Fried dough of any type brings out my call of the wild.
AWwww ye aw ye aw ye awwwW..
Beignets, elephant ears, doughnuts, funnel cake. It’s all good, but there is something about a churro.
Churros and hot chocolate. Mmmm.
The weather this summer in San Francisco is really- how shall I put this delicately- SUCKING BIGTIME. Basically just like any other fog laden summer here in “The City” but this summer’s fog linger is really hanging on. The active button on my direct Tv says the temp in my neighborhood is 57 with a footnote that exclaims “feels like 57”. Err- yeah, thanks for that clarifier Direct Tv because I would not have been able to distinguish that on my own. Churros + 57 degree weather + hot chocolate = a really freakin lazy ass Sunday. I have spent way too much time in my flannel pajamas lately…
Good thing for Oscar, because the dog gives me a reason to actually leave the house. Yes, I have walked the dog in my pajamas. No I’m not proud of it. Yes, I did at least put a coat on over the jammies. And just for the record, I do not go to Safeway in my pajama pants. I do have limitations. My coat is not long enough. That’s the limitation. Hee hee.
Churros are one of those comfort foods that evokes a warm toasty feeling in you. Maybe it’s the smell of frying dough, maybe it’s the cinnamon smell. Maybe it’s the smell of frying dough 🙂 Yeah, I think that’s it. Definitely the smell of dough frying. The beauty of making churros yourself is that you can enjoy them when they are still super crisp and hot. They are mucho easy too, and people will think you are a rock star. Try it the next time you are having a lazy Sunday. I like to make hot chocolate and add in a pinch of cinnamon to go along with them. I highly recommend it.
Churros
(recipe from Mark Bittman from New York Times)
yield: 1 dozen 4-6 inch churros
Corn, grapeseed, canola or other neutral oil for frying
1/2 Cup plus 1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C water
1 C all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1. Mix 1/2 C sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl or plate. Set aside.
2. Combine 1 Tbsp. sugar, butter, salt and 1 Cup water in a saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, and add flour, all at once. Stir constantly until the mixture forms a ball, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, and beat in eggs one at a time stirring until smooth after each addition. heat the oil in a large saucepan (3-4 quart) or deep skillet to come to a depth of at least 2 inches; heat to 350 º degrees.
3. Spoon dough into a pastry bag with a large star tip (or you can drop spoons full of batter into oil). Drop strips of dough about 4 inches long into the hot oil and press the tip against the side of the pan to “cut off” the end or use a sharp knife and cut off the dough so the strip lands in the oil. Cook for about 7-10 minutes, turning with a fork or tongs every now and then to ensure even browning.
4. Remove the churros from the oil, and drain on paper towels for a few seconds, then roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Serve hot or warm.
