Butter cream
Butter cream is made with egg yolk, sugar syrup and, of course, butter. These days it has fallen rather out of fashion, probably because it's very rich, but it still has its aficionados. Here is the classic plain version, which you can lighten and flavour as you wish.
331 K 3.7/5 (48 reviews)
60 min.
Easy
350 g
6 IngredientsLast modified on: October 13th 2010
For 350 g, you will need:
- 1
3.3 oz butter - 2
2.6 oz caster sugar - 3
1.5 tablespoon water - 4
3 egg yolks - 5
2 egg white - 6 1.8 oz caster sugar
Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 50 min.
Cooking: 10 min.
All in all: 60 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
Take 3.3 oz butter out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before using.
Heat 2.6 oz caster sugar and 1.5 tablespoon water in a small pan over high heat, and bring up to 120°C (250°F), using an electronic thermometer if possible to check.
Heat 2.6 oz caster sugar and 1.5 tablespoon water in a small pan over high heat, and bring up to 120°C (250°F), using an electronic thermometer if possible to check.
Stage 2 - 3 min.
Meanwhile, tip 3 egg yolks into a bowl and beat on high speed.
Stage 3 - 5 min.
When the sugar syrup has reached 120°C (250°F), reduce the mixer speed and pour the syrup fairly quickly (30 seconds maximum) onto the egg yolks.
Try to avoid the syrup landing on the beaters or it will splash everywhere.
Try to avoid the syrup landing on the beaters or it will splash everywhere.
Stage 4 - 10 min.
Leave the mixer beating for a further 10 minutes or so to cool the mixture.
Stage 5 - 10 min.
After this time add 3.3 oz butter a little at a time while still beating on slow speed, until the butter is completely incorporated.
Stage 6
The butter cream is ready.
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Stage 8 - 10 min.
Fold the beaten egg whites into the cream to lighten the texture while keeping the original flavour.
Stage 9 - 5 min.
You can then add the flavouring of your choice like praline, a liqueur, or chocolate chips.
Remarks
The cream should be stored in the fridge in a sealed container. Take it out 1 hour before using to allow it to soften.
Butter cream is out of favour in modern patisseries, for one thing it's full of calories, and these days the taste is for less rich foods. But also, I fear, beacause it is so easy for a poor baker (whether industrial or not) to make a bad butter cream by mixing margarine with sugar and artifical flavouring. This awful cream eventually put customers off all the good butter creams, which is a shame, as I know people who would give anything for a decent real butter cream with praline for example.
Butter cream is out of favour in modern patisseries, for one thing it's full of calories, and these days the taste is for less rich foods. But also, I fear, beacause it is so easy for a poor baker (whether industrial or not) to make a bad butter cream by mixing margarine with sugar and artifical flavouring. This awful cream eventually put customers off all the good butter creams, which is a shame, as I know people who would give anything for a decent real butter cream with praline for example.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 10 RDI=5 % | 130 RDI=10 % | 90 RDI=10 % | 1,400 RDI=70 % | 5,870 RDI: 70 % |
| Per 100 g | 3 RDI=1 % | 40 RDI=3 % | 30 RDI=4 % | 410 RDI=20 % | 1,710 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 350 g : 1.05 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipe
Succès praliné (praline meringue)
The "succès" (success) is a classic of traditional French patisserie, made with two layers of almond meringue filled with praline butter cream. It's very rich and a little old-fashioned these days, but still has many faithful fans. The original recipe comes from the master chef Gaston Lenôtre, and...
377 K 34.1 4 hours 20 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Butter
Like these other recipes: How to prepare spinach, Montbenoit's canapés, Chaud-froid of grapefruit, pineapple and lime custard , Shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée), Sausage and mashed potatoes, ... See them all 472
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Muffin dough, Pear and strawberry verrine with tiramisu cream, Caramelised apple pie, Toffee apple upside-down cake, Chocolate eclairs, ... See them all 360
Egg yolk
Like these other recipes: Spaghetti Carbonara, Blanquette of veal, Apple confectioner's custard, Chocolate and vanilla crème brûlée, Little lemon biscuits, ... See them all 73
Egg white
Like these other recipes: Macarons (the original French macaroons) , Yvetot Douillons, Vanilla ice cream, Chocolate madeleines, Mousse with two chocolates, ... See them all 52
Other recipes you may also like
"Buttonhole" quail eggs
This little appetizer consists of a small finger of toast, a slice of cured ham and three quail egg yolks arranged on a rectangle of egg white. It is a bit tricky to make, but very attractive to serve, and delicious, of course.June 26th 2011184 K5 60 min.
Almond mug cake for Mary
Mug cakes are fun and quick to make. They cook in the microwave in about a minute and a half. This almond version is similar to the small cakes known as financiers.June 22th 2014113 K4.3 9 min.
Lentil and cold-meat salad
This salad combines lentils, chunks of cooked meat, sliced hard-boiled eggs, shallot and herbs, with a good vinaigrette dressing.December 7th 201476 K3.8 45 min.
Special Cheese and Walnut Sticks
These crusty mini-baguetttes are generously dotted with diced Comté cheese, toasted walnuts and fried bacon bits. They are ideal for slicing and serving as an aperitif snack.October 24th 201784 K5 3 hours 55 min.
Provençal braised carrots
Chunks of carrot (different coloured varieties here), braised in a vegetable stock with herbes de Provence and served on a bed of couscous.January 27th 201969 K 1 hour 15 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-07-06)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.