Words Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Images Brydie Thompson
Churros with Chocolate Sauce
While not strictly Mexican, they were introduced by the Spanish where they are often served for breakfast. In Mexico they are more of a snack or dessert. In Puebla we lined up with locals at Antigua Churreria de Catedral. Here, in a kitchen the size of a disabled toilet, they churn out the freshest churros all day. We enjoyed the cinnamon sugar dusted ones with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate, lightly spiced with cinnamon. In my recreation below, I have created a cinnamon infused chocolate dipping sauce. Mexicans love cinnamon! Also introduced by the Spanish, Mexico doesn’t grow cinnamon but use it like they do, incorporating it in many dishes, from chocolates to moles and soups.
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
20g butter
1¼ cups of flour
3-4 large eggs
vegetable oil for frying
1 cup sugar
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
Chocolate Sauce
¼ cup cream
¼ cup milk
2 cinnamon quills
125g dark chocolate
Place the water, vanilla extract and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Stir in the flour all at once and mix the dough vigorously using a wooden spoon or spatula.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk 3 of the eggs together then add slowly to the dough. Keep mixing until the egg is completely integrated into the dough (I use a stand mixer for this step). In the beginning, the dough will want to separate after adding the egg but keep mixing until the ingredients are well combined and you have a smooth and soft dough that just falls off the beater. If the dough remains to thick beat the final egg and add half of this then the remaining egg if it still requires it
Place the dough in the pastry bag fitted with a star-shaped tip.
Heat oil in a deep fryer or large heavy based pot to 180°C. Carefully pipe 8-10 cm of dough into the oil using a knife or scissors to cut the dough from the piping bag nozzle. Cook 4-5 at a time, depending on the size of your deep fryer.
Fry until golden brown. Remove from the oil, placing on a paper towel to drain for a few seconds, and then roll in the cinnamon sugar.
To make the chocolate sauce heat the cream and milk in a small pot with the cinnamon quills. Just before it comes to a boil stir in the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has completely melted and you have a smooth sauce.
You can make the sauce the day before and just gently re heat just before serving.
