Cooking with Chef Lourdes Castro at KBIS 2015



Mini S'More Cupcakes

Throughout the tradeshow there is a variety of  culinary events providing great food and a moment to rest your feet.  This is Chef Castro whom you may recognize if you saw her on NBC's Today show or  The Talk which is CBS.  She is also the author of 3 cookbooks: Simply Mexican, Eat,Drink,Think in Spanish and Latin Grilling. Loudes' recipes have appeared in the Food & Wine Magazine as well as in the New York times and other papers/magazines. 

At this event she was making Smoked Paprika Crusted Shrimp Skewers and some Mini S'More Cupcakes.  Both were delicious.   See below for the cupcake recipe.

Mini S'More Cupcakes

Makes one double layer cake or 72 mini cupcakes.

Cake:
1 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 c flour
1 Tbl baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 c buttermilk
3 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 c hot water

Meringue:
4 egg whites
1 c sugar
pinch of salt

12 large Graham crackers finely crushed

Conventional Oven:  Preheat oven to 350 deg.  Grease pans (cake or cupcake ones).

Prepare the cake batter -  Place all cake ingredients in a large bowl, beat on medium speed 2 or 3 min. until batter is smooth and shiny. Pour batter into the pans and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Let cool for 15 minutes.

Prepare the meringue -  Place egg whites, sugar and salt in a work bowl and set it over a pot of simmering water. Stir the egg white mixture until the sugar is dissolved and egg whites are warm to the touch, about 4 minutes.  the mixture should be a bit frothy and milky in color.  Remove the bowl and whisk on high speed until egg whites are stiff and glossy about 5 minutes

Assemble and frost - Lightly dab a small amount of water on the top of cakes or cupcakes using pastry brush or crumbled towel.  Sprinkle the graham crackers over the tops. With cupcakes place a dollop of the meringue on top.  then use a kitchen torch to burn the meringue.  For a layer cake you can place some meringue on the top of the bottom layer then put the 2nd layer on top.  Finish by dolloping more of the meringue over the top of the cake. 

They were so good at the show.