Fresh fruit in buttercream

[ST1]

Hi all,

Firstly, absolutely fascinating reading all the tips and techniques for perfecting buttercream. I have massively improved by realising that beating the butter alone first is very key, and ensuring slow and steady emulsification but I often get stumped and fail when adding any extras to the buttercream. I most often seem to split it.

Any tips on how to properly add fresh fruit (in my case raspberries) to the buttercream without getting splitting (see photo)? I wonder whether mascerating with a little sugar first and straining that liquid off would help.

Many thanks,

Scott

 

[Norcalbaker59]

Yes adding fruit will split the buttercream everytime. Fruit contains water. Buttercream is fat. Water and fat do not mix.

If you want flecks of fruit in your buttercream it is better to use freeze dried fruit.

If you want fresh fruit you need to eliminate the water in the fruit

Macerating the fruit will not help.


You need to reduce the water in fruit by cooking it down to a puree. Cook out as much water as possible.

Then drain over a fine mesh sieve overnight to remove all excess water.

However, for fruit purée to be mixed into any type of buttercream, mousse, custard base without seperating, it should be mixed with a gelatin mass.

The type of gelatin mass that is used is pectin NH.

Pectin NH is thermoreversible, meaning it can be set, then heated and dissolved without any negative effects.

Pectin NH isn’t available retail. But if in the US you can buy it online at modernist pantry.

You have to make the gelatin mass separate the day before. After it sets cut it into cubes.

Add some to the purée after it's cooked. Just whisk it in until it dissolves.

Chill the puree.

The amount you will need I don’t know because I have no idea how much fruit you are using. or the type of fruit. Fruits have different levels of water. You’ll have to experiment.

But whenever you add fruit to any fat based, you have to get rid of the excess water.

Also be aware shelf life will be shortened by the addition of the water.

 

[retired baker]

Hi all,

Firstly, absolutely fascinating reading all the tips and techniques for perfecting buttercream. I have massively improved by realising that beating the butter alone first is very key, and ensuring slow and steady emulsification but I often get stumped and fail when adding any extras to the buttercream. I most often seem to split it.

Any tips on how to properly add fresh fruit (in my case raspberries) to the buttercream without getting splitting (see photo)? I wonder whether mascerating with a little sugar first and straining that liquid off would help.

Many thanks,

Scott

Theres a reason they don't do it in France, it doesn't work on the palate.
You can force it to combine but the taste is all wrong.
Buttercream works best with choc, coffee, praline type flavors, they are not highly acidic.