2022 Vuelta - Stage 8: Pola Llaviana to Yernes y Tameza.
Today is my last full day of vacation. I never thought I’d say this, but I'm looking forward to returning home. Yes, I will miss the beach and the slow pace of this week. However, after a week in Disney World, followed by an overnight at home with another long ride up to Cape Cod, not having my normal kitchen appliances and spices, etc. I need to get back. It will be pretty full-on when I return home as well. School has begun already. Soccer season starts for my girls and I will be coaching both teams…and, not to mention, I have a new job to which I’m still acclimating and my boss will be on her vacation…then there will be Labor Day weekend and boom, pretty much summer is over. I give a little hat tip to summer with this bee printed plate I found at our rental. I hope you enjoy these churros & chocolate sauce on your weekend as well.
Churros con Chocolate
from Bon Appetit
Cinnamon Sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon (preferably Ceylon)
1 cup sugar
Churros
½ Vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped into a pot
½ cup milk
6 tbsp butter
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 cup AP flour
3 eggs
Vegetable Oil (for frying)
Pastry bag and star tip
Chocolate Sauce
½ Vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cup heavy cream
5 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp espresso powder
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
Mix the cinnamon sugar ingredients together in a casserole dish and set aside.
Prepare the churros by combining the vanilla, milk, butter, sugar and salt in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Once melted and simmering, dump in the flour and mix together with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated and a film starts collecting in the pot. Pour into a bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Keep mixing after the last egg until the dough comes together. Reserve.
In a medium-sized pot, or a deep fryer, heat and hold the oil (about halfway up the pot) at 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate sauce, by combining the scraped seeds from the vanilla bean half, cream, brown sugar, cocoa powder and espresso powder, over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes, until just simmering. Whisk in the chopped chocolate until smooth. Return to a low burner and keep covered.
Affix a star tip to the pastry bag and spoon in the prepared dough. Once the oil is ready, hold the bag at a 45-degree angle over the pot and squeeze 6-inch lengths, using a sharp knife to cut the dough. Fry for about 2 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Transfer the fried dough to a paper towel-lined surface briefly, then toss in the cinnamon sugar. Set aside and repeat with remaining dough. Serve with the chocolate sauce in dipping bowls. ______________________________
Copyright 2022, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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