Chocolate Buttercream using Connors Buttercream Silk

Connors Buttercream is becoming so popular, due to its beautifully smooth appearance and texture and as i would say its just “Gert Lush”

Ingredients

250g Butter (You can use half salted and half unsalted to cut down the sweetness)

500g Icing Sugar

1tsp Vanilla

2tbsp Cocoa Powder

Ganache

125g Callebaut Milk (823) Chocolate

70g Double Cream

Method

Place your butter into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for around a minute in bursts until melted but still shows some lumps of butter (the temperature of the butter MUST not go above 30C as this will cause the butter to split).

BUTTER

Cube your butter up into small squares. You can do this from the fridge or room temp butter. The harder the butter the more time it will need in the microwave. This is a guide, if it is not completely firm or room temp, just do something in between.

From Hard

15 seconds in the microwave, then stir then a further 10 seconds, stir again If it is not ready only use 5 second bursts now.

From Soft

5 seconds in the microwave, then stir then, further 5 second bursts until it is ready. You are looking for the butter to be no hotter than 30C/84F, the butter should look the consistency and colour of thick custard. It should not turn florescent, if it does just keep stirring until it comes under 30C and has that creamy look.

Add the butter, cocoa powder, vanilla and the icing sugar into your stand mixer bowl

In a separate bowl melt your chocolate/cream, in short bursts so it doesn't split and when it's slightly cool add it into the mixer, with the other ingredients. Using the paddle attachment, turn on the mixer at the lowest setting.... it must be low, or you will incorporate air. Once it is all silky transfer into another bowl and cover with cling. Use immediately or store it in the fridge.