Hello everyone, I am new to the forum, and hope that I could get some help on the Neoclassic buttercream.

I’ve made Mousseline butttercream about a dozen times, and it always turned out perfect (except that one time when I did a very bad job at pouring the syrup into the egg white, so there’s shards of hardened sugar syrup in the meringue). Yesterday I tried the neoclassic buttercream for the very first time, and it didn’t turn out that well. The consistency of the final buttercream is soft. I know that Classic/Neoclassic buttercream is supposed to be softer that Mousseline buttercream, but it shouldn’t be this soft. It looks nothing like the neoclassic buttercream from Rose’s youtube video.

I think I have done a few error along the way. First, I used a hand mixer (Kitchenaid 5 speed). I always use my stand mixer for Mousseline, but after seeing Rose’s pbs buttercream video where she used a hand mixer, I thought it would be okay too. The bowl I use to make the buttercream probably have something to do with it too, as I find hardened cooked egg yorks mixture along the sides and bottom of the bowl, maybe that contributed to the soft texture.

Finally I have two questions:

1. How long should I beat the yolks for?

2. How long should I mix after the sugar syrup is added?

I beat the yolks for about a minute before cooking the sugar syrup, and continue beating once the sugar syrup starts cooking, so about 3 minutes tops. Should I beat it longer, say, 5 minutes?
After I added the sugar syrups, I beat the mixture for at least 10 minutes, but the bottom of the bowl is still warm, and I dicided to add the butter anyways. If 10 minutes of mixing isn’t enough, how much is?

Thanks in advance for anyone whom may replys.

David.

Hi, David!

Welcome to the forum!

You can definitely use an electric hand mixer for the neoclassic—when I’ve made it, I’ve used the same times as a stand mixer, just using the hand mixer on its highest setting.

I’m thinking that your results are due to one thing (defiitely) and I’m guessing on another:

1.  Cooked egg yolks. Since you had cooked egg yolks, I’m thinking that you didn’t pour the sugar syrup in a pencil thin strand while simultaneously mixing the yolks.  In the mousseline, you can sort of ‘glop’ the syrup in, but in the neoclassic, you have to pour very slowly and keep the mixer going to keep the yolks from cooking. These cooked yolks can’t contribute to the overall texture in they are supposed to.

2.  Warm Bowl.  If the bowl was warm and you added the butter, the butter—or some of it—melted, and there’s no such thing as fluffy melted butter!!  So, that’s probably your other consistency problem.  The bowl must be completely and unquestionably cool. 

I hope you’ll try the neoclssic again!  It’s awesome frosting!

Let us know if you have any more questions, and I look forward to hearing about your baking!!

—ak

Here are three things to check:

First, as Anne points out, your sugar syrup/egg mixture really does need to be pretty close to room temp or the butter will melt or be too soft.  After beating for two minutes or so, you can try speeding cooling by putting the bowl on a cool, wet towel or in another bowl with cold water.  Another method to speed cooling is to leave one or two tablespoons of butter in the fridge, and once the egg-syrup mixture is safely below the melting point of butter, add the cold butter by the tablespoon until the mixture reaches 70F.  This requires a thermometer to make sure that you won’t melt the butter or make the mixture too cold.

Second, it is very important that the boiling sugar syrup reach a full rolling boil, thick with bubbles all over- it shouldn’t be just bubbles around the edge.

Third, the yolks, when beaten, should be increased in volume and meringue-like in texture, with a hand-held mixer on high (not med), I think this would probably take around five minutes.  Ribbon stage works.

There’s an update in RHC that uses Lyle’s syrup in place of the corn syrup, it has a lovely flavor that blends well with chocolate or nuts.

Good luck!

Thanks Annie and Julie.

To Anne: I think you pointed out the real problem: Cooked yolks. Although I didn’y really mean cooked yolks, I mean hardened sugar syrup and egg mixture. When I was making Mousseline buttercream, I always add the suagr syrup in blob, then turn on the machine. I did the same for the egg yolks, and I think I added the sugar syrup too fast. As for the warm bowl, I will beat longer until the bowl is cool to the touch.

To Julie: That’s a great idea to add in cold butter to compensate for the temperature. But I have another question though: what’s the melting point of butter?
For the sugar syrup, I did let it to come to a full rolling broil, the entire surface was covered with bubbles, so I think the sugar syrup had reached the right temperature.
For the egg yolks, I would beat those longer next time.

And you know what, I did use Lyle’s golden syrup, it added a lovely flavor to the buttercream. However, I was making Raspberry buttercream with Rose’s Raspberry sauce. I found the flavor of Lyle’s somewhat hindered the full flavor of the raspberry sauce. I think I will go with corn syrup next time, as least if I am making Raspberry buttercream again. Oh well, live and learn.

Thank you both for the help!

Buttercream - 04 June 2011 10:15 AM

what’s the melting point of butter?

Around 90F, depending on the butter.  I would cool it to about 85F to be safe, before adding a tablespoon of cold butter.