In the world of fresh pastry, few things are quicker than churros, the crisp, crullerlike strips of fried dough that are still popular in Spain, where they originated, but perhaps even more so in Mexico. In fact, there are few breakfast or last-minute late-night snacks that can match a batch of churros. Churros served at restaurants can be awful because they’re fried in stale oil and made in advance. But make them fresh once, for breakfast or dessert (ideally, you’ll serve them with Chocolate Español, page 665, or Mexican Hot Chocolate, page 664) and you will have a reliable addition to your repertoire.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 2 dozen churros
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put at least 2 inches of oil into a large saucepan or deep skillet and heat to about 350°F. Mix the cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar together on a large plate.
Step 2
Combine the remaining sugar, butter, salt, and 1 cup water in a saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and add the flour all at once. Stir constantly until the mixture forms a ball, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and beat in the eggs one at a time, stirring until smooth after each addition.
Step 3
Spoon the dough into a pastry bag with a large star tip (or you can simply drop spoonfuls of the batter into the oil). Press strips of dough about 4 inches long into the hot oil. Cook as many as will fit comfortably at once, turning as they brown, for a total of 5 to 10 minutes each.
Step 4
Remove the churros from the oil and drain them on paper towels, then immediately roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Serve hot or at least warm.
