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A hot new trend in the cake decorating and the baking world is a glossy buttercream that is almost translucent! Which makes it more realistic and natural looking flower.

It is called Korean buttercream as a very popular recipe and method was invented by Joo Hee Kang (G.G.), the owner of G.G.Cakraft.

The Korean buttercream flower cakes styles and designs are extremely pretty and are filling up mine (any many others) Pinterest and Instagram newsfeeds.

Sources: G.G.Cakraft and Cake Central and The Floria.

I have scoured and researched all over the internet to put together notes, tutorials and the recipe for glossy Korean buttercream.

Notes about Glossy Korean Buttercream

• The recipe is very similar to an Italian Meringue Buttercream (IMBC), with egg whites cooked so it is safe to eat. The IMBC is supposed to be more stable, which is why it is used. Don’t whip up the buttercream too much after the butter has been added (until just incorporated). Make sure the mixture is cooled all the way before adding the butter.
• The translucent quality where the flowers appear almost see-through is due to a type of Korean butter that is white, which isn’t available in most other countries. Because a yellow butter equals a yellowish buttercream and flower, so try and use a butter that is white.
• A lot of people are using a white shortening, like copha (Australian) or Crisco vegetable shortening (American) and even up to 100% in the IMBC and that obviously means it isn’t a buttercream but a mock cream. Mock creams are used in bakeries for cream buns and coat the mouth in the fat and have a greasy mouth-feel. Not that pleasant. I personally prefer butter in my buttercream, but the mock cream makes it more stable.
• The buttercream can be frozen for months and keeps for as long as 2 weeks in the fridge. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Before using refrigerated or thawed buttercream, whisk up again with hand or stand mixer.
• Some people are using bean paste to make ‘buttercream’ flowers in the Korean style. The beans are pureed, heated, sugar added and adding condensed milk for a lighter color. You can read more here.

Glossy Korean Butter Cream Tutorial

This is a 10 part video tutorial series on G.G.Cakraft’s YouTube channel.

Source: Wipawee wisedsang

Source: 홈베이킹 – 버터크림 장미꽃 짜기

Related article: Top 10 Korean Glossy Buttercream Cakes

Glossy Korean Butter Cream Recipe

Swiss Meringue Buttercream (Basic of 1 quantity)

• 100g egg white (3 large eggs)
• 135g coarse sugar
• 227g unsalted butter

Method

1. Remove butter from the fridge and cut into small cubes, set aside. Lightly whisk egg whites in a mixing bowl, place over a pot of simmering water (double boiler).
2. Add in sugar, whisk sugar and egg whites till sugar is fully dissolved (rub some between your fingers, if it feels grainy, it hasn’t dissolved yet), take about 2-3mins.
3. Remove from heat and whisk for about 5mins till peaks are stiff, thick and glossy (Hand mixer speed at 3).
4. At this point, the mixing bowl should be cool to the touch but still slight warm at the bottom.
5. Place the bowl of meringue on top of a large bowl with fill with ice cubes and water.
6. With the mixer on low, add the butter cube one by one, ensuring that each addition is well incorporated before adding the next one.
7. Beat till mixture become curdles, stop the mixer, take a spatula, continue to fold and stir till the mixture become creamy and satiny. (Even the mixture not totally smooth also ok because when you add coloring, you need to stir and this time it will turn smooth).
8. Best to use gel paste and oil base of food coloring. Always tint colors from lighter to darker.
9. To make buttercream flowers. I used total 3 quantity of above basic buttercream recipe to make the flowers (it can be used less if you have master your piping skill). Fill buttercream into a piping bag that fitted with piping tip. Place a dab of buttercream on a piping nail and place a square of parchment paper on top. Then you can start to pipe the buttercream flowers. If you find the buttercream started to melt especially at the area where you hold the piping bag (it melt because of the heat from the palm of your hand), pour back the melted cream into balance buttercream and keep them in the fridge to harden a bit. Bring them out and stir till smooth then you can start to use it again. Or you place the buttercream over a big bowl filled with ice cubes and water. Once it hardens a bit, stir to smooth then you can start to use it again.

Keep buttercream flowers in the fridge overnight (or can be done few days in advance) to harden before decorating the cake.

Source: Nasiliemaklover.blogspot.com.au

–Nicole

What tips can you share about your experience with Korean Glossy Buttercream?

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