Churros with Caramel Apple Dipping Sauce

I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Since a very young age I have been thinking of ways of running the kitchen and making some extra dough. From having a lemonade stand at 6 years old, to selling cheesecakes in high school and even starting a catering company a few years ago, my business drive has always been related to food.

One time I even wanted to open a churro cart. I suddenly got this random idea, created a business plan for it, pitched it to Mr. B. and left it at that. I was sooo sure, I mean, I am still sure this would be a hit but I have so many other ideas running through my mind that I have not been able to decide to go with it.

So if you wanted a business idea in the food industry, here it is: a churro cart! Yes, go ahead, you have my blessing, if you think your market is not saturated with them, go with it. But even though I just gave you a business idea, I can’t promise I will give you all the details of how I would make this churro cart an awesome one, that’s my secret (insert evil laugh).

Oh man! I feel bad now NOT, let me be a good Samaritan and give you an churro recipe instead! How is that for a deal?

Churros with Caramel Apple Dipping Sauce

Start by boiling water, brown sugar, butter and salt. Add flour, stir and you are almost done with the dough.

Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well and you are done! Easy Breezy!

To form the churros, I used a cake decorating gun with a large star tip but you can use a pipping bag and any tip shape you would like.

To dip the churros, I cooked down some apples, cinnamon and sugar.

I then added caramel to the cooked apples and voilà! I got caramel apple sauce for dipping the churros.

The churros turn crispy and light.

I was surprised how authentic the churros tasted and looked.

I used the apple caramel sauce for dipping, as Fall is all about apples but next time I will try a thick hot chocolate like the one I had during my trip to Madrid at Chocolateria San Gines.

Churros

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups water

6  1/2 ounces unsalted butter

5 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

7 eggs

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Oil, for deep frying

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Directions – yields 20 – 25 churros (approximately 7 inches long)

Place water, butter, brown sugar and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Add flour all at once and stir rapidly until mixture forms a ball.

Transfer to a bowl and add eggs one at a time incorporating each egg before adding the next.

Add vanilla and mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Heat oil for frying.

Place churro batter in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.

When oil is hot squeeze churro mixture through the pastry bag and form long strips

Fry for about 4 minutes or until well browned and floating.

Remove churros to a paper lined plate to absorb excess oil.

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a separate dish and toss with hot churros.

Serve immediately and dip in your favorite dipping sauce: chocolate sauce, dulce de leche, or caramel. Anything sweet that you like goes!

TIPS:

• If you are not ready to fry make sure you refrigerate mixture until ready.
• When frying, if you notice that as one side is cooking, the other side facing up splits right down the center, do not worry, the churro shape does not have to be perfect. I experienced that same issue, as well as some deflating churros. My advice is to not overcrowd the pan and cook the churros a little longer till you get it right.
• Frying can be tricky but these churros will be worth the practice.

*Churro recipe adapted from Mary Sue Milliken (Top Chef Masters contestant)