1. Cut butter into 16 chunks and set aside to soften. 2. It's imperative that the butter be at a cool room temperature (65 degrees) A couple of degrees warmer or cooler is OK, but no more. 3. This will take about 2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen. 4. Place about an inch of water in the bottom of a medium sauce pan and bring to a shimmer (just below the boiling point) over a low heat on the stove. 5. In a large, heat proof, bowl whisk sugar, salt, eggs and yolks till well combined. 6. I like to use the stainless steel bowl of my standing mixer for this as it saves me from cleaning a bowl. 7. Place bowl over shimmering water. 8. (Allow about an inch of clearance between bowl and water). 9. Continue to whisk mixture gently, but continuously, until the mixture reaches 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer and the eggs are foamy and starting to thicken. 10. Don't be too vigorous with your whisking at this stage or all the incorporated air will slow the heating process down. 11. Place mixture in your mixer and whip (with the whip attachment) on high speed until cooled to room temperature and is foamy and well aerated. 12. A hand mixer can be used, but it will take some time. 13. For chocolate frosting fold up to 9 oz of melted and cooled semi-sweet, bitter-sweet, milk or white chocolate into the egg/sugar mixture after step 5:lighten chocolate with about 1/4 of the egg mixture, add chocolate/egg mixture into egg mixture and whip for an additional 2 minutes on high before proceeding to step 6. 14. Slow mixer to medium speed, add vanilla and butter one chunk at a time allowing each chunk to incorporate as you go (this step takes about 5 minutes). 15. Return mixer to high speed and whip for another 60 seconds or until desired texture is reached. 16. Should be very light and fluffy at this point. 17. Frosting can be used immediately. 18. Store on counter for up to one day, refrigerate for a week, freeze for 2 months. 19. Re-whip frosting to rejuvenate its texture. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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