Churros

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 ozbutter, melted; for churros dough
• 1/2 tspvanilla extract, for churros dough
• 8 3/4 ozall-purpose flour, for churros dough
• 1 tspbaking powder, for churros dough
• 1 1/4 cupboiling water, for churros dough
• salt, a big pinch; for churros dough
• 1 quartsunflower oil, for deep frying
• 2 slicebread, for testing oil temperature — a cube should brown in 45 seconds to 1 minute at the right heat; not consumed
• 7 ozdark chocolate, for chocolate dipping sauce
• 3/8 cupheavy cream, for chocolate dipping sauce
• 3/8 cupmilk, for chocolate dipping sauce
• 3 tbspgolden syrup, for chocolate dipping sauce
• 1/2 tspvanilla extract, for chocolate dipping sauce
• 3 1/2 ozsuperfine sugar, for cinnamon-sugar coating
• 2 tspcinnamon, for cinnamon-sugar coating

Method

1. 1

   Make the dough: measure 300ml boiling water into a jug and stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl with a big pinch of salt. Pour in the jug contents and quickly beat into the flour until lump-free. Leave to rest for 10–15 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the sauce: put the dark chocolate, cream, milk, golden syrup and vanilla into a small pan and gently melt together, stirring until smooth. Keep warm on a low heat.

3. 3

   Mix the superfine sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl and set aside.

4. 4

   Fill a large deep saucepan one-third full with oil. Heat until a cube of bread browns in 45 seconds to 1 minute.

5. 5

   Fit a star nozzle (1.5–2cm) to a piping bag and fill with the rested dough. Pipe 2–3 strips directly into the hot oil, snipping off each strip with kitchen scissors. Fry in batches until golden and crisp. Drain on paper-towel-lined tray.

6. 6

   Toss the hot churros in the cinnamon sugar and serve immediately with the warm chocolate sauce for dipping.