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.
334 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
½ cup butter - 2
1⁄3 cup caster sugar - 3
1.5 tablespoon water - 4
3 egg yolks - 5
2 egg white - 6 ¼ cup caster sugar
Change these quantities to make:
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Times for this recipe
Preparation: 50 min.
Cooking: 10 min.
All in all: 60 min.
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Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
Take ½ cup butter out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before using.
Heat 1⁄3 cup 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 1⁄3 cup 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 ½ cup 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 €
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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...
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This recipe uses (among others)
Butter
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Caster sugar
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Egg yolk
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Water
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