CINNAMON CHURRO RECIPE

This is a recipe that I've been playing around with for a couple of years or so, I've played with doughnut recipes of every conceivable method, as is usual trying to complicate things like we chefs do! Until I was reminded of these simple, but absolutely tasty, not for the diet conscious, sugar coated churro

They are basically a deep fried doughnut like snack, served warm, coated in cinnamon sugar and usually with chocolate sauce, so what's not to like?!!

Unlike the normal doughnut recipe, these beauties are ready to go in 15 minutes, so no waiting around for dough to rise

SHOPPING LIST

1. 50g melted butter

2. 350ml of boiling water

3. ½ tsp vanilla extract 250g plain flour

4. 1 tsp baking powder

5. Deep fat fryer

For the sauce

1. 200g bar dark chocolate, good quality, broken into chunks

2. 100ml double cream

3. 100ml whole milk

4. 3 tbsp golden syrup

5. 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar

1. 100g caster sugar

2. 2 tsp cinnamon

METHOD

1. Firstly boil the kettle, then measure 350ml boiling water into a jug, add the melted butter and vanilla extract.

2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl with a big pinch of salt.

3. Now pour in the water, Melted butter mixture and quickly beat into the flour with a wooden spoon until there are no lumps

4. Rest the mix for 10-15 mins while you make the chocolate sauce.

For the sauce

1. Put all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan and gently melt together, stirring occasionally until you have a smooth shiny sauce.

2. Cover a tray with kitchen paper and mix the caster sugar and cinnamon together.

Now for the best bit

1. Set your fryer to 180c, these are better made with clean sunflower, rapeseed or vegetable oil

2. Fit a star nozzle to a piping bag.

3. Fill the piping bag with the rested dough, then extremely carefully pipe 2-3 strips directly into the pan, snipping off each dough strip with a pair of scissors. Fry until golden brown and crisp.

4. Be very careful as occasionally air bubbles form in the churros can explode!!

5. keep the little ones out of the kitchen!!

6. Remove the churro with a slotted spoon and drain on the kitchen paper-lined tray.

7. Carry on cooking the rest of the dough in batches, sprinkling the cooked churros with some cinnamon sugar as you go.

8. Once you’ve cooked all the churros, toss with any remaining cinnamon sugar

9. These are best served warm with the chocolate sauce, custard, jam whatever you fancy