Ah, churros. What’s not to love? The crispy, sweet exterior and warm, soft interior are a match made in heaven. Dusted with sugar and dipped in a warm sauce, they’re just about the perfect food. Jorge’s Churros are simple to make at home and downright addictive when served with my favorite sauces for dipping churros: chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, and vanilla creme anglaise. If you’ve never tried making churros at home, you don’t know what you’re missing! You’ve never really had a churro until you’ve had one piping hot and freshly made. Served with warm sauces, they make the perfect comfort food for chilly days or as a sweet indulgence for celebrations.
Who’s Jorge?
Why *Jorge’s* Churros, you ask? Well, as an avid Pittsburgh Panthers basketball fan, I’ve been following their exciting journey in this year’s NCAA tournament. This year, the Panthers were joined by two new faces from Spain, Guillermo and Jorge Diaz Graham. These twin brothers have already made an impact on the team, and this recipe, along with Guillermo’s Patatas Bravas, is an ode to their heritage!
A Brief History of Churros
Churros are a beloved Spanish pastry that have been enjoyed for generations. The origins of churros are a bit murky, but they are believed to have been introduced to Spain in the 16th century. Churros were originally made as a quick and easy breakfast pastry, often enjoyed with a cup of hot chocolate. Over time, they became popular as a snack food and can now be found in churrerias (churro shops) throughout Spain and beyond.
In Spain, churros are often enjoyed with a cup of hot chocolate, which is thicker and richer than the hot chocolate typically found in other parts of the world. This thick hot chocolate is perfect for dipping the churros in, as it clings to the crispy exterior and adds a rich and indulgent flavor to each bite.
Churros are also a popular street food in Spain, where they are sold by vendors from food carts. These vendors often make their churros fresh to order, serving them piping hot and crispy. In some regions of Spain, churros are even eaten for dessert, often paired with a sweet liqueur like anisette or brandy.
While churros may be a traditional Spanish food, they have become popular around the world, and can now be found on dessert menus in restaurants and cafes from New York to Tokyo. And with good reason – there’s something undeniably satisfying about biting into a warm and crispy churro, especially when it’s served with a warm dipping sauce.
Looking for other desserts? Try these:
Lemon Ricotta Muffins with Vanilla Crumble
Berry Swirled Buttermilk Ice Cream with Sweet Corn Crumble
Making Jorge’s Churros
Making churros at home is surprisingly easy, requiring just a few simple ingredients and a little bit of patience. The dough is made by combining water, milk, and flour, mixing to create a smooth and glossy dough. The dough is then piped into hot oil and fried until golden brown and crispy.
While churros are delicious on their own, they are traditionally served with a warm chocolate sauce for dipping. In this recipe, I’ve included my sister’s creamy chocolate sauce that perfectly complements the crispy texture of the churros.
But why stop at just one dipping sauce? I’ve also included recipes for a sweet and tangy strawberry sauce and a velvety crème anglaise, so you can customize your churro experience to your liking.
The strawberry sauce is made by combining fresh strawberries with sugar and cooking until the mixture has thickened slightly and the berries have softened. This results in a bright and fruity sauce that pairs perfectly with the warm and crisp churros.
The crème anglaise is a classic French dessert sauce made with milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and egg yolks. Think of it like a light and velvety vanilla pudding. It’s the perfect accompaniment to the sweet and indulgent churros, and it pairs amazingly well with the strawberry sauce.
Churro Tips
When it comes to making churros at home, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure your oil is hot enough – if it’s not, the churros will absorb too much oil and become greasy. Second, be sure to pipe the dough into the oil in straight lines – this will help the churros cook evenly and prevent them from becoming tangled.
Finally, don’t be afraid to get creative with your dipping sauces. While chocolate, strawberry, and crème anglaise are all delicious options, you could also try serving your churros with caramel sauce, dulce de leche, or even a fruity jam. The possibilities are endless, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find your favorite combination.
