4/30/12

6 Churros for Cinco de Mayo


When I think of Costco, I think of churros.

For only a dollar, it is a hot, crunchy treat that satisfies my sweet cravings.

I resist the urge to buy them at Disneyland ... they cost more than I'm willing to spend.

I figured it was time to make my own.

After discovering how easy and simple churros were to make, I wondered why I waited so long!

There are two basic churro recipes, one with eggs and one without.  The one with eggs is the same recipe for cream puffs or eclairs.

I chose to try Rick Bayless's recipe, which does not use eggs.  It seemed simpler and easier to make.

Vegetable oil (I used canola), sugar, salt and water are combined in a 2 quart sauce pan.  It is brought to a boil and removed from the stove.


All purpose flour is added all at once ...


... and stirred till thick and smooth. 


While the batter was cooling, I got my pot ready with canola oil, heating it to 375°F.

I rolled the dough into plastic wrap, using this wonderful decorating bag technique.


This is where I got stumped in planning to make these churros.

What kind of tip do I use?  Many of the recipes I researched simply stated, "star tip."

Well, there is an "open" and a "closed" (flower) start tip, and I tried both.

Open Star Tip
Closed Star Tip
I prefer using the closed star tip, as the churros had more ridges to capture the cinnamon/sugar mixture and the churro insides were not as "doughy."

This is a Wilton 2D closed star tip.  You will need to get a large tip coupler to accommodate this size.  I purchased mine at Orson Gygi for $1.99.


It is important for your oil to stay as close to 375°F to avoid over/undercooking your churros.

A kitchen thermometer comes in handy.

Squeeze 4" of dough over the hot oil, having the free end almost touching the oil.

If your dough is too high above the oil, it will splash when it falls into the oil.

Using kitchen scissors, cut the dough, letting it fall into the oil.

Do not put too many churros into the oil.  You want them to be able to swim about freely.


Also, if you put too many churros in the oil, the temperature drops dramatically and will take longer to cook.

These should only take 2-3 minutes, turning them occasionally with metal tongs.

Drain each on a paper towel and coat in the cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Rick Bayless calls for 2/3 cup sugar + 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.  Next time, I would double the cinnamon.


The result?

Extra crispy, finger sized churros that were gobbled up in a hurry!


I reserved some plain churros to freeze and reheat in a 400°F oven, which I will sprinkle with cinnamon sugar right out of the oven.

Churros
(4x6 printable recipe)     (full page printable recipe)


6 comments:

  1. Wow, THIS IS THE SPANISH BREAKFAST, LOS CHURROS with a cup of hot and thick chocolate, I´M GLAD YOU MADE THEM
    Love from Spain
    Marialuisa

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  2. I love churros, and this looks super simple. Can't wait to try these!

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  3. That looks so yummy. Great dessert for any celebration.

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  4. Hi Frieda,

    Thanks for a practically fool-proof recipe! These were delish! I've just made them, and I'd like to share my two cents - the recipe is great, and the taste is great, and I'm sure they would be sinfully delish with a chocolate sauce...however, the biggest problem is squeezing the thick and heavy dough out of the piping bag...after about 20 churros I couldnt do anymore...my wrists and fingers were begging me to stop....and my piping bag also ripped at the top with all that squeezing and pulling! wasnt sure what to do with the rest of the dough so just rolled it, shaped it into roses, and fried as with churros.....very disappointed as I would love to serve original churros for breakfast one day...any suggestions?

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    Replies
    1. Hi! Thanks for writing and letting me know your experience with this recipe. The dough wasn't thick for me at all and it squeezed out easily for me. Stir your flour before measuring it, or even better yet, weigh it. You only need 4.5 (or more accurately, 4.25 oz=1 cup) flour for this recipe. If you still feel that you are unable to pipe out the churros, you may want to look into purchasing a churro maker similar to this one: http://www.tienda.com/table/products/cw-01.html?kw={keyword}&gclid=CLjgp9Tn-bQCFc6DQgodBBcA7Q

      Good luck!

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