Chocolate French Buttercream
A simple approach to a luscious, chocolatey, delicious chocolate French buttercream
Servings: 1 batch
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp instant coffee
- 6 oz bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Add the cream to a small bowl and microwave for 15 seconds, just until warm. Stir in instant coffee until completely dissolved; set aside.
- Add chocolate pieces to a small saucepan set over low heat. Stir the chocolate occasionally just until it's fully melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Whisk eggs and sugar in a large heat proof bowl 1 minute or until smooth and slightly pale in color.
- Bring 1-inch of water to a simmer in a saucepan set over medium heat. Set the bowl with the egg mixture over the simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water (we're going to use the steam to heat the eggs).
- Heat the eggs and sugar, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F. Remove from heat immediately and cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
- Whisk chocolate into egg mixture, being sure to scrape all the chocolate into the bowl. Whisk in the cream/instant coffee mixture, vanilla, and salt. Place the entire bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, beat the butter on high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment 3 minutes or until pale in color.
- With the mixer running on low speed, slowly stream the chocolate and egg mixture into the butter. Increase speed to high and beat an additional 3 minutes, or until light and smooth.
- Frost the buttercream onto cakes, cupcakes, and anything in between. If you're not planning to use it immediately, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days until it's ready to use. Thaw to room temperature before frosting on cakes or cupcakes.