Serves 40
275 min
German Buttercream Frosting
Recipe GLPR860b5a214645e3
A luxurious, silky frosting made by combining a pastry cream base with softened butter. This classic German-style buttercream features a custard foundation of egg yolks and milk thickened with cornstarch, sweetened with sugar, and finished with generous amounts of butter for a rich, creamy texture. Perfect for decorating cakes and pastries.
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Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
Directions
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and kosher salt.
Gradually whisk in the whole milk until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps, ensuring no cornstarch clumps remain.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the mixture thickens and reaches a gentle boil, about 8-10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks together.
Remove the hot milk mixture from heat. Slowly add a small amount of the hot mixture to the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper them, then gradually whisk the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining hot milk mixture.
Return the saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 2-3 minutes, to ensure food safety.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the pastry cream into a bowl and let it cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cut the room-temperature unsalted butter into chunks and begin beating it with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Gradually add the cooled pastry cream to the whipped butter, one spoonful at a time, beating continuously on medium speed for 8-10 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and well combined. The buttercream should be smooth and spreadable.
Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, bringing to room temperature and re-beating gently before use.
