Italian Buttercream Gone Runny

Making Italian buttercream frosting--everything was going picture-perfectly until I started adding bits of chilled butter to the egg whites at high speed. Now it's runny like craft glue. What happened?

NatClem
  • Posted by: NatClem
  • March 29, 2012
  • 47674 views
  • 3 Comments

3 Comments

NatClem
NatClem March 29, 2012
SUCCESS! Turns out the problem was me! I got spooked after adding just 1/2 of the butter. Decided to go out in a blaze of buttered glory and dumped the rest in, and when I did, it came together again. Happy endings all around. Thank you both!!
 
Miranda R.
Miranda R. March 29, 2012
HLA, you're probably stronger here than I, but I think that your buttercream can probably be salvaged! It doesn't sound like it broke (though maybe it did) but here is a good run down of ways to fix a buttercream in crisis! http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-rescue-how-to-save-a-br-69323
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour March 29, 2012
Hmmm... Did you beat the meringue until it was completely cool? Are you working in a hot kitchen? My suspicion is the mixture got too hot.
 
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