Churros with Chocolate Sauce Recipe
Churros are Spanish fried dough sticks that you dip in thick, hot chocolate. In Spain they’re often eaten in the morning for breakfast or late at night after a party, in small bars called churrerías. You can compare them to doughnuts, but they’re lighter, crispy on the outside and soft inside.
This recipe brings the atmosphere of a Spanish churrería into your kitchen: the churros are light, crispy and not overly sweet, and the thick chocolate sauce makes them a real treat for breakfast, dessert or a late-night snack.
Chef's tips
Make sure the dough is smooth and thick – if it’s too runny, the churros will lose their shape in the oil. Don’t overcrowd the pot when frying so the oil temperature doesn’t drop too much. If you’re making churros for guests, prepare the dough and sauce in advance and fry the churros just before serving.
How to serve
Serve churros piled high on a platter with a generous bowl of warm chocolate sauce in the center. Add extra small bowls with cinnamon sugar, caramel or jam so everyone can choose their favorite dip. They pair perfectly with hot chocolate, café con leche or strong espresso.
Ingredients
- wheat flour all-purpose - 250 g
- water boiling - 250 ml
- butter - 30 g
- salt - 0.25 teaspoons
- sugar for the dough - 1 tablespoon
- vegetable oil for deep-frying, amount depends on the size of the pot - 700 ml
- sugar for coating - 4 tablespoons
- cinnamon sugar or ground cinnamon - 1 teaspoon
- dark chocolate chopped - 150 g
- milk - 200 ml
- 30% cream - 50 ml
- powdered sugar for the chocolate sauce - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- Pour the water into a pot, add the butter, 1 tablespoon of sugar and the salt. Heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a strong boil.
- Remove the pot from the heat, add all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 1–2 minutes, until you get a smooth, thick dough that pulls away from the sides of the pot.
- Transfer the dough to a bowl and set aside for 5–10 minutes to cool slightly. The dough should be warm but not so hot that it burns your hands.
- Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip (or to a sturdy plastic bag with the corner cut off if you don’t have a tip – in that case the churros will be smooth).
- In a wide pot or deep frying pan, heat the oil to about 170–180°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop in a small piece of dough – it should start sizzling and float to the surface right away, but not turn brown in a few seconds.
- Pipe strips of dough about 10–12 cm long directly into the hot oil, cutting them off with scissors or a knife. Fry in batches for 3–4 minutes, turning, until golden and crispy.
- Remove the fried churros with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.
- In a small bowl mix 4 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon sugar. Coat the still-warm churros in this mixture.
- Pour the milk and cream into a small pot and heat almost to boiling. Remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and powdered sugar, wait 1 minute, then stir until you get a smooth, thick sauce.
- Serve the churros immediately, dipping them in the warm chocolate.
Storage
Usmażone churros najlepiej smakują od razu, ale można je odświeżyć w piekarniku 5–7 minut w 180°C. Zamrażać najlepiej surowe, wyciśnięte paski ciasta, a potem smażyć bez rozmrażania.
