Churros with Mexican Hot Chocolate Spice Mix Recipe
Adapted from Traci Des Jardins
Difficulty: Intermediate
Makes: 6 servings
Nutrition (per serving, 1/6 of recipe): Calories 1360, Total Fat 126 g, Saturated Fat 15 g, Carbohydrates 58 g, Dietary Fiber 4 g, Sugars 37 g, Protein 5 g, Cholesterol 93 mg, Sodium 489 mg
Total Time: 40 minutes
Hands-On Time: 40 minutes
Churros are beloved in both Spain and Mexico, and when made from a classic pte choux-style dough they're simple for anyone comfortable with frying. This version uses a Mexican-inspired spiced sugar in place of traditional hot chocolate to give each churro a crunchy, subtly spicy finish.
Ingredients
- 3 cups vegetable oil
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Mexican vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs, ground finely using a mortar and pestle
- 3 tablespoons ground Mexican cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon flaky salt (like Maldon)
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
Suggested Equipment
- Deep-fryer or large, deep pot with deep-fry thermometer
- Pastry bag with a large star-shaped tip
Instructions
- Begin by heating the oil: bring vegetable oil to 350F in a deep fryer or heavy pot over medium-high heat.
- In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and 1 cup of water; bring to a boil. Add all the flour at once and whisk quickly until combined. Reduce heat to low and stir with a wooden spoon for about 3 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or mix by hand) and beat in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with the star tip.
- Prepare the spice coating by mixing the granulated sugar, turbinado sugar, ground cacao nibs, cinnamon, flaky salt, and chipotle powder in a bowl or shallow dish for easy coating.
- Pipe 5-inch strips of dough directly into the hot oil, frying in batches. Use tongs or a spider to separate pieces so they don't stick, and fry until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes per batch.
- Remove churros to a paper towel-lined tray to drain excess oil. While still warm, roll each churro in the spice-sugar mixture until fully coated. Repeat until all churros are coated.
- Serve immediately. Traditionally served in paper cones on the street, churros also look charming standing upright in a coffee mug or small sturdy vase at home.
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