Frosting
Thursday, November 26, 2009 at 5:43PM 
Pink Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting, dark chocolate cupcake with strawberry and chocolate Pocky Sticks, that I piped with contrasting chocolate.
I've spoken before about how we tend to "ice" cupcakes in Australia rather than frost, this probably explains why...
The frosting I grew up with and still used today in many food publications in Australia is icing sugar, butter & maybe a bit of milk. Tasting a bit like the whipped butter you have on pancakes, which is great melting on a hot pancake mixed with dripping maple syrup but not so great on your cupcake!
What you want a frosting to be is light, with a silky texture and satiny sheen. The type of frosting that you can pipe that perfect swirl with.
Who makes the best frosting in the world to date?? Martha Stewart of course!
Today I made;
Martha Stewart's Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
Ingredients
Makes about 9 cups, enough for about 28 cupcakes
2 1/2 cups sugar
10 large egg whites
4 cups (900g or 2lb) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Method
Place sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer. Set bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and egg whites are hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Test by rubbing the mixture between your fingers; it should feel completely smooth.
Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until mixture has cooled completely and formed stiff and glossy peaks, about 10 minutes.
Add the butter, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled after all the butter has been added; it will become smooth again with continued beating. Add vanilla, and beat just until combined.
Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on the lowest speed to eliminate any air pockets, about 5 minutes. If using buttercream within several hours, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature in a cool environment. Or transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, up to 3 days. Before using, bring buttercream to room temperature, and beat on the lowest speed with the paddle attachment until smooth, about 5 minutes.
© by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
To make the pink white chocolate frosting like I did:
Melt 125g of white chocolate, let it slightly cool. At the end of the beating stage of the Swiss meringue butter cream with the mixer on low add melted chocolate.
Add a few drops of pink colour & strawberry essence and you have "Pink strawberry chocolate Swiss Meringue butter cream frosting".
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