churros

these churros are really a testament to trial and error. since churros have been on my to make list for a while now and since my churro expert susie happened to be hanging out after an impromptu dinner tonight, we set out to make these.

the recipe and the dough is surprisingly simple. three things tripped us up: the right size tip when piping them into the hot oil, deflating churros, and the fry time. the first few i made with a small star tip. they were way too small and scrawny, so i upgraded to a large star tip. they were a lot thicker and one side looked beautiful. as the first side was cooking, the other side facing up split right down the center. once we got over the fact that their looks aren't perfect, we noticed some of the larger ones would puff up all nice and golden while cooking and almost immediately after we took them out of the oil, deflated - the middles sunk right in. this time, we weren't cooking them long enough and the insides were still gummy. a few more seconds on each side gave us a nice medium brown we were looking for. and of course we nailed it, with the very last bit of dough.

churros
adapted from anne burrell
15 minute prep and frying time varies, serves 4

1 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs
peanut or vegetable oil for frying
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. heat the milk and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. add a pinch of kosher salt and whisk in the flour. using a wooden spoon, mix until a stiff dough forms. it should pull away from the sides and bottom of the pan in one big ball of dough. continue cooking the dough another two to three minutes, or until the surface looks shiny.
2. transfer the dough into a mixing bowl and let cool for a few minutes. if you have a kitchen aid style mixer, use the flat beater blade and mix on very low to cool the dough down faster. 
3. while the dough is cooling, heat about two inches of oil to 325F in a large dutch oven or cast iron skillet. prepare your piping bag and medium size star tip and set aside. mix the sugar and cinnamon together and place in a large plate or paper bag and set aside.
4. when the dough is cool, beat the eggs in one at a time, making sure to incorporate each egg completely before adding the next. 
5. transfer the dough into your piping bag. when the oil reaches 325F, pipe the dough into sticks or whatever shape you want. use scissors to trim the dough between forming individual churros. let cook until a nice golden brown, about 60 seconds per side. 
6. using metal tongs or a wire mesh strainer, remove the hot churros from the oil and blot on paper towels. toss the churros with the cinnamon sugar while they're still hot. serve warm.