Chocolate churros with chocolate & salted caramel sauce

1. To make the sauce, tip the sugar and butter into a saucepan and bring to a simmer until the sugar melts, then stir in the cream and simmer until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir through a pinch of sea salt and the chocolate and keep stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until completely melted. Keep warm or leave to cool. For the coating, mix the sugar with the cinnamon and a small pinch of fine sea salt and set aside.
2. For the churros, tip the flour, cocoa, baking powder and a large pinch of salt into a bowl. Add the vanilla and melted butter, then carefully pour in 250 to 300ml boiling water and whisk to a smooth, very thick batter. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then scrape into a piping bag fitted with a medium star nozzle.
3. Fill a deep-fat fryer or heavy pan no more than a third full with sunflower oil and heat to 170°C (a cube of bread should brown in 30 seconds). Pipe 12 to 15cm lengths into the oil, snipping off each with scissors, frying four or five at a time for around 4 minutes until golden and crisp, turning as they cook. Drain on a wire rack and repeat with the rest.
4. Roll the churros in the cinnamon sugar and serve straight away with the warm chocolate sauce and ice cream. (To reheat later, bake on a tray for 5 to 8 minutes, then roll in the sugar, and warm the sauce for dipping.)

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Whisk the boiling water into the dry ingredients until you have a thick, smooth batter that will hold its shape through a piping nozzle.
• Hold the oil steady at 170°C so the churros cook through and crisp up rather than scorching.
• Snip the piped lengths off with scissors straight over the pan for neat, even churros.
• Roll them in the cinnamon sugar while they are still hot so it clings.