Churros are said to have originated in Spain but they are now found all over South America. Traditionally served with hot chocolate, Churros are also delicious served with coffee or warm milk.
The dough for Churros is very similar to puff pastry dough and when fried, they will have a hollow center. In Mexico, you can find Churros plain or filled with pastry cream. Churros are long thin strips of dough that are fried in hot oil. To give them their characteristic fluting, a press called a churria is used. Never fear, you can get the same effect using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
You will need a pastry bag with a star tip, a frying or candy thermometer and frying oil.
There is a recipe for pastry cream included after the frying instructions. If you want to fill your Churros, you will need an additional round tip fitting for your pastry bag. Pastry cream can be made a day ahead of time to allow plenty of cooling time.
How to Make Churros:
Ingredients:
- 2 c flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 c water
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 c butter
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 c granulated sugar (for topping)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (for topping)
Mixing Instructions:
- Sift together flour and baking powder and set aside.
- Mix water, sugar, salt and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and remove from heat.
- Add flour mixture all at once as soon as liquid is removed from heat.
- Mix with a wooden spoon. The batter will look like a thick paste.
- Stir in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Continue to beat until batter looks shiny and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Frying Instructions:
- In a deep skillet or frying pan, heat about 1 1/2 " of oil to 375 degrees. Use a frying or candy thermometer too check the oil temp.
- Fill pastry bag with dough.
- Pipe in sectons of dough each about 5" in length. Use a knif or kitchen scissors to cut the dough as it pipes out.
- Fry for 4 to 6 minutes, turning the dough about half way through to ensure even browning.
- Remove immediately to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Mix sugar and ground cinnamon in a bag or small bowl.
- While Churros are still hot, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. (Omit this step at this point if you will be filling the Churros)
Pastry Cream Ingredients:
- 1/3 c granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp sweet rice flour (regular bleached flour can be substituted)
- 1 whole egg and 3 egg yolks, all lightly beaten
- 2 c half and half
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Mix sugar, cornstarch, flour and eggs in a bowl.Set aside.
- Heat milk over med heat just to scalding being careful not to allow milk to scorch.
- Reduce to low heat.
- Carefully pour milk over egg and sugar mixture whisking constantly to keep eggs from becoming lumpy.
- Continue to cook stirring constantly until mixture thickens and will coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat and chill.
Filling Instructions:
- Fit clean pastry bag with round tip.
- Fill bag with pastry cream.
- Holding a section of Churro in your hand, insert the tip of the pastry nozzle into the end of the Churro.
- Squeeze the bag lightly to allow pastry cream to fill hollow space in pastry without bursting a hole in its side.
- If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Churros that have not been filled can be kept at room temp for two days. Filled Churros should be kept refrigerated if not eaten right away.
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