butter in the recipe.
Not too sweet - if you don't like frosting because you find it is too sweet, then you will love this recipe! Swiss meringue buttercream is known for being more creamy and not cloyingly sweet.
Ideal for piping and decorating - the thick consistency and stable nature of SMB makes it ideal for decorating intricate cakes and cupcakes. It pipes like a dream thanks to the stability provided by the meringue. Also, it is more resistant to heat (ie. melting) making it perfect for summer BBQ's.
Rich chocolate taste - using bittersweet chocolate ensures the cocoa flavor really stands out.

WHAT IS SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM?

Swiss meringue buttercream is a type of frosting or filling based on meringue, similar to Italian and French buttercream varieties. Unlike American buttercream, Swiss meringue buttercream uses no powdered sugar, and a lot less sugar in general It is quite stable and less sweet compared to other types of buttercream. It involves heating egg whites and sugar gently until the sugar dissolves and also to safely cook the egg. Whipping this mixture creates a very stable meringue and results in ultra silky smooth without any grittiness.

Like Italian meringue buttercream, Swiss meringue buttercream also requires separating eggs but no sugar syrup. For the former type, you need to boil sugar with water to a certain temperature which cooks the egg white and essentially forms marshmallow. The Swiss kind applies the same principle but uses a less tedious method which makes it easier than Italian buttercream. Instead you combine the egg whites and sugar in a bowl and whisk vigorously over simmering water until the sugar is completely dissolved and the eggs reach a safe eating temperature - although with fresh eggs, this isn't so much of an issue. The temperature serves mostly to dissolve sugar and slightly denature (or break down) protein strands so that they can grab on to each other and trap air better.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Egg whites - egg whites are the base of Swiss meringue buttercream. It forms a meringue with sugar and is the main source of moisture.
Sugar - regular white granulated sugar adds sweetness and also stabilizes the meringue. The neutral tastes allows the chocolate flavor to stand out. You do not need powdered or confectioner's sugar for this recipe.
Butter - butter is the foundation of buttercream and it is what turns the meringue into a smooth creamy frosting. I recommend unsalted butter since there will be too much salt introduced into the recipe if you were to use all salted butter. It is important that the butter is at room temperature and not cold or the mixture will separate since it will be more difficult for cold butter to emulsify with meringue.
Salt - salt is important to balance the sweetness and also enhance the buttery chocolate taste. Adding it separately allows you to control how much goes into the recipe.
Dark chocolate - it is important to use bittersweet chocolate with 70% cocoa solids. This will create the richest chocolate taste. You can use semisweet chocolate, however it will be more sweet and the color of the final buttercream will also be lighter.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Once you get the hang of this you will find that it easy to whip up! The main issue most people have is when the butter is added, the mixture begins to curdle and look like there is no way it will recover. It will! It comes back when the balance is just right and there is enough physical force to bring it all together.

STEP 1). Heat egg whites and sugar. Whisk together egg whites, sugar and salt in the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer (or other heatproof mixing bowl if using a hand mixer). Place the bowl over a saucepan with ½-inch of simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 144°F (62°C), about 5 minutes. The mixture should feel warm to the touch and should not feel gritty if you rub it between your fingers.
STEP 2). Whip the warm egg white/sugar mixture. Remove from heat and immediately attach the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until it is completely cooled to room temperature. This will take 7-10 minutes and the mixture will appear white and fluffy like marshmallow or shaving cream. If using a hand mixer, it may take longer and wear your arm out!
STEP 3). Melt chocolate. Meanwhile, melt chocolate gently in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with ½-inch of barely simmering water. Set it aside to cool enough so that it won't melt the butter in the frosting. With mixer on medium speed, add the butter one tablespoon at a time to the cooled whipped meringue. Be patient as it will take time to incorporate all 16 tablespoons of butter, but do not try to rush it.
STEP 4). Add butter to meringue. Once all of the butter is added, increase speed to high and whip for 1-2 minutes until creamy and smooth. The mixture will go from looking grainy and soupy to smooth, silky and glossy.
STEP 5). Add melted chocolate. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the melted and cooled chocolate mixture and beat for another minute until well blended, smooth, whipped and creamy. Cover with a damp cloth if not using immediately. Otherwise, pile frosting over cooled cupcakes or spread between cooled cake layers any way you like.

