This gorgeous custard buttercream is well worth the time you put into it.
They say put love into your baking and it will love you back. Well, this is certainly true of German (custard) buttercream. It's so deliciously dreamy.
If you've never made German Buttercream before then don't be afraid! While it's a bit more complex than regular butter and icing sugar beaten together, it's not so complex that I haven't been able to do it (and therefore anyone can). It is time consuming though, as the trick is not to make the eggs curdle, so everything must be done slowly.
The basic premise is to beat crème patisserie into butter. Making crème pat requires some welly as you need to beat it until its thick enough. The result is slightly less sweet than regular buttercream, but more complex and creamy.
I recommend using a vanilla pod because not only can you see these beautiful flecks of it throughout the creamy white frosting, but the taste is divine. However, vanilla pods are expensive, so you can leave it out. If you feel you don't want to have a go at German buttercream, then regular buttercream frosting will also be completely delicious!
Don't forget to enjoy your German Buttercream on your cakes and bakes.
Recipe
Prep: 2 hours)
Ingredients
320ml milk
1 Vanilla pod (optional)
2 egg yolks
30g cornflour
150g caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
300g butter
40g icing sugar
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Method:
This is a simple step-by-step of how to make German buttercream.
Start off by heating 300ml of milk and 1 whole vanilla pod in a saucepan until warm. Take it off the heat, and leave to steep for 30 minutes.
In a bowl, mix the cornstarch and sugar together, then add the eggs and 20ml of milk and beat until smooth.
Once the milk has steeped, take out the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the egg mix. Add vanilla extract. The slowly pour the milk into the egg mix while continually whisking.
Pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and heat on low until warm. When it is warm, turn up the heat and vigorously whisk until thick. You will know when it is done when there is resistance against the spoon and it looks more like jelly than a liquid. This requires some welly so have someone else on hand to help.
Strain through a sieve, then cover with clingfilm, making sure it is touching the top of the mixture.
At this point the smell is incredible and you've just made crème pat!
When it is at room temperature you can start creaming the butter with an electric or standing mixer until light and fluffy.
Gradually add in the crème pat, a few spoons at a time. Once all the mixture has been added, beat for 3 minutes.
Sift in the icing sugar and whisk for 4 minutes.
Your German Custard Buttercream is ready!