DOUBLE CHOCOLATE EUROPEAN STYLE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Set-up a pan with about an inch of water and warm it to 160 degrees.
• Chop chocolate and place in a clean, dry, bowl that fits in the pan without touching the water, but is within an inch or so.
• Stir chocolate (with a clean, dry spoon) occasionally until almost melted.
• Remove from heat and continue stirring until smooth, the residual heat will finish the job.
• In a large bowl that will also fit over the pan with water (I use the bowl from my standing mixer), place eggs, cocoa, sugar and salt.
• Whisk lightly until blended.
• Turn heat up so water simmers, place the bowl with the egg mixture over the simmering water and whisk gently until the mixture reaches 165 degrees.
• 160 degrees is the ‘instant’ kill temperature for salmonella and many other nasty bacteria.
• If you don’t have an instant read thermometer, then the mixture should feel fairly warm, but not too hot.
• If you start to smell eggs cooking then you’re too hot.
• (It’s OK, so long as there are no actual egg chunks) Place the bowl on your mixer, or pour it into your mixer bowl, and, with a whisk attachment, beat at high speed until cooled to room temperature.
• I like to do this in the winter and open up a window next to my mixer.
• If you don’t have a standing mixer, you can place your bowl in an ice bath and do it with a hand mixer on high speed.
• Lower speed on mixer to medium-low, add vanilla extract.
• Start adding butter one chunk at a time mix until each chunk is incorporated.
• When all butter is added whip on high speed for a minute or so.
• Turn off mixer, add chocolate and run on low speed until incorporated.
• Use immediately, keep at a cool room temperature for a day, refrigerate for a week, or freeze for 3 months.
• Re-whip before using.