#CookWithLou Live! Gluten Free Churros with Chocolate Sauce

This first #CookWithLou for UK Lockdown 3.0 is a family favourite, chosen as a treat to end the week for all those studying and working from home.

The recipe serves 4-6 people and the churros will last for two days. (If you want to make this dairy free as well, please swap items with * for dairy free alternatives).

We will start at 4pm UK time on Friday 22nd January, and the session should last about an hour. 

 Equipment you will need: 

• A fryer, or a large frying pan to cooking the churros.
• Two saucepans to make your dipping sauce and the batter.
• Mixing bowl.
• Piping bag and large star nozzle (this will ensure a great finish).

Ingredients 

Chocolate Sauce 

• 75g gluten-free dark chocolate, broken into pieces*
• 125ml double cream*

Sugar coating 

• 50g granulated sugar
• 1tsp ground cinnamon

Churros

• 225ml water
• 50g unsalted butter* 
• 25g sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 150g gluten-free plain flour
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Vegetable oil for frying 

Method 

1. To make the chocolate sauce, heat the cream in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir it until everything is fully melted and combined. Reserve until needed.
2. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside. (We will roll the Churros in this after they are cooked.)
3. To make the churros, place the water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium sized pan. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat. Stir in the flour until it’s fully combined, then turn off the heat.
4. Leave the mixture to cool for a few minutes. Then place it in a mixer with the egg and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Then transfer the smooth mixture into a piping bag with a large star nozzle.
5. Heat up enough oil in a large pan or fryer to deep fry the churros. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the oil. You are looking for 180C. 
6. Pipe a 5-6-inch length churro directly into the oil, using scissors to cut them from the tip of the piping bag. You should be able to fit about 3 at a time in the fryer or pan.
7. Let them fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, turning them over to make sure they are fried all around and golden brown.
8. Remove the churros from the oil, place them on paper-towel for a minute to remove the excess oil, then roll each one in the cinnamon sugar.
9. Repeat the process until all the batter is used up.
10. Serve with the chocolate sauce.

Thanks as always to James Kennedy of James Kennedy Photography for the images.