So maybe a month or so back, I invited my sister over for a little churro, coffee, chat session. I have been needing an excuse to make these churros for ages, and I thought having company over would be perfect! My sister loves being the guinea pig for my creations. Her being one of the few that isn’t gluten free in my family, it works out perfectly!
Thank goodness my sister was there to help because I definitely struggled with these. First, the batter was way too runny to pipe, so I had to add quite a bit more flour (reflected in the recipe below), then I had a hard time piping the batter straight in the oil (hence the funky shaped churros) and snipping the ends. An extra set of hands were much needed!
Overlooking the difficulties I had, these churros were oh so worth it. I have had my fair share as well, considering that I lived in Spain for a trimester my senior year in high school with a host family. I haven’t had churros since I was in Spain all those years ago, and have always wanted to eat more! These churros were very similar to the ones served in Spain. All that was missing was the amazing hot chocolate to dip it into!
My sister and I definitely indulged when eating these. My husband was very disappointed that we didn’t save him more. We had planned on taking a walk that morning, but instead we lay comatose on the couch drinking our coffee and chatting. So be forewarned, these are totally addicting!
Recipe adapted from Annie’s Eats
Churros
Homemade churros that are worth the time. Sweet fried dough coated in cinnamon sugar and dipped in melted chocolate. The perfect treat.
Ingredients
For the churros
- 4 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- Pinch of coarse salt
- 1-3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- Canola oil, for frying
To coat
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the chocolate dipping sauce
- 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon butter, at room temperature
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water, sugar and salt over medium-high heat. Stir frequently. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from the heat and transfer to a food processor. Add in one cup of the flour. With the feed tube open to vent steam, pulse (or mix) briefly to incorporate the flour. While continuing to mix, gradually pour in the eggs in a slow, steady stream until fully incorporated and the mixture is just smooth. If the batter is not thick enough to pipe, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until thickened.
- Heat a large pot of canola oil (at least 2-3 inches deep) to 375ºF. While the oil is heating, transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip (I used a large star tip). When the oil has reached the desired temperature, pipe lengths of the batter into the oil, using scissors to snip each length off into the pot. Keep the churros only in a single layer and avoid crowding them. Fry, flipping once, until light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from the oil with a slotted skimmer and transfer to a rack lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter. Be sure the oil returns to 375º F before adding a new batch.
- In a shallow bowl or plate, combine the sugar and the seeds scraped from the vanilla bean pod. Massage together until the vanilla bean is evenly distributed in the sugar. Stir in the cinnamon. Dredge the cooked churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, shaking off the excess.
- To make the chocolate sauce, place the chocolate in a small bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer, pour over the chocolate, and let stand 2 minutes. Whisk together until a smooth ganache forms. Whisk in the butter until fully incorporated. Reheat as necessary to keep liquid for dipping.
