👀 Watch This Before Trying Claire Saffitz's Swiss Meringue Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

Watch this before you attempt Claire Saffitz's Cream Cheese Swiss Meringue Buttercream! Let my frosting FAIL save you time and money. I'm taking you step-by-step with detailed visuals and times to make sure you get a great result.

Recipe
Cream Cheese Swiss Meringue Buttercream - Claire Saffitz
Makes about 4 cups (enough for frosting a 3-layer, 8-inch cake)

8 oz (226g) full-fat, stabilizer-free cream cheese, such as Nancy’s brand, at room temperature – mine pressed from 198 to 138g (smush between 2 paper towel lined plates and stack the top plate with 6-8 canned goods. Leave at room temp for 3 hours. Weigh before and after to ensure enough weight has gone. Want about 30% reduction in weight.
8 oz (226g / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces, at room temperature

120g (about ½ cup / 120g) egg whites -- FRESH not pasteurized
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
Pinch of cream of tartar
2 teaspoons vanilla paste

Method
Beat the cream cheese with paddle attachment to smooth out
Slowly add in butter one TBSP at a time. After half the butter, scrape to ensure even mixing.
Scrape into a separate bowl for later in the recipe

Clean bowl and rise with vinegar to make fat-free
Add egg whites, sugar, salt, cream of tartar to the bowl
Over a water bath on med-low simmer, stir continually with a fat-free spatula
“Cook” until the sugar is fully dissolved – rub between fingers to confirm. Should appear to be granule-free. If you cook to 160°F to pasteurize, be aware you may not be able to reach stiff peaks!
Attach bowl to stand mixer with a fat-free whisk attachment.
Whip for several minutes to stiff peaks and until the bowl is room temperature.
Start on medium. Then increase to med-high, and high.
Peak should stand FULLY up without flopping.

With whisk attachment, slowly add in about half the butter mixture one spoonful at a time over med-high
Switch to the paddle halfway through and scrape sides.
If it looks wonky partway through, just keep going!
Once all butter mixture is added, beat over med-high with paddle until super smooth and fluffy

Add vanilla and beat through briefly
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Kitchen products I use & love*
Used in this video:
OXO 3-piece Silicone Spatula (safe to 600°F): https://amzn.to/3dqJyDa
Breville Scraper Mixer Pro: https://amzn.to/2WkDxRt

Cookware & Bakeware:
Wilton Perfect Results Non-Stick 8" Square Pan: https://amzn.to/3dqjpEA
Wilton Perfect Results Non-Stick 9" x 13 Pan: https://amzn.to/2zgjjjV
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Calphalon Contemporary 10" Non-Stick Pan: https://amzn.to/2Wc7lko
Lodge 10" Cast Iron Skillet (pre-seasoned & ready to use): https://amzn.to/3bbqEys

Kitchen Tools*
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Small Appliances*
Breville Hand Mixer: https://amzn.to/3fc0zCE
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Cookbooks I LOVE:
Claire Saffitz, Dessert Person: https://amzn.to/2KtALqK
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Every Day is Saturday: Recipes + Strategies for Easy Cooking, Every Day of the Week: https://amzn.to/2Wl8cP6

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