Churros with salted caramel sauce
Impress your mates by whipping up some freshly fried churros and salted caramel sauce.
Ingredients
For the churros
- 45g/1½oz butter
- ½ tbsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 65g/2¼oz plain flour
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 large free-range egg
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the salted caramel sauce
- 100g/3½oz granulated sugar
- 80ml/2¾fl oz double cream
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- generous pinch sea salt
To serve
- 40g/1½oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Method
To make the churros, put 125ml/4fl oz water in a saucepan, add the butter, sugar and vanilla, place over a medium–high heat and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat, add the flour and salt and beat with a wooden spoon for around 30 seconds until thickened. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, spread it out and cool in the fridge or freezer for 5 minutes.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep-fat fryer to 190C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
Meanwhile, make the salted caramel sauce. Put the sugar in a saucepan, add 25ml/1fl oz water and place over a medium–high heat for about 5 minutes, without stirring, until the water has evaporated and the sugar has turned a deep, golden brown. Keep an eye on it to ensure it doesn’t burn. (CAUTION: boiling sugar is extremely hot. Handle very carefully).
Once the sugar has caramelised, remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the double cream. The mixture may spit aggressively at this stage so be careful. Whisk in the butter and a good pinch of sea salt.
Remove the churros dough from the fridge or freezer and beat in the egg, using a wooden spoon. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.
Gently pipe the dough directly into the hot oil, using kitchen scissors to snip it off in 15cm/6in long pieces. Fry for 3–5 minutes – in batches if necessary – until lightly golden brown, then remove and drain on kitchen paper.
Mix the caster sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the churros. Serve the churros with a pot of salted caramel sauce on the side.
