For these churros, the milk, sugar, salt, and cinnamon stick were brought to a boil, then removed from the heat to allow for the infusion of the cinnamon into the liquid mixture. After the cinnamon stick is removed, the liquid mixture is brought back to a boil again. Immediately after removing the pan from the heat the flour is added all at once. Using a sturdy wooden spoon and using your arm muscles, you rapidly stir the flour into the liquid until the mixture is smooth and the flour is no longer visible. At this point transfer the dough to a large bowl or to your standing mixer bowl and allow it to rest for 10 minutes to allow some of the dough's heat to dissipate. If you don't give it this necessary cooling down period, you might scramble your eggs when you add them in.
The dough is now ready to be transferred to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. I used an open star tip (Ateco 828) have a .63 inch opening. For a slightly thinner churro you could use a tip with a .5 inch opening (Ateco 826). Some believe a closed star tip with these same dimensions gives the churro more defined ridges. Whichever tip you use, pipe the dough into six inch lengths onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly sprayed with a vegetable oil (a tip, no pun intended, from the SmittenKitchen). Some churro recipes will have you pipe the dough directly into the heated oil, but being a churro making novice, I wasn't quite ready to test my dough piping abilities. But honestly, I don't even know if I ever want to. The idea of having all of the dough piped out before frying seemed like a pure genius one.
While you are piping the dough, pour the vegetable oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches in a shallow (versus deep) cast iron pan or Dutch oven and heat to 350 to 360 degrees (F). As a side note, most churro recipes called for heating the oil anywhere between 350 degrees (F) to 400 degrees (F). My oil hovered at or slightly above 360 degrees resulting in a cooking time of anywhere between 4 and 5 minutes. Each batch had no more than 4 churros (the dough sticks liked to gravitate toward one another in the hot oil). Once the churros reach a deep golden brown color, they remove from the hot oil with a spider spatula and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Note: I could have set the oven at a low temperature, 200 degrees (F) and placed the baking sheet in the oven to keep the cooked churros warm while frying up the remaining batches, but I didn't. If I was entertaining I would have.
While still warm, the churros are rolled in the cinnamon sugar. When completely engulfed in this added layer of deliciousness, transfer to a serving platter.
These Churros with Espresso Chocolate Sauce were seriously, dangerously, crunchy, sweet, doughy bites of deliciousness. Even without dipping them into the Espresso Chocolate Sauce, they are sinful. Although don't let me at all suggest you opt out of serving them with the sauce. Shudder the thought.
If there was for chocolate sauce to have an even greater 'wow' factor it would be to add some sea salt and espresso powder to it. I like the stove top method of making this sauce. After heating the cream on the stove until it barely comes to a boil (tiny bubbles will line the edges of the pan), remove from the heat and add in the chocolate, sea salt, and espresso powder. Let sit for 3 to 4 minutes, then stir until the sauce is smooth. Use any leftover sauce to pour over ice cream.
Churros are meant to be enjoyed while still warm. But it's possible you can make the chocolate espresso sauce and pipe out the sticks of dough ahead of time. You can always rewarm the sauce on the stove. Your tray of churro dough sticks can be lightly covered and put in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before you are ready to fry them.
We all need to churros in our lives. If mothers all across Spain have managed to make a batch of churros for breakfast, I suppose we should be able to pull off this feat for a gathering or dinner party! Just remind yourself you can do anything you put your mind to or heart into. Or just pretend it's breakfast time somewhere!
RecipeWe all need to churros in our lives. If mothers all across Spain have managed to make a batch of churros for breakfast, I suppose we should be able to pull off this feat for a gathering or dinner party! Just remind yourself you can do anything you put your mind to or heart into. Or just pretend it's breakfast time somewhere!
Churros with Espresso Chocolate Sauce (slight adaptation to Serious Eats Churros with Chocolate-Dulce de Leche Dip Recipe)
Makes 16-18 six inch churros
Ingredients
Churros
8 cups or 2 quarts of vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups whole milk, room temperature
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, room temperature
Cinnamon Sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Espresso Chocolate Sauce
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon instant espresso
Directions
Churros and Cinnamon Sugar
1. Line one baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. Line a second large baking with parchment paper or a silpat and lightly spray with vegetable oil and set aside.
2. Fit a large pastry bag with a pastry tip (recommend .5 inch to .63 inch star tip, open or closed). Set aside.
3. In a deep bowl or pan, combine one cup of sugar with one tablespoon of cinnamon. Stir to combine. Set aside.
3. Begin heating vegetable oil in a cast iron pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 350-360 degrees (F) on a deep-fat thermometer. Note: Oil should have a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Note: If this is the first time you are making the churros, begin heating the oil when you start piping the dough onto a prepared baking sheet.
4. Bring milk, butter, salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, vanilla and a cinnamon stick to a boil over medium-high heat in large heavy bottomed saucepan. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes to allow the cinnamon to infuse flavor into the milk.
5. Remove cinnamon stick. Return saucepan to heat and bring back to a boil. Turn off heat and immediately add flour. Beat vigorously with a sturdy wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms.
6. Transfer the dough to a large bowl or bowl of a standing mixer. Let dough cool for 10 minutes.
7. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated.
8. Scrape dough into the prepared pastry bag. Pipe dough into 6 inch long strips onto the prepared parchment paper lined baking sheet.
9. Fry churros in batches of 4 to 5 for 3 to 4 minutes (or 4 to 5 minutes if using a wider pastry tip) or until they are deep golden brown. Remove with a spider spatula and place on paper towel lined baking sheet. Note: Place pan in a 200 degree oven to keep warm while continue to fry the remaining churros
10. Roll churros in the cinnamon sugar mixture while they are still warm.
11. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with the Espresso Chocolate Sauce.
Espresso Chocolate Sauce
1. In a small pan heat whipping cream until it almost comes to a boil (look for tiny bubbles along the edges of the pan).
2. Remove from heat and add chocolate, sea salt and espresso powder. Let sit for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Stir until sauce is smooth.
Notes: (1) Churros can also be formed into circles, hearts, or S-shapes. (2) Pipe out dough on a prepared baking sheet, lightly cover, and refrigerate for a couple of hours ahead of time. Remove from the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before putting into the hot oil.