WHAT ARE STIFF PEAKS?

Stiff peaks refers to meringue that holds a defined point after whipping. It should be glossy, smooth and stiff without drooping down. A drooping meringue would indicate "soft peaks".

EXPERT TIPS FOR SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Have the butter at a cool room temperature. Cold butter is difficult to emulsify into meringue while warm butter will become greasy and tend to separate. I recommend taking butter out of the fridge 1-2 hours before you plan to make Swiss meringue buttercream for the best results.
Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl frequently. When using the whip attachment, it is common for ingredients to splatter on the sides of the bowl and not get incorporated into the mixture at the bottom. Top frequently to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients blend evenly together.
Ensure chocolate is completely melted. The melted chocolate will cool as soon as it incorporates into the buttercream, so any unmelted bits will not smooth out and melt which will leave little specs in the buttercream.
Mix in the chocolate on low speed. Whipping chocolate may cause it to stiffen up quickly, so it is best to mix on low to medium speed after you add it.
Adapt to your environment - Swiss merinue buttercream behaves differently in different environments. I find that when I make it in the drier winter months, it cools quickly and the chocolate sets instantly when it hits the sides of the metal mixing bowl. I usually need to pipe it soon after making it in order to get a nice smooth line. In the humid summer months it may take longer than expected for the meringue to cool down, so I sometimes need to stop and place the bowl in the fridge for a few minute before continuing to whip.

RECIPE FAQ

How to ensure smooth buttercream?

Heat the egg whites slowly and carefully over the simmering water and don't let them get too hot. If you cook them, the proteins will break down entirely and they will lose their emulsifying properties.

Why does my Swiss meringue buttercream look soupy, separated or curdled?

You can usually fix separated buttercream by whipping it on high speed for several minutes. Sometimes it just takes physical force to bring the fat and water phases together and form an emulsion. If the buttercream still looks thin, soupy or curdled and it doesn't come back together easily, then it is having trouble forming an emulsion. This is because there's not enough butter (be sure to weigh your ingredients), you added the butter too quickly and broke the emulsion, or it is simply too warm. It might mean that the water-fat balance is off. Your egg whites may be larger than normal and there is too much water, so try adding a tablespoon or two more butter.

How do I save soupy buttercream?

To avoid having soupy buttercream, add the butter to the meringue while the machine is whipping on medium-low speed just 1 tablespoon at a time. Once it is all added, continue to whip on high speed for up to 2 minutes. If it is too warm, the emulsion can't form because the butter is too soft. To fix this, simply place the bowl in the fridge only for a few minutes to cool it down to room temperature, then try whipping again until it smooths out.

Why is my Swiss meringue buttercream stiff and dense?

If your buttercream appears too thick, dense and a bit chunky at any point after you mix in all of the butter, it's likely that it is just too cold. This happens to me often in the winter. It can happen when the warm meringue whips for too long and cools below 75°F (24°C) or the butter is too cold before it goes in.

How do I save stiff and heavy buttercream?

If your buttercream looks dense and very thick, don't worry, you can correct it! Place the heatproof mixing bowl over a saucepot with an inch of gently simmering water and let it warm up slowly. Once you see the edges liquify, remove the bowl from over the heat and return it to the mixer. Whip on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to medium-high speed and continue to whip until smooth.

What type of chocolate is best for Swiss meringue buttercream?

To control the sweetness of the frosting, I always prefer to use dark chocolate. Anything from 55-80% will work well. I prefer 70% bittersweet chocolate and if you are really serious about achieving those super sharp straight cuts and defined swirls then use couverture chocolate with a high cocoa butter content. It's uber professional and you can use it to make tempered chocolates too.

Does Swiss meringue buttercream form a crust?

No, Swiss meringue buttercream does not form a crust like American buttercream. That is because the sugar is fully dissolved in the egg whites.

Why won't my meringue hold stiff peaks?

If your egg white and sugar mixture does not reach stiff peaks even after several minutes of whipping, it could be that the bowl has been contaminated with fat so be sure the bowl is clean and dry before starting. Humidity can also hinder it, so try to avoid making this on particularly humid days.