Churros
These irresistible fritters, served at every opportunity with hot chocolate or coffee, came to the Philippines with the Spanish who were keen to keep memories of home alive.
Ingredients
- 450ml / 15fl oz / scant 2 cups water
- 15ml / 1 tbsp olive oil
- 15ml / 1 tbsp sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
- 2.5ml / ½ tsp salt
- 150g / 5oz / 1¼ cups plain flour
- 1 large egg
- sunflower oil, for deep frying
- caster sugar, for sprinkling
Preparation
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- Mix the water, oil, sugar and salt in a large pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, and then sift in the flour. Beat well with a wooden spoon until smooth.
- Beat in the egg to make a smooth, glossy mixture with a piping consistency. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a large star nozzle.
- Heat the oil in a wok or deep fryer to 190°C/375°F. Pipe loops of the mixture, two at a time, into the hot oil. Cook the loops for 3-4 minutes until they are golden. Lift out the churros with a wire skimmer or slotted spoon and drain them on kitchen paper. Dredge them with caster sugar and serve warm.
COOK'S TIP
If you don't have a piping bag, you could fry teaspoons of mixture in the same way. Don't try to fry too many churros at a time as they swell a little during cooking.
Makes about 24.