Afternoon Tea Churros Recipes

Steps:

• Boil the kettle. Sift the flour into a big mixing bowl with a big pinch of salt, then stir in the 2 tbsp sugar and lemon zest.
• Put 350ml boiling water, the butter and vanilla extract in a saucepan. Heat gently to melt, then bring to a simmer and, as soon as it is boiling, turn off the heat. Tip in the flour mixture and very quickly beat with a wooden spoon until lump-free. Cool for 5 mins, then beat in the eggs one at a time, with the spoon or an electric whisk. Rest for 10-15 mins, or cover and chill for up to 24 hrs.
• Fill a large, deep saucepan one-third full of oil. Heat until it reaches 180°C on a cooking thermometer. Cover a tray with kitchen paper, and mix the caster sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.
• Fit a star nozzle to a piping bag - 1-2cm wide is a good size. Fill with the rested dough, then pipe 2-3 strips directly into the pan, snipping off each dough strip with a pair of scissors. Fry until golden brown and crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on the kitchen paper-lined tray. Carry on cooking the rest of the dough in batches, sprinkling the cooked churros with some cinnamon sugar as you go.
• Serve a few churros per person with a dollop each of clotted cream and raspberry jam on the side.

Steps:

• Make the chocolate dipping sauce: Add the chocolate chips to a medium bowl and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until beginning gently simmer. Add the cayenne and cinnamon, then remove the pot from the heat.
• Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate, then let sit for 2-3 minutes to soften the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and keep warm until ready to serve.
• Make the churros: Fill a 12-inch cast iron skillet with 1½ inches of canola oil. Heat over medium heat until the temperature reaches 370°F (188°C). Line a baking sheet with 2 layers of paper towels and set a wire rack on top.
• Meanwhile, in a small stainless steel saucepan, combine the water, milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, the salt, butter, and vanilla bean seeds and pod. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Once boiling, remove the vanilla bean pod, then add the flour all at once. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together in a ball and no longer sticks to the pan, about 5 minutes.
• Immediately transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and let cool for 5 minutes.
• With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and beat until completely incorporated before adding the next, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. The dough should be smooth and creamy, like a thick custard.
• Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a 6B open star tip. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the remaining ½ cup sugar and the cinnamon.
• Working in batches of about 4 churros at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan, pipe the dough into the hot oil in 5-6-inch lengths, using a pair of kitchen scissors to snip off the dough at the end of the piping tip. Cook, turning the churros frequently, until golden brown all over, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to the wire rack to drain for about 15 seconds, then toss in the cinnamon sugar until well coated. Transfer to a serving dish. Repeat with the remaining churros, letting the oil return to temperature between batches.
• Serve the churros immediately with the chocolate sauce for dipping.
• Enjoy!