Churros

Method

1. boil4 min
   medium-high, full rolling boil
   water + butter + sugar + salt, until the butter has fully melted and the liquid boils — if it only steams, the flour will not gelatinize and the paste stays sandy
2. mix3 min
   off heat, then back on low
   + flour all at once, beating hard until it balls up and pulls from the sides, then stir on low 1–2 min to drive off water; a drier paste can take the egg without going slack
3. rest10 min
   uncovered, stirring occasionally
   paste, until it is warm rather than hot (about 60°C / 140°F) — egg added to a hot paste scrambles into visible threads and the dough loses its lift
4. mix2 min
   vigorous
   + beaten egg, in two additions, until glossy and thick enough to hold a peak that just barely slumps = churro paste
5. prep5 min
   large closed star tip
   paste into a piping bag; pipe 6-inch lengths onto parchment and snip the ends clean. The ridges are structural, not decorative — they vent steam as the outside sets, and a smooth-piped churro traps it and bursts in the oil
6. fry10 min
   375°F / 190°C, 3–4 at a time
   churros, 2 min per side, until deep gold and hard to the tap. Below 350°F the shell sets too slowly and they drink oil; above 400°F the outside colors before the center cooks and they collapse wet
7. season2 min
   still hot
   drained churros tossed in sugar + cinnamon — the surface must still be steaming faintly or the sugar will not cling; once cool it slides straight off
8. simmer5 min
   low, whisking
   optional: milk + cornstarch brought to a bare simmer, then off heat + dark chocolate + vanilla, stirred smooth = dipping chocolate thick enough to coat the ridges