Churros

Churros are ridged sticks of fried dough, dusted with sugar and dipped into thick hot chocolate. They are one of the plainest recipes in this wiki and one of the most exacting to fry well.

What it actually is

The dough is flour, water and salt. That is all. There is no egg and no dairy, which is what separates it from French choux pastry, and it is worth knowing because it makes the dough itself vegan.

It is piped through a star-shaped nozzle straight into hot oil. Those ridges are not decoration — they give the surface area that crisps, while the inside stays soft. The lengths are cut, drained and dusted with sugar.

The chocolate is not a drink. Chocolate a la taza is thick and almost pudding-like, made to be dipped into rather than sipped alongside.

Porras are the thicker, softer relative, made with a raising agent and common in Madrid.

How it's served

• With a cup of thick chocolate, for dipping.
• In a paper cone or on a plate, in portions of four to six.
• At breakfast, as an afternoon merienda, or at dawn — churrerías open very early, and that last habit is the famous one.

Writing it on a menu

• Say how many come in a portion and whether the chocolate is included or priced separately. This is the most common source of confusion.
• Note that the dough is vegan if you fry in vegetable oil — an easy and genuine claim most kitchens miss. The chocolate is not.
• Flag the gluten, and say whether the fryer is shared with savoury items.
• They are best within minutes of frying; if you sell them for delivery, say so honestly or don't.