What’s different here?
It’s worth noting that traditional Spanish churros are typically made with a simple dough of flour, water, milk, and salt. Unlike some churros recipes that use eggs in the dough, the traditional Spanish recipe relies solely on the interaction between the flour and water to create a light and fluffy texture.
Additionally, while some churros recipes call for the dough to be rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, this is not typically done in Spain. Instead, Spanish churros are often served with a dusting of powdered sugar or a sprinkle of salt.
Of course, there are many variations on the traditional churros recipe, and you may find that you prefer your churros with eggs or cinnamon. But if you’re looking to recreate the authentic Spanish churros experience, stick to a simple dough made with just flour, water, milk, and salt, and consider forgoing the cinnamon in the sugar coating.
In any case, whether you prefer your churros traditional or with a modern twist, one thing is for sure – they’re a delicious treat that are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Whether you’re making churros for a sweet breakfast, as a fun snack, or as a dessert, this recipe is sure to impress. And with three delicious dipping sauces to choose from, you can customize your churro experience to suit your taste. So why not whip up a batch of churros today and treat yourself to a little bit of Spanish indulgence?
I hope you love Jorge’s Churros as much as I do! If you make this recipe, leave a comment and let me know what you thought or feel free to ask a question! I’d also love to see what you made! Tag me in your food pics @fortheperfectbite or use #fortheperfectbite on Instagram.
Jorge’s Churros
Equipment
- Churrera (Churro press)
Ingredients
Churros
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 cups sugar, for coating
Chocolate Sauce
- 6 oz. dark chocolate
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Strawberry Sauce
- 3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Creme Anglaise (Vanilla Custard Sauce)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- The pulp from 1 vanilla bean, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Churros
- Warm the water, milk, and vanilla extract in a large pot over medium heat, until boiling.Remove from the heat.
- Sift the flour and salt into the wet ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
- To a heavy bottomed pot, add enough oil to measure about 2 inches from the bottom of the pot. Over medium heat, bring oil to 350°F.
- Using a Churrera (churro press) add about 4 churros to the hot oil at a time (to prevent overcrowding) and fry until golden, about 4 minutes.
- Remove the churros from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain. While still hot, roll the churros in a bowl or plate of sugar to coat.
- Place churros on a baking sheet in a 250°F oven to keep warm between batches. Continue frying until all the dough has been used.
Chocolate Sauce
- If using bars, chop the chocolate into rough pieces. Place the chocolate pieces into a medium saucepan over medium heat with 1 cup of the heavy cream, stirring until chocolate is melted and fully combined with the cream.
- In a measuring cup, combine the vanilla extract, cornstarch and remaining cup of heavy cream. Stir to combine.
- Pour the cornstarch-cream mixture into the melted chocolate, whisking. Add the sugar. Continue to cook the sauce over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and continue to stir for 1 minute.
- Serve warm.
Strawberry Sauce
- Combine the strawberries and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until strawberries begin to break down and soften (about 10 minutes for frozen berries, 5 for fresh).
- Add the sugar and vanilla extract to the strawberries and begin smashing the strawberries with a spoon to begin forming a smooth sauce.
- Continue cooking the sauce over medium-low heat until the strawberries are fully softened, stirring and smashing periodically, about 20 minutes.
- When strawberries are fully softened, bring the heat back up to medium-high and cook until desired thickness is reached, about 3 minutes more.
Creme Anglaise (Vanilla Custard Sauce)
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the heavy cream and milk until steaming. Remove from the heat
- Whisk the egg yolks, vanilla bean or vanilla extract, and granulated sugar to combine in a separate bowl.
- Slowly ladle some of the hot cream into the egg-sugar mixture while whisking constantly. Repeat until half the hot cream has been whisked into the egg mixture.This step is called tempering and prevents the yolks from cooking too fast and becoming grainy.
- Pour the egg mixture back into the pan with the rest of the cream and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Serve warm.
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