Churros

Instructions

1. 1 Combine the water, two tablespoons of sugar, salt, and two tablespoons of oil in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Remove from heat immediately and add all the flour at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth ball of dough forms.
2. 2 Continue stirring the dough in the pot over low heat for one minute to dry it slightly. The dough should pull away from the sides of the pan cleanly and feel slightly sticky. Let cool for five minutes, then stir in the vanilla extract.
3. 3 Transfer the warm dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star-shaped tip (the star shape creates the characteristic ridged surface that holds the cinnamon sugar). The dough should be warm enough to pipe easily but not hot enough to melt the piping bag.
4. 4 Heat vegetable oil in a deep heavy pot to 190C. The oil should be at least five centimetres deep. Pipe strips of dough about twelve centimetres long directly into the hot oil, cutting them off at the tip with scissors or a knife.
5. 5 Fry the churros in batches of four to five for three to four minutes, turning them with tongs halfway through, until they are deep golden brown and crispy on all sides. The exterior should be crunchy while the interior remains soft and slightly hollow.
6. 6 Remove the fried churros and drain on a wire rack for thirty seconds, then immediately roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture while still hot and slightly oily so the sugar coating adheres properly to the ridged surface.
7. 7 Make the chocolate dipping sauce by heating the cream and butter until simmering, then pouring over the chopped dark chocolate and stirring until smooth and glossy. Serve the warm churros immediately alongside the hot chocolate sauce for dipping.