Homemade Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 114 grams (1/2 cup, 118 milliliters) water
• 114 grams (1/2 cup, 118 milliliters) milk
• 113 grams (1 stick, 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 38 grams (3 tablespoons) granulated sugar
• large pinch kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 120 grams (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• oil for frying (canola, peanut, vegetable, or avocado oil)
• 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 14 grams (2 tablespoons) ground cinnamon
• 112 grams (4 ounces) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, cut into small pieces (or 1/2 cup of chocolate chips)
• 56 grams (4 tablespoons, 1/2 stick, 2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the choux pastry (for the churro shells):...: Make the choux pastry (for the churro shells): In a sauce pot heat the water, milk, butter, sugar, salt and vanilla over medium heat. Once the mixture is boiling, take it off the heat and pour all of the flour into the pot at once. Stir quickly until the mixture comes together into a cohesive dough.

2. 2

   Flatten the mixture to the bottom of the...: Flatten the mixture to the bottom of the pan and return it to medium heat. Listen for the mixture to begin making a crackling sound. Once you hear it crackling, pull the mixture to one side of the pot and check if there is a thin film on the bottom. It there is, it is dried out enough. It not, heat longer until a film forms. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir until all of the steam has evaporated off. Keep stirring until you do not see anymore steam.

3. 3

   Off the heat, add the eggs into the...: Off the heat, add the eggs into the mixture and stir until each egg has completely absorbed into the batter before adding the next. This takes a little arm work to get it all mixed in. Do not rush this step. Each egg needs to be completely absorbed before adding the next. Once the batter is smooth and glossy it is done.

4. 4

   Chill the batter in the refrigerator for 20...: Chill the batter in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Prep fry station: Meanwhile, set up a deep...: Prep fry station: Meanwhile, set up a deep fryer, pot, or deep skillet with at least 3″ (7.5 cm) of oil. Bring the oil to 350 F (175 C). Also, combine your cinnamon and sugar mixture in a bowl and set aside.

6. 6

   Pipe: Transfer the choux pastry to a piping...: Pipe: Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag fit with a large star tip. Pipe strips of the choux pastry into the hot frying oil, about 5-6" (13-15 cm) using a pairing knife to cut the strip off into the oil as it comes out of the pastry bag. You can fry several at a time, but do not over-crowd the oil.

7. 7

   Fry: Use tongs to gently move the churros...: Fry: Use tongs to gently move the churros around in the oil, making sure they fry on both sides. Fry until the churros are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the cooked churros to paper towels to drain for about 1 minute. Toss the warm churros in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.

8. 8

   To make the chocolate dipping sauce, place the...: To make the chocolate dipping sauce, place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Set the cook time on your microwave to 2 minutes and start the microwave. Do not step away. Stop the microwave every 20 seconds and stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula. As soon as the chocolate is almost completely melted with only a few solid pieces left, remove it from the microwave. This will likely not take the full 2 minutes. Add the butter to the bowl and stir. The heat from the melted chocolate will melt the butter and the solid chocolate pieces to create a smooth glaze. Use immediately.