Churros with Chocolate

Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen

These Mexican pastries are extra special: crispy and sweet on the outside,
custardy and soft on the inside, like a fried cream puff dusted in cinnamon
sugar. Organic sugar is key for the coating -- it adds flavor and crunch.

Level: Intermediate Directions:

Yield: about 26 churros
Total: 1 hr 25 min Special equipment: a pastry bag
(includes cooling time) fitted with a large closed star
Active: 1 hr 15 min tip; a deep-frying thermometer

Ingredients:
Chocolate Sauce:
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-
process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
preferably Ceylon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate,
chopped
Churros:
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,
preferably Ceylon
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon organic
raw cane sugar or granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 For the chocolate sauce: Scrape the vanilla seeds into a
small saucepan; add the vanilla bean, cream, brown sugar,
cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt and cook over medium-high
heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, no
lumps of cocoa powder remain and the mixture is simmering,
about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the vanilla
bean and add the chocolate, stirring to melt. Let sit until ready
to serve (the sauce will thicken as it sits).
2 For the churros: Whisk together the cinnamon and 1 cup of
the organic sugar in a medium bowl; set aside.
3 Scrape the vanilla seeds into a medium saucepan; add the
vanilla bean, milk, butter, salt and remaining tablespoon
organic sugar and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Remove and discard the vanilla bean, add the flour and use a
wooden spoon to vigorously mix until the dough comes together,
about 30 seconds. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and let
cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
4 Fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the
mixture on medium-low speed. Add the eggs to the dough
one at a time, making sure to incorporate each egg before
adding the next. (The dough will look broken at first.) Continue to
beat, scraping the bowl occasionally, until the dough is smooth,
glossy and somewhat stretchy (pull off a small piece of dough
Vegetable oil, for frying and stretch it--it shouldn't break). Spoon the dough into a pastry
bag fitted with a large closed star tip.

5 Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Pour the oil into a
large pot until it comes halfway up the sides. Fit the pot with
a deep-frying thermometer and heat the oil over medium-high
heat until the thermometer registers 350 degrees F.

6 Holding the pastry bag at an angle so the tip is a few inches

above the surface of the oil, squeeze out the dough, moving
the bag as you squeeze so the dough is piped in a 6-inch length
into the oil (use a paring knife to cut off the dough at the tip to
release it into the oil). Repeat the process to make 4 more
churros. Fry the churros, turning once and adjusting the heat as
needed to maintain the oil temperature, until deep golden brown
on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the lined baking
sheet for a moment, then toss in the reserved cinnamon-sugar
mixture. Repeat with the remaining dough.

7 Serve the churros with the warm chocolate sauce.

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