This buttercream recipe has egg yolks as a base, and is adapted from "Professional Baking." While an industry recipe, it scales down well for home use. It uses a pâte à bombe which is a mixture of whipped egg yolks that is cooked by streaming in a boiling hot sugar syrup.

French Buttercream (Yolk Based)

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. sugar
• 8 oz. water
• 12 oz. egg yolks
• 2 1/2 lbs. butter
• 1/2 oz. vanilla

Procedure

Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a heavy saucepan, and continue to boil until 115 degrees C. While the sugar is boiling, start mixing the yolks in a stand up mixer until they are thick and very light. When the sugar reaches 115 degrees C, remove from heat and slowly add in a stream to the whipping yolks, which have been set to a slow number 2 speed. Continue to whip until yolks are completely cooled. Mixture will be light and thick. While machine is running, add in the butter in chunks, but add it only as fast as can be absorbed into the mixture. Last, add in the vanilla.

Notes

Recipe adapted from: Gisslen, Wayne. Professional Baking. New York: John Wiley, 1985.

Content by Renee Shelton. Recipe was first published on PastrySampler.com on February 3, 2005. It was updated on September 30, 2020.