[Sca-cooks] Churros

[Maggie MacDonald]

At 07:20 PM 9/16/02,Phil Troy/ G. Tacitus Adamantius said something like:
>The churros I see being sold on the streets (and even in subway
>stations, if the cops turn a blind eye to this kind of commerce, and
>if they want to suppress commerce I can make some suggestions on
>where to start) seem like they might be extruded via a pastry bag,
>but I was unaware of them being hollow or filled. I always thought of
>them as a cruller variant, maybe slightly similar in texture to
>loukoumades (but without the syrup). In other words, just enough
>gluten to be cleanly cut by the star tip of a pastry bag, without
>getting tough.
>
>This is just my observation, though. I've never bought, eaten, nor
>seen a recipe for them.
>
>Adamantius

There are a few different kinds of churros out there too.  In downtown
Tijuana they sell a very lovely one, freshly cooked (still warm) made with
a yeast base, dusted with a sugar and canela cinnamon. They are really
really nice.

On the American side, the crap you usually get is a nasty baking powder
mix, not sold fresh, not even close to warm. (YUCK!)

Both of them tend to have open centers down the middle because of the
leavening agents. Sometimes they're sold in mexican food stands with a
fruit filling down the center (I haven't worked up the nerve to try those).

I've seen a couple of recipes for them, and they run from the nice yeast
dough to the nasty baking powder mix.

When I make them myself, I just make them like a soft bread dough, roll
them out like breadsticks, then deep fry and dust with cinnamon sugar.  I
can't cook them faster than the kids eat them, so it makes a lovely
traditional thing for New Years Eve or something along that line.

Regards,
Maggie MacD.