Crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, churros are the stuff of fried food dreams. It’s quintessential fair food and they enjoy their moment in the sun with Mike Faist’s art and Josh O’Connor’s Patrick Churro scene, full of challengers The sexual tension is heightened and is considered unforgettable. This widely known Spanish fried dough may confuse food historians about its origins, however, they are now generally accepted as a Mexican dessert since the Spanish brought them to Mexico during the Inquisition in the 1950s. This is perfect for Mexico’s celebration of Cinco De Mayo (May 5).
Churros come in all shapes and sizes, either filled or served with dipping sauce on the side. To make this dessert, you first make choux pastry, poaching maida in buttery vanilla flavored water. The batter is then put into a piping bag and long strips of dough are fried. Sauces such as dulce de leche, milk or dark chocolate, fruit preserves or ice cream can be served with churros rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Delightfully sweet treat
Chef Beena Noronha of BKC Lyla whips up a giant churro at her Mexican-California-style restaurant. Monstruo Churro with dark chocolate sauce, hazelnut cream and salted caramel ice cream. She said: “Youtiao are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It’s our signature dish and the perfect way to end a meal.”
Another popular dessert combination is a churro ice cream sandwich. A scoop or two of ice cream is sandwiched between two warm, round churros for a satisfying textural contrast. The outside of the churro was warm and crunchy, which complemented the ice cream inside that was cold and smooth.
At the Mumbai sweet shop, the familiar flavor of gulab jam adds a unique twist to the fritters. “With our latest creation, Gulab Jamun Churro, we’ve reinvented a much-loved Indian dessert into a dessert you never knew you had. Our egg-free dough is made from mawa, deep-fried until golden brown, and served like a traditional The gulab jam is lightly soaked in saffron syrup, and for a modern touch, we sprinkle it with a pinch of sea salt,” shares Chief Mithaiwala Girish Nayak. Perfect with pistachio white chocolate sauce, vanilla cream sauce or Malabar pepper dark chocolate sauce.
Tasteful connotation
While we may know it as a dessert, youtiao originated in ancient China as a delicious fried snack called youtiao. It is said that Portuguese traders covered it with sugar instead of salt in order to make it themselves. It became a popular snack among Spanish shepherds, who later named it “fritters” after the horns of the churro sheep they raised. So it’s no surprise that chefs were inspired to create this golden and delicious fried dough.
MasterChef India Season 6 contestant Natasha Gandhi Grover tried a dal baati churma-inspired churro. “The MasterChef part of my brain is constantly thinking and looking for ways to innovate traditional recipes. When it comes to fritters, the dal baati churma ticks all the boxes. It’s crispy, rich with ghee, and an amazing combination of sweet and savory,” she shared, explaining how she bakes fritters made from dal baati dough. The churma soil is also made from the same grilled fritters. “I made dal and pureed it. Churros were served with the dal as a dip, and there were smoked ghee tortillas,” she adds.
At Lyla, chef Noronha’s ajlima fritters are “a blend of rich, spicy and salty flavours”. The fritters are seasoned with chili powder, lime zest and a pinch of salt for a rich, slightly spicy flavor. “This flavor combination complements the rich texture of the fried dough. By adding spices and seasonings, it creates a complex and unique flavor compared to traditional sweet churros,” she says. This appetizer combines spicy and citrus The tempting taste makes for an unforgettable snack.