INGREDIENTS
25g (scant 1oz) unsalted butter
200g (7oz) plain flour
50g (13⁄4oz) sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 litre (13⁄4 pt) peanut or sunflower oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the chocolate chilli sauce
50g (13⁄4oz) good-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
150ml (5fl oz) double cream
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 pinch of salt
¼ tsp chilli powder or cayenne pepper, to taste
Method
- Measure 200ml (7fl oz) of boiling water into a jug. Add the butter and stir until it melts. Sift together the flour, half the sugar, and the baking powder into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and slowly pour in the hot butter liquid, beating continuously, until you have a thick paste. Leave the mixture to cool and rest for 5 minutes.
- Pour the oil into a large, heavy-based saucepan or deep-fat fryer to a depth of 10cm (4in) and heat it to 190ºC (375ºF). Keep a saucepan lid nearby and never leave the hot oil unattended. Make sure the temperature remains even, or the churros will burn. Place the cooled mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 2cm (3⁄4in) star-shaped nozzle. Pipe 7cm (23⁄4in) lengths of the dough directly into the hot oil and use a pair of scissors to snip off the ends. Do not crowd the pan, or the temperature of the oil will go down too much. Cook the churros for 1–2 minutes, turning them once when they are golden brown. Remove the churros from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
- Mix the remaining sugar and the cinnamon together on a plate and toss the churros in the mixture while still hot. Leave to cool for 5–10 minutes, then serve while still warm.
- For the chocolate chilli sauce, put the chocolate, cream, sugar, and butter in a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes until the chocolate melts and the sauce thickens. Take the sauce off the heat and stir in a pinch of salt. Add the chilli powder or cayenne pepper to taste, a pinch at a time, and taste as you go. The sauce does not taste hot or spicy immediately; rather it should produce a slowly developing heat in your mouth. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately with the freshly made churros.