Churros at Home
So once again my finely tuned food antennae went into overdrive after I came home from my Mercado Olympic experience. I couldn’t stop thinking about the Churros and I thought you might also be a bit obsessed after watching the video. So here’s just about the easiest recipe for anything resembling a donut ever. From measuring to eating it’s just over 30 minutes. 40 maybe if you take your time.
The churros you eat from street vendors or at fairs in Mexico are very simple. The dough is made of just flour, water a bit of sugar, salt and a touch of oil. There is no egg. This makes a very crunchy dough. Adding an egg makes it a little richer and causes the churro to puff up a bit more in the hot oil. I like both versions. Both are creamy inside when warm as you bite through the crunchy exterior. The eggy one maybe a bit more so. But nothing beats the eggless version if you’re in a hurry to make something super fast.
Left: Eggless Right: with Egg
Top with eggs,
Bottom no eggs
Churros
Simple Mexican Churros made with eggs optional
Course: Dessert, Snack, Tea Time
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 to 2 tbsp brown sugar (I used sorghum syrup because I had it)
1.5 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 cup AP flour
1 egg beaten, optional
Vegetable Oil for deep frying
Cinnamon Sugar
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamonor to taste
Instructions
1. Mix together the water, sugar, salt and oil. Bring to a boil.
2. Turn off heat and put the cup of flour all at once into the very hot water. Beat vigorously with a sturdy wooden spoon until all the flour is mixed into the water and you see no more dry flour spots.
3. If you want a richer, lighter churro add 1 beaten egg to the flour water mixture. You have to beat hard to incorporate all the egg.
4. Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes. Do not refrigerate.
5. Put the cooled dough into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip or a cookie press with a star disk.
6. Pour vegetable oil into the pan you like to use for deep frying. I use my wok. The oil should be at least 2″ deep.
7. Heat the oil to 375 degrees. Push out a 5″ length of dough and pinch it off. Lay it carefully into the hot fat. Continue but do not crowd the pan. Fry the churros until golden brown. Remove from the fat with tongs or a slotted spoon and let them drain for a moment on paper towels.
8. Mix a cup of sugar with cinnamon to taste. Roll the drained churros in the cinnamon-sugar and serve immediately. Keep making them until you have no more dough and everyone is happy.