Salted Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
yields about 6-8 cups
10 egg whites
2 ½ cups sugar
3 cups butter, cut into cubes, cool not cold
2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon salt* (add extra half teaspoon at a time to increase the saltiness if desired or drop to ¼ teaspoon if you don't want the saltiness at all)
½ cup malt powder
Start by separating eggs, add egg whites and sugar to a double boiler over medium low heat, whisking constantly until it reaches 140 F and all sugar is dissolved. Do not go far past this temperature. Pour mixture into the bowl for your stand mixer and using the whisk attachment, whisk until room temperature and stiff peaks form. While it is whisking, cube butter and pre-measure the remaining ingredients. Once you reach stiff peaks and the bowl is not longer warm to the touch, switch to the paddle attachment and start adding one cube of butter at a time, making sure it is incorporated before adding the next. Once the butter is incorporated and the buttercream is the desired texture, add the remaining ingredients. Taste to make sure you don't need to make any changes.
It will keep for about two weeks in a refrigerator. You can freeze it, but the texture will not be as good and it will lose some volume.