Okay, I’m not going to lie to you guys and gals. I really meant to make normal churros. I had never made churros before. I was always intimidated, and it got the best of me. But, as you all know I’m sure, accidents happen. Things don’t always work out. In this case, it was a happy accident (in the words of Bob Ross). It actually worked out to my advantage to have these cute, crispy, scrumptious little churro nuggets instead of the usual stick. I wanted to serve churros with Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream instead of the traditional chocolate dipping sauce. But, in reality, the sticks would have broken off if you tried to dip them into the ice cream, so now they’re a beautiful, bite sized garnish that compliments the ice cream perfectly. I couldn’t be happier.
So, for those of you intimidated by churros as much as I am, give them a go. If they don’t turn out as pretty as you’d hoped, go the bite sized route. I will try them again, of course, but I’m just as happy with these gems. The truth is, they’re really not that labor intensive to make! No yeast, no rising time. It’s a simple batter. What threw me off was piping it perfectly into the hot oil (without burning myself) and making those beautiful ridges. I now truly appreciate it as an art form. I didn’t totally mess up-these bites taste just like the real thing!
Quick funny story about the first time I ever tried a Churro: When I lived in New York City a few years ago, there was always this very happy man on the subway platform, selling warm homemade churros. Their wonderful fragrant smell would waft all through the station, temping anyone and everyone passing by. To be honest, I was hesitant because I always thought it was a little funky. (NYC subways are pretty filthy for the most part and nowhere to wash your hands). But, one day I just couldn’t take it anymore. 25 cents each, and a super long line of waiting later, I had a new obsession. Best thing I’ve ever had. Really.
Churros (Churro Bites)
What You’ll Need:
+ 1.5 ounces water
+ 1.5 ounces milk
+ 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
+ pinch of salt (about 1/2 teaspoon)
+ 1 teaspoon sugar
+ 1/2 cup all purpose flour
+ 2 eggs
+ vegetable oil for frying
+ 1/8 cup sugar
+ 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Place the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Add the flour and stir until it forms a ball. Allow to cool for a few minutes, and add the eggs in one and a time, stirring until completely combined. (You can use an electric mixer if you’d like).
Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide pan that has tall sides to 370 degrees F. When it reaches temperature, pipe the batter into the oil and cut with scissors. Only do a few at a time as to not overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown on all sides (about 2- 3 minutes). Roll in the mixture of sugar and cinnamon.
Now, for the “bites” version. It’s pretty simple. Either pipe them in as dots rather than long strips, or cut the strips once they’re out of the fryer, and then toss in the cinnamon sugar. Easy peasy!
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