CHOCOLATE

 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about

Easy Homemade Churros with Chocolate Sauce

All you need is a few simple ingredients and less than 30 minutes for hot, crispy Homemade Churros 

FOR THE COATING:

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

FOR THE CHURROS:

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE:

• 3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions 

MAKE THE COATING:

• In a small, shallow bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon.

MAKE THE CHURROS:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the water, sugar, salt and vegetable oil. Bring the mixture to a boil then remove it from the heat. Stir in the flour, mixing until it forms a smooth ball.
2. Heat 3 to 4 inches of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot set over medium-high heat until it reaches 375ºF. (There should be a minimum of 3 inches above the oil to prevent it from bubbling over.) Line a plate with paper towels.
3. Transfer the dough to a cloth pastry bag or heavy-duty plastic bag fitted with a large star tip (optional).
4. Pipe the dough over the pot of oil to a length of about 4 inches, then using scissors or a sharp knife, cut it so it releases into the oil. (Stand back to avoid any splatters.) Pipe two to three churros into the oil at a time, frying them until they're golden brown and cooked through.
5. Transfer the churros to the paper towel-lined plate to drain for 2 minutes, then while they are still hot, roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat the frying and coating process with the remaining dough.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE:

• Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl.
• Warm the heavy cream in small saucepan. (Do not let it boil.) Pour the heavy cream over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute then stir to combine.

NOTES:

• It's important to use a cloth or heavy-duty plastic pastry bag, as a regular resealable plastic bag is not thick enough and will split open if you try to pipe the churro dough through it.
• The chocolate sauce will thicken as it cools, so it's best to make it right before you're ready to serve it with the churros.
• A pastry tip isn't essential, however using the large star-shaped tip will give the churros the textured lines characteristic of classic churros.
• This churro recipe can be easily doubled.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking