German Buttercream

"German buttercream. [Photograph: Nila Jones] This German buttercream is incredibly smooth and delicious. It's made with a custard base, which gives it a natural yellow color. And although this buttercream contains a fair amount of butter and three egg yolks, it is surprisingly light, both in texture and taste. Why this recipe works: * The cornstarch in the custard mixture helps to thicken the custard and prevent the eggs from overcooking. * Usually, cubes of softened butter are mixed into the custard base. Here, however, we first beat the butter until it has lightened in color and become fluffy, and then we add spoonfuls of custard to the beaten butter—the buttercream comes together a lot easier this way. Note: This buttercream is a little thinner/softer than most other buttercreams and doesn't hold up in warmer temperatures that well. For a thicker German buttercream, simply use a thicker custard base (like homemade pastry cream) or add more softened butter to the base. Just keep in mind that adding more butter won't make the buttercream more heat-resistant. About the Author: Nila Jones is a gutsy home baker-turned-blogger who secretly prefers cake batter over cake and who has made it her personal goal to demystify so-called difficult recipes so that everyone, even the most ignorant novice baker, can bake like a master. Make sure to check out her blog The Tough Cookie for more amazing recipes!..."