Homemade Churros

Churros are a popular Spanish and Mexican fried-dough pastry that can be enjoyed as a sweet treat or as a dessert. Here is a recipe for making homemade churros:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil over medium heat.
2. Once the butter has melted and the mixture is boiling, add the flour all at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
3. Remove the pan from heat and let the dough cool for a few minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. Once the dough is smooth and all the eggs are incorporated, transfer it to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
6. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350-375 degrees F.
7. Pipe the dough into the hot oil in 4-5 inch lengths, using scissors to cut the dough from the pastry bag.
8. Fry the churros, occasionally turning until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.
9. Remove the churros from the oil and drain them on a paper towel-lined plate.
10. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon (if using). Roll the churros in the mixture while they are still warm.
11. Serve the churros warm, with a chocolate or caramel dipping sauce.

Note: You can also pipe the dough into a churro press, which will give them a more traditional shape.

Dipping Sauce

Here’s a simple recipe for a chocolate dipping sauce to go with your homemade churros:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it simmers.
2. Remove the pan from heat and add the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
3. Stir in the vanilla extract, if using.
4. Let the sauce cool for a few minutes before serving. If the sauce thickens too much, you can reheat it over low heat until it reaches the desired consistency.

Alternatively, you can use caramel sauce or dulce de leche to dip churros.