It's getting hot in here!

Hello friends!

It has been a while since I made a blog post, but that doesn't mean I haven't stopped baking!

I have even contemplated making candy! One of my readers passed along a cool this link on the basics of candy making.

Candy making is hard! It's complicated and some would even say... dangerous.

Thermometers and hot sugar = serious business.

Last week, I made these cupcakes using a thermometer.

Thermometer? Yup, these little cakes are covered in an Italian Meringue frosting.  It was perfect for piping flowers. I know frosting isn't the same as candy... but the whole process certainly got me sweating in the kitchen!

Italian Buttercream Recipe

Makes about 4 1/2 cups (enough to fill and ice an 8-inch cake)

Ingredients
Italian Meringue:
3/4 cup sugar
5 large egg whites

Italian Buttercream:
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a small heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar with 1/4 cup water and cook, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 230°F.

2. While the sugar is heating up, place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip on medium speed until frothy. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and beat the meringue until medium peaks form.

3. Continue heating the sugar mixture until it reaches soft-ball stage, 240°F. Reduce the mixer speed to low and pour the soft-ball-stage sugar into the meringue in a slow, steady stream. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until the meringue cools to room temperature and holds a stiff peak, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Exchange the mixer's whisk attachment for the paddle attachment and reduce the speed to medium. Add the butter, a few pieces at a time, until all of the butter has been incorporated and the buttercream is thick, fluffy, and very smooth. Add the vanilla extract and beat briefly to incorporate. Use the buttercream immediately or cover and refrigerate it up to 3 weeks.

Cooks' note:
Before using cold buttercream, let it soften at room temperature for 30 minutes then transfer it to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed until fluffy and soft enough to spread.

Adapted from here!