Italian Meringue Buttercream

One of my favorite things to make.
Sugar, egg whites, butter... a little cooking...a lot of mixing...
And you get a bowl of smooth creamy goodness.
Nothing like the grainy, coat your mouth, too sweet stuff you get at the grocery store.
I could go on and on......

Here's the b-day cake I made w/ it.



Italian Buttercream:
makes 4 cups

1 1/2 cup sugar
5 egg whites
pinch cream of tartar
1# cold butter, cut up
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar w/ about 3 cups of water. Cook to 240 degrees.
While sugar is cooking, whip whites to soft peaks w/ tartar.
With mixer on, slowly stream cooked sugar into whites.
Continue to whip until mixture is cooled.
Add butter slowly. Keep whipping.
It will look soupy until all of the sudden poof...
Everything is incorporated and yummy goodness has been achieved.