Double Chocolate European Style Buttercream

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 6 large eggs (300 gms)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300 gms)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, dutch processed preferred (100 gms)
• 3 cups unsalted butter, cut into 2 tablespoon chunks at a cool room temperature of 65 degrees f (680 gms)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 lb dark chocolate, melted and cooled (450 gms)

Recipe

• 1 set-up a pan with about an inch of water and warm it to 160 degrees.
• 2 chop chocolate and place in a clean, dry, bowl that fits in the pan without touching the water, but is within an inch or so.
• 3 stir chocolate (with a clean, dry spoon) occasionally until almost melted.
• 4 remove from heat and continue stirring until smooth, the residual heat will finish the job.
• 5 in a large bowl that will also fit over the pan with water (i use the bowl from my standing mixer), place eggs, cocoa, sugar and salt.
• 6 whisk lightly until blended.
• 7 turn heat up so water simmers, place the bowl with the egg mixture over the simmering water and whisk gently until the mixture reaches 165 degrees.
• 8 160 degrees is the ‘instant’ kill temperature for salmonella and many other nasty bacteria.
• 9 if you don’t have an instant read thermometer, then the mixture should feel fairly warm, but not too hot.
• 10 if you start to smell eggs cooking then you’re too hot.
• 11 (it’s ok, so long as there are no actual egg chunks) place the bowl on your mixer, or pour it into your mixer bowl, and, with a whisk attachment, beat at high speed until cooled to room temperature.
• 12 i like to do this in the winter and open up a window next to my mixer.
• 13 if you don’t have a standing mixer, you can place your bowl in an ice bath and do it with a hand mixer on high speed.
• 14 lower speed on mixer to medium-low, add vanilla extract.
• 15 start adding butter one chunk at a time mix until each chunk is incorporated.
• 16 when all butter is added whip on high speed for a minute or so.
• 17 turn off mixer, add chocolate and run on low speed until incorporated.
• 18 use immediately, keep at a cool room temperature for a day, refrigerate for a week, or freeze for 3 months.
• 19 re-whip before using.