Churros with chocolate sauce

Preparation of churros

• 1
  In a shallow bowl, mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon, then set aside. This will be the coating for the finished churros.
• 2
  In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add 1 tablespoon of oil (from the measured amount) and 250 ml of hot water. Mix until the dough comes together – it should be thick and sticky, not runny.
• 3
  In a deep pan or pot, heat the remaining oil (to about 5 cm depth) to 170 °C. Fill a piping bag fitted with an 8 mm star nozzle with the dough.
• 4
  Once the oil is hot, pipe approximately 15 cm long strips of dough directly into the oil, and cut the ends with scissors at the surface to prevent oil from splashing.
• 5
  Fry the churros for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy, turning them occasionally. Remove them to a paper towel to drain excess oil, then, while still warm, toss them in the cinnamon sugar. Serve hot with the chocolate sauce.

Preparation of the chocolate sauce

• 1
  Break the dark chocolate into a heatproof bowl and pour in the cream. Heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring thoroughly after each interval, until you get a smooth, glossy sauce. Let it cool for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.