Custard Buttercream (German Buttercream)

Yield: I dunno, a decent amount I guess.

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 30g egg yolk (~2yolks)
• 180g whole milk or 90g milk + 90g heavy cream
• 30g sugar
• 1tbsp cornstarch
• 1 stick butter, cut into cubes
• 30g semisweet chocolate (optional)
• herbs or alcohol (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine sugar and yolks and whisk vigorously until sugar is dissolved.
2. (Optional) For flavor infusion, add herbs to the milk, bring to a simmer, and let steep for 10 minutes before proceeding to 3.  If adding only alcohol, no need to steep.
3. Bring milk and vanilla to a simmer in a double boiler.  Stir in corn starch.
4. Remove from heat and add the yolks while stirring continuously.
5. Return to heat and continue to stir until mixture thickens.
6. Transfer to stand mixer bowl, and cover with plastic wrap directly on the custard.  Place in the refrigerator to cool.
7. Move to the mixer and whip, adding butter one cube at a time.  If of the butter and custard is too different, the buttercream will separate.  Put it back in the refigerator then try again.  If you’re using chocolate don’t worry about it; the lecithin (an emulsifier) in the chocolate will fix your buttercream.
8. (Optional) Soften chocolate in microwave, then whip into buttercream.