Recipe - Meringue Buttercream

2 cup (4 sticks) unsalted butter,
softened but cool
One fourth cup Water
1 cup Granulated sugar
5 lg Egg whites, at room
temperature
One half teaspoon Cream of tartar
2 teaspoon Flavoring or liqueur

Beat the butter until smooth and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine
the water and Three fourths cup of sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly
heat the mixture, stirring constantly, until it starts to bubble. Reduce
heat to low and insert a candy thermometer. Do not continue to stir.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed
until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat at high speed until soft peaks
form. Gradually add the remianing One fourth cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks
form.

Meanwhile, boil the suagr mixture until it reaches 248 to 250 degrees F. on
the candy thermometer. Do not let the temperature go above 250 degrees F.
Turn off the heat and immediately pour the mixture into a glass measuring
cup to stop the sugar from cooking. Pour a little of the sugar mixture onto
the egg whites and beat them on low. Slowly add the rest of the sugar and
then beat on high for 2 minutes. Beat on low until the mixture is cool. Add
the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the egg white mixture, beating
continuously on low until all the butter is added. If the mixture starts to
separate, beat on high for a few seconds until it solidifies. Beat until
smooth, then add the flavoring. This icing can be stored at room
temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for 10 days. This is enough icing to
fill and cover a 2 layer (9inch) cake.

Recipe by: Cooking Live Show #8892 Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #628 by
"Angele and Jon Freeman" jfreeman@netusa1.net on May 31, 1997