Instant Deep Red “Connors” Buttercream

Ingredients

250g Block Butter (Salted Unsalted or half and half, your choice)

500g Sieved Icing Sugar

1/2 Tsp Red Colouring (the only colourings that work are Our Extra Poppy below, Chef Master )

2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Method

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. Add the colouring to the top of the butter, then continue as below.

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 sieved icing sugar, do this by hand in a bowl as this will stop the colour reducing.

Then using the back of the spatula push backward and forwards into the buttercream to smooth it out. This will also push the butter and icing sugar all together. Once it has become very smooth it is ready.