As I promised in this earlier post about dog-poo-like frosting, here is my recipe for chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream frosting. Most bakers will tell you it is a bit more work and time than traditional buttercream but infinitely worth it. This stuff tastes light, fluffy and not altogether unlike chocolate mousse. The stuff also freezes pretty well. Just put it into freezer-safe containers and remove a few hours before you want to use it. You will need to whip it in the mixer again once it is thawed to achieve the right consistency. When I made my last batch, I doubled the recipe and ended up freezing more than half. I intend to thaw it today and use it as a part of my upcoming cupcake extravaganza.

Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened, bitter cocoa, more to taste)

Whisk sugar and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer or a heat-safe glass bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the sugar melts//dissolves (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat. Beat on medium speed with electric mixer until cool (approx. 5 minutes). Add butter, a small amount at a time. Then add cocoa and vanilla. After all the butter is beaten in, continue to beat the mixture on medium-high until smooth (10-15 minutes).

At some point in the process, the mix will look terrible, like it is curdled. Relax and let the beating continue. It will come together with time.

Sorry for the blurry pics. I suck at this.