Pretzel Churros

Fernando (My husbands co-worker) requested pretzel churros.  I wasn't sure if he meant churros shaped liked pretzels or pretzels dipped in cinnamon and sugar.  I decided to make churros shaped like pretzels today.  Well actually I made a test batch yesterday, scary, and repeated the process with the knowledge I gained.  I learned that churros must be prepared in a very specific manner or they will explode.  My kitchen floor, stove, and ceiling were covered in oil and churro pieces.  Yes, cleaning up was a huge endeavor, and I almost wasn't going to finish making them, but I did.  I made sure they cooked and didn't explode.  Today armed with my new churro knowledge, I made them again and delivered them to Fernando and my husband.  Churro's are a treat from our friends in Spain.  Did you know that? They are also a very common treat at my husbands office. They know where to get them and talk about them. These simple treats are easy to make if you know the rules to avoiding a big giant mess.

 Look at those beautiful sugar sprinkled fried dough goodness.  Oh yes, you want some.

Ingredients:

Oil (Vegetable, Corn, Canola, or Peanut)
17 ounces Water
1 teaspoon Salt
9 ounces Flour

This is the device I used to make my churros.  This is a cookie press with the star disk.
You may use a star tip and piping bag or if you are in possession of a churerra
(Spanish churro press) you could use that.

This disk is one of the keys to NOT having exploding churros.  That is correct, you must
use a star shape.  This is important.  DO NOT USE ANY OTHER SHAPE DISK OR TIP!
My face still hurts from the hot oil.  Do not make this mistake.  Actually I only used this disk,
so that wasn't my mistake, but it has been for other churro explosion victims.
Listen and follow this first rule.

Boil the water and salt in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat.

 Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour.

 Stir with a wooden spatula until smooth. 

 Scrape some of the dough into the cookie press, pastry bag, or churrera until filled.

Squeeze out the dough into a pretzel shape.  The dough is a little sticky so it will stick to itself.
I squeezed the pretzel shapes on sprayed aluminum foil.

Pour 1 1/2 inches of oil into a tall sauce pan.

Heat the oil to 375 Farherheit.

 Carefully pick up the pretzel shaped dough and place in the oil.  Immediately put a lid on the pan.

This is the second rule to prevent a huge exploding churro mess.
COVER THE PAN WITH A LID!

Cook the churros for 3-4 minutes.

Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar onto the hot churros.  If you want more cinnamon and sugar,
dip the churro in a container with a lid and shake the sugar all over the churro.

Enjoy!

Pretzel Churros

Printable recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

Oil (Vegetable, Corn, Canola, or Peanut)
17 ounces Water
1 teaspoon Salt
9 ounces Flour

Process:

Boil the water and salt in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour.

Stir with a wooden spatula until smooth. 

Scrape some of the dough into cookie press, pastry bag, or churrera fitted with a star disk or tip.  ONLY USE A STAR TIP!

Squeeze out the dough into a pretzel shape.  The dough is a little sticky so it will stick to itself.  I squeezed the pretzel shapes on sprayed aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Pour 1 1/2 inches of oil into a tall sauce pan, or dutch oven with lid.

Heat the oil to 375 Farherheit.

Carefully pick up the pretzel shaped dough and place in the oil.  Immediately put a lid on the pan.

COVER THE PAN WITH A LID!

Cook the churros for 3-4 minutes.

Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar onto the hot churros.  If you want more cinnamon and sugar dip the churro in a container with a lid and shake the sugar all over the churro.

Enjoy!