Faux Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Using pasteurized egg whites

1. Place the egg whites and confectioner’s sugar in a mixing bowl, and whisk for about 5 – 6 minutes on high speed. The mixture should look thick, glossy, and white.
2. Scrape this mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Using raw egg whites

1. Place the egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl.
2. Bring some water to a simmer in a pot. Place the egg white + sugar bowl over the simmering water pot, and whisk for about 10 minutes until the egg whites are heated to 160°F.
3. Allow the egg white mixture to cool down to room temperature before using.

Making the chocolate swiss meringue buttercream

1. Melt the bittersweet chocolate in a heat proof bowl, over a double boiler. You can also melt it in the microwave in 20 second bursts.
2. Melt the chocolate until about 80% of it is melted. Then stir the chocolate (off heat), until it’s all melted from the residual heat. Let the chocolate cool down to almost room temperature, but still remains liquid.
3. Place the butter, vanilla, and salt in the mixing bowl. With the whisk attachment, whip the butter until light, fluffy, and creamy. This can take up to 10 minutes, depending on the temperature of the butter, the mixer, and the ambient temperature. Remember to scrape down the sides as you go.
4. While running the mixer on medium high, stream the egg white mixture into the butter mixture.
5. Keep whipping the buttercream until you have a creamy consistency (a few minutes).
6. Then reduce the speed of the mixer and stream in the melted chocolate. Scrape down the sides to make sure everything is mixing evenly.
7. If you'd like the buttercream to be sweeter, add more sifted confectioner’s sugar and mix until well incorporated.
8. To remove the extra air bubbles, switch to the paddle attachment, and mix for about 1 – 2 minutes on medium high speed.
9. The cheat’s chocolate swiss meringue buttercream is now ready to be used.