It’s bitterly cold and raining in Cape Town. Not exactly my favourite weather. I find it really hard to adult (to be a grown up) when it is pouring and cold. My will to get out of my warm cozy bed simply does not exist. All I want to do is stay in and eat ALL the tasty carbs I can think of. I tend to daydream way too much about the comfort food I could make. Today I am dreaming about this recipe. It’s amazing because it is so more-some and of course it has melted chocolate.
Sweet potato is one of my favourite foods. It is a great veggie that can be dressed up in savoury and sweet dishes. You can bake them, fry them and roast them in a variety of different ways! In this case I made some sweet potato churros. They are rolled in cinnamon sugar and then served hot and ready to dunk into a pot of dark chocolate to contrast the sweetness. They also happened to be laced with a little bit of brandy just to warm you up! I usually serve them with a Mexican feast but to be honest the fact that they have chocolate means they can go with anything!
Makes 30
Ingredients:
- 110 grams (1/2 a cup) salted butter
- 125ml (1/2 a cup) water
- 1,25ml(1/4 teaspoon) salt
- 1 ¼ cups flour, sifted
- ½ sweet potato, boiled and mashed (skin off)
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 3 Tablespoon brandy
- Oil, for deep-frying (preferably seed oil)
To serve:
- 150 grams sugar
- 15ml cinnamon
- 100 grams dark chocolate (good quality always, I used Lindt 70%)
Instructions:
Heat the butter, water and salt in a large pot over a medium heat.
Bring to a slight boil, reduce the heat and add the flour, stirring constantly, over a low heat, until it makes a smooth paste. (Work those arms)
Stir in the sweet potato, mixing well. Remove from heat.
Using an electronic mixer, add eggs, one at a time, beating well. When the eggs have all been incorporated, stir in the vanilla and brandy.
Place a small bowl over a pot with simmering water. Break your chocolate in and let sit over the heat for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down and fold in the chocolate. Once melted turn off the heat and let it sit ready for dunking.
Heat your oil in a deep pan. If you put a wooden spoon in and you see fine bubbles around the wood, the oil is ready.
Use a large piping bag with a star nozzle to pipe out 10cm long churros. Cut them with scissors as you pipe them. Deep-fry them being careful they do not go too brown. Two minutes either side should be enough.
Stir together cinnamon and sugar in a shallow medium dish. Toss the Churros gently in the mixture and serve warm and ready to dunk into you chocolate. Don't try toss them when they are cold as the sugar won't stick as well!
-Melissa