Perfectly Baked Homemade Churros and Rich Hot Chocolate Recipe

Bigger Bolder Baking with Gemma Stafford・2 minutes read

To make baked churros, prepare a choux pastry dough and pipe it onto trays before baking at 400°F (200°C), then toss the warm churros in cinnamon sugar. For a delicious hot chocolate dip, melt dark and milk chocolate in simmering milk, thicken with a corn flour slurry, and serve alongside the churros.

Insights

  • To make delicious baked churros, you start by creating a choux pastry dough with water, butter, sugar, and salt, then incorporate eggs and vanilla to achieve a soft, pipeable consistency. Proper piping techniques, such as using a star nozzle and spacing the churros on trays, are essential for preventing sticking and ensuring they puff up nicely during baking.
  • For a rich dipping experience, prepare a thick hot chocolate by melting dark and milk chocolate in simmering milk, then enhance its texture with a corn flour slurry. After baking the churros, coat them in a cinnamon sugar mixture while they are still warm to ensure the sugar sticks well, making for a delightful pairing with the hot chocolate.

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Recent questions

  • What is choux pastry made of?

    Choux pastry is a light pastry dough made from a mixture of water, unsalted butter, sugar, salt, and all-purpose flour. The process begins by simmering water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan, then adding flour to create a thick dough. This dough is unique because it relies on steam for leavening, resulting in a light and airy texture when baked. The addition of eggs later in the process gives the pastry its structure and helps it puff up during baking, making it ideal for various desserts like éclairs and churros.

  • How do you pipe churros?

    To pipe churros, you first need to prepare the choux pastry dough and then transfer it into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. It’s important to fill the piping bag only about three-quarters full to allow for easy handling. When piping, ensure that the churros are thick and spaced apart on the baking sheets to prevent them from sticking together during baking. A light dusting of water on the churros before they go into the oven helps create steam, which is essential for achieving that perfect puffiness in the final product.

  • What temperature to bake churros?

    Churros should be baked in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C). This high temperature is crucial for achieving a golden brown exterior while ensuring the inside remains light and airy. After the initial baking time, it’s beneficial to turn off the oven and leave the churros inside for an additional 5-10 minutes. This step allows them to dry out slightly, helping them maintain their shape and preventing them from becoming soggy, which is key to a perfect churro experience.

  • How to make cinnamon sugar?

    To make cinnamon sugar, combine 1/2 cup of sugar with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a baggie or bowl. This mixture is simple yet adds a delightful flavor to baked goods like churros. Once the churros are baked and still warm, tossing them in the cinnamon sugar ensures that the sweet and spicy coating adheres well, enhancing their taste and providing a delicious contrast to the churros' crispy exterior. This step is essential for achieving that classic churro flavor that many people love.

  • What is the best way to serve churros?

    The best way to serve churros is warm, immediately after they have been tossed in cinnamon sugar. Pairing them with a rich hot chocolate for dipping elevates the experience, making it a delightful treat. The hot chocolate can be made by melting dark and milk chocolate in simmering milk, then thickening it for a luxurious texture. This combination not only enhances the flavor of the churros but also provides a fun and interactive way to enjoy them, as diners can dip the churros into the chocolate for added indulgence.

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Summary

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Baked Churros with Hot Chocolate Recipe

  • To make baked churros, start by preparing a choux pastry dough using 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then add 1 cup of all-purpose flour and whisk until it forms a ball, cooking for about 1 minute before turning off the heat.
  • In a separate jug, whisk together 2 room temperature eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Gradually incorporate the egg mixture into the dough using a spatula, mixing until the dough is soft but pipeable.
  • Prepare a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle (or a round one if unavailable) and fill it 3/4 full with the choux pastry. To prevent burning, double tray the churros on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper, securing the paper with a small dot of dough at each corner.
  • Pipe the churros onto the trays, ensuring they are thick and spaced apart to prevent sticking. Before baking, lightly dust the churros with water to create steam in the oven, which helps them puff up.
  • Bake the churros in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) until golden brown, then turn off the oven and leave them inside for an additional 5-10 minutes to dry out and maintain their shape.
  • For the hot chocolate, heat 2 cups of milk in a saucepan until simmering, then add 4 ounces of dark chocolate discs and 2 ounces of milk chocolate, whisking until melted. Thicken the mixture by combining 1 tablespoon of corn flour with 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry, then whisk it into the hot chocolate and simmer for an additional 2 minutes.
  • Prepare the cinnamon sugar by mixing 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a baggie. Once the churros are baked, immediately toss them in the cinnamon sugar while warm for better adherence, and serve with the hot chocolate for dipping.
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