McCall's Buttercream

from The McCall’s School
shared by Claudia Butler

2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
5 ¾ fluid ounces water
5 ¾ fluid ounces egg whites (room temperature)
1 ¼ cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
3 cups shortening
2 tsp. Vanilla
YIELD: 12 cups

Place egg whites into large mixer bowl. Place sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to rolling boil. Boil until 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. While the syrup is boiling, wash down the side of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Remove from heat. Whip egg whites until stiff. Adjust mixer to medium/slow speed and slowly add the hot sugar syrup. Continue to mix the meringue mixture at high/medium speed until the mixture is cool to the touch. (Approximately 15 minutes). Once the mixture has cooled down, add the butter a little at a time and continue to mix until the butter lumps are gone. Add in the vanilla and shortening and continue to mix until the buttercream comes together and is light and fluffy. (Approximately 10 more minutes).

Source:http://cakesdusoleil.blogspot.com/2008/05/non-crusting-buttercream-recipe.html