Apple pie Italian buttercream frosting
Silky, smooth, light, fluffy and addictive apple pie Italian buttercream frosting. This frosting is the best apple frosting you will ever try.
It took me a while to make this wonderful buttercream and get the right consistency. The first time I made it, it was a complete flop! But I tried and tried until I got a grip of it. As a result I am able to share this fool-proof recipe for this phenomenal buttercream frosting. If you never made it, you should and I can tell you, you will not look back to overly sweet American buttercream.
How to make apple pie Italian buttercream frosting
This recipe is a little bit technical, therefore it is important to follow all the steps precisely.
First, I would suggest making apple pie reduction. This is simple, just cook peeled and cored apples until all the water evaporates and apples turn into a smooth thick mixture. Then let it cool completely before adding to buttercream!
There are two steps to making this recipe. First is making Italian meringue. Second is incorporating butter into meringue.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
- You will be dealing with very hot sugar syrup, so please be careful while making this recipe.
- Use a sugar or a kitchen thermometer as you will need to bring sugar syrup to 118C /235F. If you cook syrup to a lower temperature the meringue will not be stable enough.
- When you combine sugar and water in a pot, stir it and then turn on the heat. From this moment DO NOT stir sugar syrup as it will clump up and you will have to start all over.
- The bowl and whisks have to be completely free of any grease and moisture as egg whites will not whip.
- When you are pouring hot syrup to the meringue, do not pour it on the whisk, pour it on the side of your bowl and pay attention as it will be very hot.
- After adding sugar syrup to your meringue you need to mix on high setting of your mixer until bowl is not warm anymore. It took me about 12 minutes for my meringue to cool.
- Use unsalted butter as it will be easier to control the flavour.
- Use room temperature butter for the best results and add small chunks slowly.
- After you start adding butter you will notice that the meringue will start to deflate and the mixture will split. This is completely normal, do not panic. Keep mixing and adding more butter.
- I used a balloon whisk to make my meringue and when I was adding butter. After adding all the butter I changed balloon to a paddle attachment in order to get this silky smooth buttercream.
- I recommend adding any flavouring and colour at the end.
- If you place buttercream in the fridge and you decide you want to use it, just take it out from the fridge and leave the bowl at room temperature. Next beat the buttercream again. It will split but just keep mixing and it will come together. Follow the same steps if you want to defrost it.
- When reducing your apples, make sure that you really cook them for long time so all the water can evaporate.
- When adding apple pie reduction, start with adding a tablespoon and then taste buttercream. It will help you to control the intensity of apples pie in the buttercream.
Good luck :)
What does apple pie Italian buttercream frosting taste like?
This buttercream tastes heavenly, it is light, smooth and irresistible. The flavour of apple pie shines through in this frosting. By adding a generous amount of apple reduction and apple pie spice I was able to achieve this wonderful autumnal flavour.
How to use apple pie Italian buttercream frosting
This apple frosting pipes very easily and is perfect for decorating cakes, cupcakes, cookies, macarons, brownies, you name it.
This recipe makes about 800g buttercream.
How to store apple pie Italian buttercream frosting
You can store it in an air-tight container for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.
If you are looking for more recipes for frosting or buttercream, I can recommend you the following:
Coconut and powdered milk frosting
Toasted walnuts buttercream frosting
Goat cheese buttercream frosting
Italian meringue buttercream frosting
Click this link if you want to see all my frosting recipes
I hope you will make my recipe and if you do, please leave a comment below and let me know your feedback. You can also find me on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Gab and Gettr. Please say hi and do not forget to tag me in if you make my recipe. I love seeing your creations.
Recipe source –my own
Enjoy!
Light like a cloud, buttery and irresistible, the best apple pie Italian buttercream frosting ever.
- 200 g sugar (white, granulated)
- 120 ml water
- 4 egg whites (from large eggs, approximately 144-150 g all together)
- 350 g butter (unsalted, room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or more if necessary)
- 1/8 tsp salt (table, increase salt if you wish)
- 4 apples (medium, around 700 grams ( before peeling))
- 1 lemon (juice from one lemon)
- 30 g sugar (brown, light)
- 2 tbsp apple pie spice (from this recipe http://kitchenbyannak.com/recipe/homemade-apple-pie-spice/ or store-bought)
- 100 ml water
PLEASE BE CAREFUL AS YOU WILL BE DEALING WITH HOT SUGAR SYRUP
In a medium pot add sugar and water, mix and turn on the heat. From now on do not stir sugar! It will take about 10 - 15 minutes for sugar to reach the required temperature of 118C/244F.
Use a kitchen thermometer or a sugar thermometer to control the temperature. It is important that the syrup reaches 118C/244F as it will stabilize meringue.
While sugar is cooking, place egg whites in a large bowl and start whisking egg whites on a low setting.
When sugar reaches 105C-110C (221F - 230F), start whisking egg whites on high settings as you need to whisk meringue to stiff peaks.
When sugar reaches 118C/244F, turn off the heat and slowly pour sugar on the side of the bowl with meringue. Keep whisking on a medium speed while pouring sugar to the meringue. Once you add all the sugar syrup, increase the whisking speed to high.
Keep whisking meringue until the side of the bowl is cold. If you add butter to warm meringue you will end up with a mess.
When meringue is cold, start adding small chunks of room temperature unsalted butter. While you start adding butter you will notice that meringue will deflate and the mixture will split. Do not panic, just keep adding butter and the buttercream will come together nicely.
After adding all the butter, I recommend changing a balloon whisk to a paddle attachment as it will help to reduce amount of air bubbles and create smooth silky buttercream.
At this stage I beat frosting for another minute. This is when I add apple pie reduction.
Then I beat buttercream for another 2 minutes.
Peel apples, remove the cores and cut apples into small chunks.
Place apples in a medium pot, add water, lemon juice and sugar. Stir well.
Cover the pot with a lid and let apples cook for about 10-15 minutes. Stir apples from time to time.
When apples are soft, blend apples until smooth. I used an immersion blender for this step.
Add 2 tablespoons of apple pie spice to blended apples and mix well.
At this point, the apples should thicken a lot and release a lot of sugar. It is important to keep stirring apples all the time at this point so they do not burn.
Keep cooking apples for about 5 minutes until they are reduced and there is hardly any water left. You are looking for a very thick smooth mixture.
When your apple pie reduction is ready, let it cool down completely before adding to buttercream.
You can store buttercream in an air-tight container for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.