CHURROS

It has been "churro week" at our house. We love this sweet (stick shaped) donut rolled in cinnamon sugar and served warm!!

"Churro week" came about because I was trying to find a new churro recipe for the grandkids. I tried several new ones and they all had promising results, but none of them were exactly what  I was looking for. I ended up combining the best parts of each recipe and came up with a churro that was light as air and delicious.

I love this recipe for several reasons. First of all they are quick and easy to make. Secondly, you KNOW they are tasty when you have people waiting around in the kitchen for the next ones to come out of the fryer...that is always a good sign. Thirdly, they cost (literally) pennies to make and finally, served with a chocolate dipping sauce or whipped cream, they are great for company.

Click on this Picture

Set up a frying station, with about 2" of vegetable oil in a frying pan and bring it to 375 degrees.  I like to use my electric frying pan because I can just set the temperature and forget it.

Next, line a cookie sheet with paper towels to drain the churros on once they are fried.  Also, mix 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and put it in a pie plate (you will roll the churros in the cinnamon sugar after they are fried).

Now, for the batter:

1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch of salt
4 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan with a heavy bottom, bring the milk, butter, sugar and salt to a boil.  Once it reaches a boil, add the flour all at once and STIR until the dough clumps into a ball and comes away from the side of the pan; this will happen almost immediately.

Remove the pan from the heat and put the dough in your stand mixer fitted with a paddle blade (not the whisk); let it sit for about 2 minutes (to cool down just a tad).

Start up your mixer on medium speed and while the mixer is running, add the vanilla and then the eggs,  one at a time, to the dough, beating well after each egg. The final batter will be very thick and sticky, but smooth.

NOTE: When you put the first egg in,  it will seem like it doesn't want to mix in, but keep mixing, it WILL. As soon as it mixes, in, add the next egg.

Place the batter in a frosting bag fitted with your largest (star) frosting tip.  I use a Wilton 1M.

Your oil should be good and hot by now, so squeeze 4" strips of the batter directly into the hot oil.  I use the tip of my finger to "pinch off" the dough. Fry a few at a time and don't over crowd; they will puff up as they cook.

Fry for about a minute on each side or until they turn golden.  Drain on paper towels and roll in cinnamon sugar while they are still hot.  Serve warm.

Picky-picky husband loves smaller churros, so I make some little 2" churros for him:

These churros are the real deal!!

Read more »

GLAZED DONUTS...Live a Little!!

This is my "go to" recipe when Hubby asks for homemade donuts. I have tried many, many donut recipes over the years and this is his favorite; it is simple, delicious and it has never failed me.

 2 envelopes of dry active yeast (I use 2 scant tablespoons)
¼ cup warm water
1½ cups warm milk
½ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (room temperature)
1/3 cup butter flavored Crisco
5 cups all purpose flour
Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let it stand for 5 minutes or until foamy. In a stand mixer, mix 2 cups of the flour, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and yeast mixture until well mixed (takes just a minute on low speed).
Beat in the rest of the flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl anymore. Once it is at that stage, knead for about 5 minutes.
Place the dough in a greased (I use cooking spray) bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and sit it in a very warm part of your kitchen for an hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently roll it out to ½" thickness. Cut with a floured donut cutter (see note below). Set cut out donuts on a square of parchment paper that you lightly sprayed with cooking spray. This will help you tremendously when it comes time to lift the donuts into the cooking oil.
Spray the tops of the donuts with a little cooking spray and cover loosely with plastic wrap for a second rising (takes about 45 minutes to an hour). Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer (see note below) to 350 (I cooked mine at 375) and gently lower donuts into oil. Fry until they turn nice and golden then flip them.

Drained cooked donuts on a baking rack and before they cool all the way down, dip them in a simple sugar glaze (or cinnamon sugar).

SIMPLE SUGAR GLAZE
1/3 cup melted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
4 tablespoons hot water

Mix everything together (starting with 3 tablespoons hot water, then adding the last tablespoon if you need it).

NOTE: My donut cutter is a small pineapple can that I've removed the top & bottom from. For the center hole, I use a small circle cookie cutter.

NOTE: I heat my oil in an electric frying pan so I can regulate the temperature (and it doesn't take as much oil as a deep fryer).

Read more »