What’s the minimum sugar to egg white ratio in Swiss buttercream?

Question

A Swiss meringue buttercream is a buttercream based on a sugar and egg white mix that is first heated and then whipped. The average recipes I could find use roughly one part egg white to two parts of sugar1, some a bit more, some less2.

I would like to reduce the sugar, but of course the sugar is not used just as sweetener, but is critical for the stability and texture of the meringue. So:

What’s the minimum amount of sugar or lowest sugar-to-egg ratio needed for a Swiss meringue buttercream?

Two side notes:

As egg sizes definitions differ and we’re talking ratios, please either use weight or state the egg size and the locale in your answer.
This question is not about the butter to meringue ratio. I realize that the amount of butter will influence the stability of the buttercream.

JC007B · Answer

Sugar is used to dissolve the egg whites and the protein film on the surface of the air bubbles (source).
Looking at meringue ratio recommendations, here is what I found.

By varying the amount of sugar in the final mix, you control how hard or soft the final meringue will be.  As a general rule, add a total of 1/4 cup of granulated or superfine sugar for each egg white.  Do not make meringues that have less than 2 tablespoons of sugar per egg white. If you use any less, the foam will not set and the meringue will shrink.

What’s the minimum sugar to egg white ratio in Swiss buttercream?

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