Authentic Bolivian Churros: A Tasty, Easy-To-Make Treat

Churros are a delicious treat with a Spanish and Portuguese origin. They are similar to doughnuts but have ridges as they are piped out of a pastry bag. The dough is made with a combination of water, sugar, salt, oil, flour, and cinnamon. The churros are then fried and served with a sweet dipping sauce such as chocolate sauce, dulce de leche, or vanilla sauce. They can also be rolled in cinnamon-sugar for a sweet and spicy flavour. This treat is perfect for parties and can be made ahead of time.

Making the dough

To make the dough for Bolivian churros, you'll need the following ingredients:

• Flour
• Baking powder
• Oil
• Boiling water
• Cinnamon and sugar for coating

You can also add eggs, butter, and a pinch of salt to taste.

Begin by combining the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Then, add in the oil and boiling water, mixing until you have a thick, gummy batter with a wet, sticky consistency. You can adjust the consistency by adding a little more flour if the mixture is too runny, or a touch more water if it's too dry.

Once you have a smooth dough, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and let it cool for a few minutes. This is an important step to ensure you don't cook and scramble the egg into the batter. After the dough has cooled slightly, add in the vanilla and egg, blending immediately with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth. You can also add in a second egg if you prefer a richer dough.

Now, your dough is ready to be piped or rolled into the signature long, thin churros shape!

Shaping the churros

Pinch and Roll: This is the simplest method. Pull off a small ball of dough, about 2 inches in diameter, and roll it between your hands to create a snake-like shape roughly 1/2 inch thick.

Decorative Piper: Use a piping bag or a large freezer bag with a small opening cut at the bottom. Fill the bag with the dough and pipe it into the hot oil to form perfect, even logs. A decorative piper with a star-shaped tip will create the ridges commonly found on churros.

Doughnut Balls: If you don't have a piping bag or prefer a different shape, you can drop small balls of dough directly into the hot oil. This will give you churros in a more rounded, doughnut-like shape.

Once you've chosen your shaping method, fry the churros in hot oil until they are golden brown on all sides, turning them frequently to ensure even cooking. The total cooking time will depend on the thickness of your churros, but the golden brown colour will be your indicator that they are done. Don't crowd the pan by frying too many churros at once, as this can lower the oil temperature and result in greasy churros.

Frying the churros

Heating the Oil:

Firstly, heat about 1-2 inches of vegetable oil in a large, thick-bottomed frying pan. You want to heat the oil to around 350-375°F (175-190°C). If you don't have a thermometer, keep the heat at a medium-low setting and look out for small amounts of smoke rising from the oil. At this temperature, a small test ball of dough should immediately start bubbling when dropped into the oil.

Preparing the Churros:

While the oil is heating, prepare your churros dough. There are various methods to shape the dough into the traditional long, thin, cylindrical shape. You can keep it simple by pinching off a 2-inch ball of dough and rolling it between your hands to form a snake-like shape, roughly 1/2-inch thick.

For more defined ridges, you can use a decorative piping bag with a star-shaped tip. Pack the dough into the bag and push it through to create even logs of dough. Alternatively, you can use a large freezer bag; fill it with dough, cut off a small corner, and squeeze the dough out.

Frying:

Now it's time to fry your churros! Carefully place 3-5 churros into the hot oil to avoid crowding the pan and reducing the oil temperature too quickly. Fry the churros until they are golden brown on all sides, turning them frequently. The total cooking time will depend on the thickness of your churros, but the golden-brown colour is a good indicator that they are done.

Draining Excess Oil:

Remove the fried churros from the oil using a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels. Gently pat the tops with additional paper towels to absorb any excess oil. This step ensures your churros are not greasy.

Your freshly fried churros are now ready to be coated in cinnamon sugar or dipped into a delicious chocolate sauce! Enjoy!

Coating the churros

Preparing the Coating Mixture:

• In a shallow dish, whisk together granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. The typical ratio is 1 cup of sugar to 1/4 cup of cinnamon, but you can adjust this to your taste preferences. Set this mixture aside.
• Some recipes also suggest adding a pinch of salt to enhance the flavours.

Coating the Fried Churros:

• Once you've fried your churros to a golden brown colour, it's time to coat them. Remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon or tongs and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
• While the churros are still warm, roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Make sure to coat them evenly and generously.
• If desired, you can also drizzle the coated churros with chocolate sauce or dip them in a chocolate dipping sauce for an extra indulgent treat.

Tips for Coating:

• It's important to let the churros cool briefly before coating them, about 15 seconds. If they are too wet and oily, they will clump up the sugar mixture. On the other hand, if they cool completely, the sugar won't stick as well.
• For a thicker coating, you can roll the churros a second time in the cinnamon-sugar mixture while it is still warm.
• If you prefer a simpler approach, you can also sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the churros instead of rolling them.

Dipping sauces

Churros are best served with a sweet dipping sauce. Here are some ideas for dipping sauces to accompany your freshly made Bolivian churros:

Chocolate Sauce

A classic pairing with churros, chocolate sauce can be made more interesting with the addition of a little heat. Try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste. Alternatively, a butterscotch sauce or raspberry sauce will also work well with the chocolate.

Dulce de Leche Sauce

A traditional South American sauce, dulce de leche is a 'cheat's' version of the classic, made with caramelized condensed milk. It has a smoky, caramelized flavour and can be made in just 10 minutes.

Mango Sauce with Lime

A fresh, tangy sauce with a hint of lime, mango sauce is the perfect balance to the crispy, fried churros. Simply blend mango puree with lime juice and a little sugar, and heat gently until reduced.

Crème Anglaise (Warm Vanilla Bean Sauce)

A warm, sweet vanilla sauce is a delicious pairing with the cinnamon and sugar of the churros.

Cajeta (Goat's Milk Caramel)

A type of caramel, this sauce is made with goat's milk and has a unique flavour.

Dark Chocolate Ganache

A rich, indulgent sauce, dark chocolate ganache is a perfect dip for churros.

Other Ideas

Churros can also be served with ice cream, or drizzled with chocolate sauce and sprinkled with nuts.

Frequently asked questions