The Best Churros.

Making churros was monumental for me because I finally made something that I've always wanted to make my whole adult life.  I think growing up in California where I took for granted that I could get a churro any time, I never had to make them.  But fast forward fifteen years, living in a smaller town in the midwest, churros are not so easily available.   And darn it, I have cravings that need to be met. 

Enter: Luisa.  I mentioned how I missed churros and wanted to attempt to make them, and like the generous soul she is, offered her recipe of churros made with pate choux.  Say what?  Yeah, I said pate choux!  I never guessed how versatile it could be and how simple and easy it would be to make my own churros.  

My recommendation is to invest in a big pastry star tip, which I didn't have.  We ended up just squeezing them out into the oil and they ended up looking short, squatty and a little warty (I'm a novice at this; I promise my second batch will be much more beautiful).  You know how something can be so homely it's cute?  These little 'churritos gorditos' despite their appearance, tasted just like I remembered.  Crispy and light on the outside and...just go make them!  Your family will love you for it and you'll be the most popular kid on your block!

P.S.  Thank you for this keeper, Luisa! 
P.S.S.  I know these aren't baked and this is a baking blog, but these were too good not to share...

What churros are supposed to look like.



What ours looked like, but don't be fooled (they were still wickedly good!).



See?  Happy camper.

Churros Recipe (via Luisa's Catering)

1 cup water
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
pinch of kosher salt

1/4 cup sugar for dusting
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

canola oil for frying


Bring the water, salt and butter to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour and stir rapidly. The flour will absorb the water quickly and a dough will form and pull away from the sides. Keep stirring to continue cooking the flour and cook off some of the water, another minute or two. Transfer the paste to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or to a bowl if you're using a hand mixer. (If you want to mix the eggs directly into the dough in the pot, let it cool slightly, 4 or 5 minutes, or cool off the pan itself by running cold water over its base if you will be mixing the eggs in that pot. You don’t want to cook the eggs too quickly.)

Add the eggs one at a time mixing rapidly until each is combined into the paste. The paste will go from shiny to furry, slippery to sticky as the egg is incorporated. The pâte a choux can be cooked immediately at this point or refrigerated for up to a day until ready to use.

Spoon mixture into cake decorators' tube with large star tip (like the kind use to decorate cakes). Squeeze 4-inch strips of dough into hot oil (350 degrees). Fry 3 or 4 strips at a time until golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. (Mix Sugar and the optional cinnamon); roll churros in sugar or dump the sugar on the pile of churros, like the pros.

Note: REAL churros in Spain are made without cinnamon mixed with the sugar, but the cinnamon adds an extra nice flavor.

Posted by Dawn.