French Buttercream

When I decided on making this French butter cream as filling for the Vanilla sponge I wasn't quite sure the way the whole thing would turn out. I wished I had a candy thermometer and such other stuff to get it right. I believe some trials do not usually end in errors.........this is one of them!!

So for the ingredients :

• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 60 ml water
• 3.5 tsps Liquid Glucose 
• 3 Eggs
• 1/3 heaped cup sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 100 gms semi sweet chocolate chips

, In a thick bottomed sauce pan, heat the first three ingredients - sugar,water& liquid glucose.

If liquid glucose is not available, light corn syrup is a good alternative. While heating, do not stir too much,yet see that the sugar dissolves completely.Turn off the heat when it starts to boil (see pic )

Step 2 : While the sugar boils , beat the eggs and sugar at a medium speed in a stand mixer until they become pale.

Step 3: This is a very tricky step where extreme caution is to be taken as you have now pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg mixture while the mixer runs at high speed. I say caution as the syrup can splash all over and could cause burns if ever it touches the spinning whisk attachment. And no one loves that, do we? So, when you pour out the hot syrup,pour it onto the pan in a steady thread, therefore avoiding the syrup touching the whisk ,yet the syrup would emulsify.

Step 4: The mixer at a high speed ,emulsifies the mixture and it results in a thick,glossy and a smooth mixture as seen in the pic. Run this at high speed until it comes down to room temperature or cool enough to touch.Now switch over to the paddle attachment.

Step 5: Two sticks of unsalted butter should be left at room temperature to soften. The butter should cut into neat cubes,which means the exteriors should be soft and the interiors of the block should still be firm to touch.The mixer now runs at a low speed until all the butter gets blended.Never add butter all at once, instead,add them cube by cube. Once all the cubes are added, run the mixer at high speed. Scrape down the sides. The mixture might look as if its curdled. Not to panic,instead let the mixer run for an additional minute, and you will see how fast it all blends together like this....

Step 6: Melt the chocolate chips on a double boiler, stir to clear the lumps allowing the mixture to cool too.

Step 7: Fold the chocolate into the cream & run the mixer on high for about 40 seconds. What you get is a rich,creamy, silky, glossy & smooth buttercream frosting! This makes some beautiful swirls on cup cakes too:)