Churros Con Chocolate

Churros are to my understanding a doughnut originating from Spain which is dipped in a thick hot chocolate and eaten at breakfast time. In Western culture, it is enjoyed more as a dessert. I love visiting the Churro cafes here in Perth but alas they are not very local to me. So I decided to try a few recipes and found this to be the closest to what I would order from the Cafe, the only difference being the price and convenience of enjoying these in my own home. This recipe is definitely a family and friend pleaser and is best, I think, served warm.

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 cup water
4 tablespoons butter
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon sugar
3 eggs
oil for frying
Cinnamon sugar to coat
Sauce
50g thickened cream
1 block of eating chocolate


1. In a saucepan, mix together water, butter, sugar and salt over medium-high heat and bring it to the boil.

2. Add the flour all at once and mix with a wood spoon until well mixed and no flour lumps. Remove from heat and let it sit, off the heat, for a minute.

3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add one egg at a time and mix with your hands, or alternatively, use an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a wooden spoon. When all the eggs have been mixed in, you should have a very thick but smooth batter.

4. Heat some oil in a frying pan (or a deep heavy skillet) at medium/high heat. As you wait, scrape the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.

5. When the oil is hot, pipe the dough into the oil and cut with scissors. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan and turn the churros over as each side is cooked to a golden brown colour.

6. When cooked, remove from the pan and place onto a paper-towel lined bowl to soak in the oil and immediately season with the Cinnamon sugar.

7. To cook the dipping sauce heat the thickened cream in a saucepan. When it is hot (not boiling), place the chocolate in the cream in small pieces to allow it to melt easier.  Continue stirring the chocolate and cream until you get a smooth consistency.

8. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes and Variations
My Churros Con Chocolate recipe makes for very dense churros so if you want something that is a little bit more fluffy, reduce the amount of flour amount to one cup.
The type of chocolate you use for the dipping sauce is entirely up to your taste buds. My family loves dark chocolate, but they don't complain if I serve up milk or white chocolate. To be a little bit adventurous, you could also use caramel, whipped cream or ice cream as a dip.
If pastry bags aren't a common item in your pantry, most major supermarkets stock disposable piping bags which can be found in the cake section. This is what I use because I hate washing (just don't throw away the tips!)
Finally, when I make this I find it makes a big batch of churros, to the point where I can save half of the batter for me to fry up the next day. This recipe is truly for those who want to have a churros feast!