Mini Pumpkin Churros Chocolate Coffee Dipping Sauce Food

CHURROS WITH CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix the sugar and cinnamon for the churros in a wide, shallow dish; this is for coating the cooked churros.
• Churros: Put the flour into a bowl and stir in the baking powder, then beat in the olive oil and 1 cup freshly boiled water. Keep mixing until you have a warm sticky dough, and let rest for about 10 minutes or for as long as it takes for the corn oil to heat up.
• Heat the oil in a smallish saucepan; it should come about a third of the way up the sides of the pan. When you think it's hot enough, toss in a cube of bread and see if it sizzles and browns. If it browns in about 30 seconds, it's hot enough; or if you're using an electric deep-fat fryer regulate the temperature, it should be at 325 degrees F. Keep a watchful eye on your hot oil pan at all times.
• Preheat the oven to 175 degrees F.
• When you are ready, load up a piping bag with a large star shaped nozzle (8mm) and fill it with the churro dough. Squeeze short lengths, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches, of dough into the hot oil, snipping them off with a pair of scissors as you go. Cook about 3 or 4 at a time. Once they turn a rich golden brown, fish them out with a slotted spoon or tongs onto a kitchen towel lined baking sheet. To keep the churros warm while you fry the remaining dough. Blot them with paper towels and transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet. Put the baking sheet into the oven to keep the churros warm. Even if you let them sit out of the oven, they do need 5 to 10 minutes to rest before you eat them, to allow them to set inside.
• Chocolate sauce: Melt all of the chocolate sauce ingredients in a heavy based saucepan over low heat. Once combined and the chocolate has melted, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside in a warm place.
• Toss the hot churros into the sugar and cinnamon mixture and shake them about to get a good covering, just before serving. Arrange the churros on a serving platter and serve.
• Pour the chocolate sauce into individual pots for serving (to avoid the double dipping dilemma) and dip'n'dunk away.

CHURROS WITH SPICED SUGAR AND CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds in a medium saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds. Whisk the mixture until smooth. Keep warm.;
• Put the oil into a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until a deep fry thermometer registers 365 degrees F. Place several layers of paper towels on a baking sheet and set aside.
• Combine the water, butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the butter is completely melted and the sugar is dissolved. Add the flour, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon anise seeds and quickly beat with a wooden spoon until a ball is formed and the mixture becomes dry, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for one minute to allow some of the steam to escape the mixture and to cool slightly before adding the eggs. Add the eggs, one a time, beating every time until each is incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 20 seconds longer. Scrape the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
• Combine the remaining 1 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon anise in a baking dish.
• Working in batches, pipe 6-inch strips of the dough into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, turning once. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider to the prepared paper towel-lined baking sheet. Let the churros drain for 30 seconds and immediately toss in the sugar mixture. Serve the churros warm with the chocolate dipping sauce on the side.

MINI PUMPKIN CHURROS CHOCOLATE-COFFEE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• For the dipping sauce: Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Add the hot cream to the bowl with the chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. Gently whisk until smooth. Stir in the coffee liqueur and vanilla extract. Keep warm. For the churros: Whisk together the flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, the cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, the nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Bring 1 1/2 cups water, the pumpkin puree, butter and vanilla to a boil in a medium saucepan, whisking constantly. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined; it will be thick. Continue mixing and add in your eggs, one at a time, until well combined. The dough should be thick and smooth. Place the dough into a pastry bag with a large star tip. Heat 2 inches of canola oil in a high-sided saute pan until it reaches 350 degrees F on a candy or fry thermometer. Pipe the dough directly into the pan in 3-inch pieces, cutting off the pieces with a scissor. Fry until golden and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir together the sugar and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a medium shallow bowl. Transfer the churros to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet or plate to drain the oil and immediately toss in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Dip in the chocolate-coffee dipping sauce to serve.