Nigella's Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce

The most recent addition to my cookbook collection is Nigella Lawson's "Kitchen". As I skimmed through it I knew I would be trying out her Churros with chocolate dipping sauce recipe as soon as possible. I liked her recipe because it eggless. Most of the recipes I have seen for churros are basically a choux pastry rich in eggs and somehow it just didn't sit well with me. I have never like that gooey uncooked centre in a cream puff hence mine are always well baked!

I also like to make my tasty Chocolate Pastry Puffs to go with these sometimes as well.

In the aftermath of the cyclone with no electricity for more than a week and heaps of outdoor work to do, baking took step to the side. But I was having bad "baking withdrawal" symptoms! So, left to my own devices when the family made yet another trip to the dump, I set to work eager to surprise them with a sweet treat! And churros, it was! We really enjoyed these churros. I piped them thinner than the ones I have eaten so they were deliciously crunchy. The chocolate dipping sauce is a must!

While the oil is hot, try making my frittelle which I know will be super popular!

Churros with chocolate dipping sauce (adapted from Kitchen by Nigella Lawson)

which Nigella claims should be enough for 4-6 but…

While you are making a tasty treat, give my delicious mango ice cream a spot in your kitchen as well!

I doubled this recipe - I think Nigella must have be on a very strict diet that day!

50g caster sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon or to taste

125g plain flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

15ml olive oil

250ml freshly boiled water

oil for deep frying

Chocolate Sauce

50g dark chocolate

75g milk chocolate

150ml cream

Mix the sugar and the cinnamon together. Set aside for coating the churros in later.

Melt all the chocolate ingredients really gently in a saucepan until it all melts and combines. Set aside.

To make the churros: put the flour into a bowl and stir in the baking powder then beat in the olive oil and freshly boiled water from the kettle. Keep mixing until you have warm sticky dough. Leave it rest for 10 minutes while you heat up the oil to about 170C.

When you are ready fit a piping bag with a star shaped nozzle (I used about 8mm one) and  fill with the dough. Squeeze out lengths of dough. I just used my finger to break each one off the nozzle.

Cook only a few at a time until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper then toss in cinnamon sugar.

Reheat the sauce if needed.

Serve churros with Chocolate dipping sauce in individual pots ( to avoid the double dipping dilemma) and dip away! If the adults are having the drink, you can also serve with my Baileys Hot Chocolate, everybody thinks it is a winner!