Vanilla Buttercream

Preparation The sugar syrup and egg whites will need to be ready at roughly the same time, so preparing them will require some coordination. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the sugar and water to a simmer, swirling occasionally, and cook until the sugar dissolves. Continue simmering, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 248°F on a digital thermometer, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until the whites hold soft peaks, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately transfer the sugar syrup to a heatproof liquid measuring cup. With the mixer running on medium-high speed, add the hot sugar syrup to the whites in a thin, steady stream; aim to pour it into the small space between the mixer bowl and the whisk. Continue to whip the mixture until thick and shiny and the outside of the bowl feels cool to the touch, about 10 minutes. Decrease the speed to medium and, with the mixer running, add the butter one piece at a time. The mixture won't resemble perfect buttercream until the last of the butter has been added. If it's looking deflated, wet, or broken during mixing, make sure the butter is at room temperature and slow down the additions, adding the next piece only after the last one has been fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute, until the texture is similar to mayonnaise. Note: This recipe requires an accurate thermometer for taking the temperature of the sugar syrup. Instant-read thermometers are notoriously inaccurate (which is why I love my thermocouple), so if you own an instant-read thermometer, it's good practice to check its calibration before beginning. Simply bring a small pot of water to a boil and verify that the thermometer registers 212°F (at sea level) when inserted into the water. To easily clean a pan or measuring cup that's sticky with the remnants of sugar syrup, fill it with warm water and let it stand until the sugar dissolves, about 30 minutes. Do Ahead: Stored in an airtight container, buttercream will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or for up to 4 months in the freezer. Variations: For the Thiebaud Pink Cake substitute Strawberry Concentrate for the vanilla extract, adding it slowly with the mixer running. Working with Buttercream In order to make the most beautifully decorated cake, your buttercream must be perfectly smooth and spreadable. Whether you're using a just-made batch or one that has been made ahead and refrigerated, to get it to the optimal consistency for decorating, it's necessary to warm and rewhip it. Here's how. Place about 2 cups (10.4 oz / 292 g) of buttercream in a microwavable container. Heat it for no more than 5 seconds at a time at full power until it begins to look slightly glossy but not at all melted; it should still be solid, with a sheen from a softened exterior—not unlike ice cream on a cone as it begins melting and dripping onto your hand. (It's very easy to overheat and melt buttercream, so it's better to warm only a couple cups at a time and to use short bursts in the microwave.) Beat the warmed buttercream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until it resembles mayonnaise, about 30 seconds. Repeat as needed. Reprinted with permission from The New Persian Kitchen by Caitlin Freeman. Copyright © 2013 by Caitlin Freeman; photographs copyright © 2013 by Clay McLachlan. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher A self-taught baker and longtime owner of the San Francisco cake and sweets shop, Miette, Caitlin Freeman was inspired to bake by the confectionary painter Wayne Thiebaud. After selling Miette in 2008, she started the pastry program at Blue Bottle Coffee Co. and coauthored The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee. Her artistic creations for the Blue Bottle Café at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art have been featured in the New York Times, Design Sponge, Elle Decor, San Francisco Chronicle, Huffington Post, and more. She lives in San Francisco, California.

Preparation The sugar syrup and egg whites will need to be ready at roughly the same time, so preparing them will require some coordination. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the sugar and water to a simmer, swirling occasionally, and cook until the sugar dissolves. Continue simmering, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 248°F on a digital thermometer, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until the whites hold soft peaks, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately transfer the sugar syrup to a heatproof liquid measuring cup. With the mixer running on medium-high speed, add the hot sugar syrup to the whites in a thin, steady stream; aim to pour it into the small space between the mixer bowl and the whisk. Continue to whip the mixture until thick and shiny and the outside of the bowl feels cool to the touch, about 10 minutes. Decrease the speed to medium and, with the mixer running, add the butter one piece at a time. The mixture won't resemble perfect buttercream until the last of the butter has been added. If it's looking deflated, wet, or broken during mixing, make sure the butter is at room temperature and slow down the additions, adding the next piece only after the last one has been fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute, until the texture is similar to mayonnaise. Note: This recipe requires an accurate thermometer for taking the temperature of the sugar syrup. Instant-read thermometers are notoriously inaccurate (which is why I love my thermocouple), so if you own an instant-read thermometer, it's good practice to check its calibration before beginning. Simply bring a small pot of water to a boil and verify that the thermometer registers 212°F (at sea level) when inserted into the water. To easily clean a pan or measuring cup that's sticky with the remnants of sugar syrup, fill it with warm water and let it stand until the sugar dissolves, about 30 minutes. Do Ahead: Stored in an airtight container, buttercream will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or for up to 4 months in the freezer. Variations: For the Thiebaud Pink Cake substitute Strawberry Concentrate for the vanilla extract, adding it slowly with the mixer running. Working with Buttercream In order to make the most beautifully decorated cake, your buttercream must be perfectly smooth and spreadable. Whether you're using a just-made batch or one that has been made ahead and refrigerated, to get it to the optimal consistency for decorating, it's necessary to warm and rewhip it. Here's how. Place about 2 cups (10.4 oz / 292 g) of buttercream in a microwavable container. Heat it for no more than 5 seconds at a time at full power until it begins to look slightly glossy but not at all melted; it should still be solid, with a sheen from a softened exterior—not unlike ice cream on a cone as it begins melting and dripping onto your hand. (It's very easy to overheat and melt buttercream, so it's better to warm only a couple cups at a time and to use short bursts in the microwave.) Beat the warmed buttercream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until it resembles mayonnaise, about 30 seconds. Repeat as needed. Reprinted with permission from The New Persian Kitchen by Caitlin Freeman. Copyright © 2013 by Caitlin Freeman; photographs copyright © 2013 by Clay McLachlan. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher A self-taught baker and longtime owner of the San Francisco cake and sweets shop, Miette, Caitlin Freeman was inspired to bake by the confectionary painter Wayne Thiebaud. After selling Miette in 2008, she started the pastry program at Blue Bottle Coffee Co. and coauthored The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee. Her artistic creations for the Blue Bottle Café at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art have been featured in the New York Times, Design Sponge, Elle Decor, San Francisco Chronicle, Huffington Post, and more. She lives in San Francisco, California.