A lighter version of churros con chocolate

Churros con chocalate, something you will see and hear all around living in Spain.

I have to admit, although being excited about new dishes and recipes I never tried to make churros myself so far. This is not because I do not like this Spanish delicacy, but mostly because I am unable to deep fry food. I am simple not capable to get the right temperature of the oil and somehow always end up with burned things. Oven on the other hand is the perfect kitchen tool for me, when it comes to food...not only for the cakes and muffins, but almost for everything. And so being a big fan of the oven, I did my very first baked churros con chocolate after living some years in Spain.

The outcome was delicious. My boys loved it soo much, especially the fact that they were allowed to eat it with their hands (usually I will force them to use a dessert plate and dessert fork or spoon, when we are heaving dessert)....

Churros

• 100 ml water
• 80 g butter
• 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 150 g flour
• 3 eggs

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Pour the water in a pot, add butter, sugar and salt and let it cook for some minutes, till butter is melted and sugar dissolved. Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour, steer well till all the flour is incorporated. You will get quite a firm dough. Take the pot from the heat let it cool for couple of minutes and then add the eggs, one at the time. The dough will separate at the beginning, don´t give up and steer till all the eggs are well combined and you will get a firm silky dough. Fill the dough into a piping bag and pipe evenly long dough stripes. Sprinkle the stripes with some water and bake for 20 minutes, till golden brown. Coat the churros with sugar coating as long they are hot.

Sugar coating

• sugar
• cinnamon or vanilla
• pinch of salt

Put everything in a zipper plastic bag and shake it till all well combined. Throw in 3-4 churros at the time and shake the bag till they all are well coated. Take them out and place it on a cooling rack for some minutes

Chocolate sauce

• 150 ml milk
• 150 g chocolate (dark, or mixed with milk chocolate)
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of cornstarch

In a pot, heat up the milk. As soon as the milk starts to simmer add the chocolate and let it melt slowly, add the salt. Dissolve the cornstarch with some cold water and add it to the hot chocolate, steer well, till the mixture starts to thicken. Take it of from heat and serve it to the churros

I personally love them because they are not as heavy as the original churros deep fried in oil, but still sooo delicious and I feel just "half" guilty to have them for dessert.

Craft your very own (personalised) paper cone / bag and surprise your friends with an exceptional snack next time your are visiting them.
Serve some fruits (cut in chunks) along with the churros and chocolate sauce, which can be dipped in the hot chocolate too....watermelon, apples, pears, pineapple... and your guest will be delighted!!!

Enjoy!