This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
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.
335 K 3.7/5 (48 reviews)
60 min.
Easy
2 kg 100 g
6 IngredientsLast modified on: October 13th 2010
For 2 kg 100 g, you will need:
- 1
540 g butter - 2
450 g caster sugar - 3
9 tablespoons water - 4
18 egg yolks - 5
9 egg whites - 6 300 g caster sugar
- Total weight: 2,055 grams
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 540 g butter out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before using.
Heat 450 g caster sugar and 9 tablespoons 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 450 g caster sugar and 9 tablespoons 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 18 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 540 g 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 | 80 RDI=30 % | 750 RDI=70 % | 570 RDI=90 % | 8,410 RDI=420 % | 35,220 RDI: 420 % |
| 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 2 kg 100 g : 6.25 €
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...
381 K 34.1 4 hours 20 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Butter
Like these other recipes: Boulangère potatoes, Grapefruit cake, Creamy spinach and potato gratin, Steak burger topped with egg, Eggs Benedict , ... See them all 475
Caster sugar
Like these other recipes: Chaud-froid of grapefruit, pineapple and lime custard , Nougat, Little caramelized peach tarts, Chocolate and matcha tea biscuits, Oatmeal cake, ... See them all 360
Egg yolk
Like these other recipes: Smoked eggs, Crème de foie gras, Lemon Confectioner's Custard, Potato galette, Chicken breasts in a potato crust, ... See them all 74
Egg white
Like these other recipes: Cigarettes Russes (Piroulines), Macaronade mixture, Two-coloured chocolate-orange tart, Pistachio powder or paste, Verrine of avocado mousse and crab, ... See them all 52
Other recipes you may also like
Epiphany galette
Here is the recipe for the very classic but delicious "galette des rois" (Epiphany galette) in puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée) with almond cream or frangipane . You will also see some professional tips to easily handle the dough, and obtain a nice and regular galette. January 1st 2025300 K 24.5 3 hours 8 min.
Toasted almond cake
A layer cake, with toasted almonds in the chocolate part. July 5th 2016248 K4.4 2 hours 2 min.
Sweet pancake rolls from Brittany
Stewed apples, raisins soaked in whisky, toasted almonds, rolled in a lightly caramelized pancake. March 10th 2015253 K4.3 2 hours 20 min.
Passion fruit jellies
Usually to make fruit jellies or (fruit "paste"), it's like jam but you need to cook fruit pulp and sugar much longer. Unfortunately, this long cooking is bad for both vitamins and flavour. In this recipe we use a special jam gelling agent, to reduce cooking time as much as possible . July 4th 2018340 K4 2 hours 30 min.
Soft fruits in sabayon
This recipe is made by briefly cooking an assortment of soft fruits (raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, currants...) with a little sugar to glaze them. They are served in a small dish, covered with a delicious sabayon which can be lightly "burned" on surface. February 21th 2011272 K3.9 50 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-08-31)
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.