Churros with chocolate sauce

Churros are SO ridiculously delicious. They’re Spanish originally but have been adopted all over the place as a beloved snack and dessert. They’re easier to make than you might think and there are loads of ways to do it. This is the simplest way I’ve come across – you just make a simple dough which you then pipe directly into a deep fat fryer or a large saucepan with very hot oil in it. You fry the churros until they’re crispy, then toss them in cinnamon and sugar, before serving them with chocolate dipping sauce.

SAFETY NOTE: deep fat frying is dangerous so please be very careful. Always use a deep saucepan and never fill it more than a third full of oil. Do not overheat the oil – if it starts smoking, turn the heat off immediately. If it catches fire, turn the heat off if you can do it safety, then get out of your house, STAY OUT, and call 999.

You need:

• 350mls boiling water
• 50g butter
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 500-750ml sunflower or rapeseed oil
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 150g dark chocolate
• at least 300mls milk

1. Start by measuring out 350ml of boiling water into a heatproof jug. Add the vanilla and butter and stir until the butter melts. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt. Make a well in the middle, then add the buttery water as quickly as possible before beating the mixture briskly until it’s smooth. Spread it out onto a cool plate and leave to rest and cool down while you make the sauce.
2. Pop your broken up chocolate into a heatproof jug and pour enough milk over it to generously cover it. Pop it in the microwave and cook on 20 second bursts until the milk it just hotter than blood temperature. Leave for 5 mins then stir it – the chocolate should all melt together and merge with the milk. It might need a few more blasts in the microwave. Mix it well – add more milk if it’s too thick, or add more chocolate if it’s too runny – it’s totally up to you what consistency you go for.

   

3. Fill a large deep saucepan a third full of oil – there has to be enough to ensure that they float because if they touch the bottom, they will burn. Heat until a small piece of bread browns in 45 seconds – 1 min. Cover a tray with kitchen roll and mix the caster sugar and cinnamon together well.
4. Pop a star nozzle to a piping bag – it’s best to go for a small ish nozzle so that the churros keep their signature grooves. Gather the dough back together and fill the piping back with it.  Next, pipe 2 or 3 strips directly into the oil, snipping off each dough strip with a pair of kitchen scissors. Fry until they’re golden brown and crisp – you will want to watch them closely and flip them halfway through. They really don’t take very long so do this quickly and carefully. Take them out with a slotted spoon and drain on the kitchen roll. Carry on cooking the rest of the dough in small batches. Sprinkle the cooked churros with cinnamon sugar as you go.
5. When all the churros are cooked, dredge them with any remaining cinnamon sugar. Pop your dipping sauce into a suitable pot or mug and serve immediately!

These are best when they’re absolutely fresh but are also nice when cold. They need to cool spaced apart so that they don’t go soggy. You can fill the piping bag at some point in the afternoon and cook later that evening if you are doing a dinner party, which these are lovely for! :)