This recipe is a conversion of Jamie Oliver's Doughnuts (Bunuelos) in Anise Caramel, it featured in delicious. magazine (November 2015). Bunuelos, a type of Spanish doughnut, are normally round or hoop shaped whereas Churros are normally long cylinders.

For my initial conversion of the recipe I made bunuelos, they were fairly easy to shape however after a couple of minutes in the hot oil they would pop, usually splashing a little hot oil around the place. As this was definitely not ideal I put some of the remaining dough into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle & made some churros (no popping). Not knowing whether bunuelos normally pop during cooking I went back to the drawing board & made the bunuelos with wheat flour. They still popped. In the end I decided to stick with the churros.

I have halved the original recipe for Anise Caramel & decreased the churros recipe by 1/3.  

This recipe was designed specifically to be made with Bakers' Magic gluten free flour. The finished baked product will not be the same if you use another gluten free flour and you will need to adjust the recipe, particularly if the flour you're using contains rice flour.   

Ingredients

Churros

240 g Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour

1/4 - 1/2 tsp Salt

33 g Maize starch

1/2 tsp Baking powder

17 g Caster sugar

2 Eggs

Zest of a lemon

35 g Butter

100 g Milk

200 g Water

2 L Oil for deep frying

   

Anise Caramel 

210 g Dark brown sugar

10 g Glucose syrup

Pared zest of a lemon

1/2 Cinnamon quill

Small star anise

375 g Water

 

Method

Churros

Combine together the Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour (flour) & baking powder in a mixing bowl (stand mixer bowl is preferable).

Put milk, water, butter, sugar, lemon zest & salt in a saucepan over medium heat. This mix needs to reach boiling point. 

Stand mixer

Turn the mixer on to medium low, ensure that the flour is not flying out of the bowl.

When the milk/butter mix has started to boil, take it off the heat & immediately pour it onto the flour.

Increase the speed of the mixer to medium/medium high & beat for 2 - 4 mins. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until combined.

By hand

When the milk/butter mix has started to boil add in the flour & beat with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms & the mix comes away from the sides (Use a stab blender if the mix is really lumpy). 

Remove from heat & allow to cool for ~5 mins.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until combined.

Both

Cover the dough with a tea towel or plastic clingwrap until it is ready to use.

Anise Caramel

Put brown sugar, zest, star anise, cinnamon, glucose syrup & water into a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Ensure the saucepan is large enough as during cooking the mix will increase in volume ~4 x.

Stir the mix until the sugar dissolves. 

Increase the heat to medium high & boil the mix for ~16 mins. Do not stir the mix when it is boiling, it will crystallise when cooling. 

Strain the caramel & keep it warm. 

Cooking Churros

Heat oil to ~180 C. 

Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a size 9 star nozzle. 

Oil a pair of kitchen scissors. 

When oil is at temperature hold the piping bag over the oil, squeeze some of the dough out with one hand & with the other hand cut off the dough with the scissors. I usually count to ~7 & then cut the dough. I usually cooked ~7 at one time.

Deep fry churros for ~5 mins. 

Remove churros with a slotted spoon & drain on paper towel. 

Repeat with remaining dough. 

Serve warm with anise caramel. 

Alternatively sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Simply enjoy!