Cooking On The Couch: Churros For Cinco De Mayo

NEW YORK (WLNY) -- Churros are known as the Spanish doughnut, but those sticks of fried, doughy goodness may have actually originated with the Portugese. Either way, they make for a great addition to your Cinco de Mayo fiesta.

More: NYC's 7 Best Cinco de Mayo Cocktails

Chef Liran Mezan is the executive chef from the ONE Group -- which runs Manhattan restaurants like STK, Bagatelle and Assellina. He stopped by The Couch to share his Churro recipe with us.

CHURROS

2 cups water
3oz butter
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
2 each eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Preheat vegetable oil to 375 degrees F – use a small tabletop fryer or cutch oven over a range top.
In a medium sauce pot, heat the water, butter, brown sugar, salt and vanilla.
Add flour and remove from heat.

Work mixture together with a large spoon and return to heat.

Continue working the mixture until all flour is incorporated and dough forms a ball.
Transfer mixture into bowl and let cool for 3 or 4 minutes.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, making sure the first egg is completely incorporated before continuing.
Once all eggs have been added and the mixture is smooth put dough into piping bag fitted with a star tip.
Pipe into the hot oil using a pair of scissors to cut into 4-5" length.

Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oil pat dry.

Roll into the combined sugar-cinnamon mixture.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE / SPICED CHOCOLATE SAUCE

1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1.5 cups chocolate, semi sweet or 60-70%
1pc cinnamon stick
Cayenne pepper

Heat the heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla to a low boil.
Pour over the chocolate and mix until fully incorporated
Once combined, strain and cool to room temperature.
** for the spiced sauce, add the cinnamon and a small pinch of cayenne into the first step of the recipe**

RASPBERRY SAUCE
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a small pot simmer the berries, sugar and lemon juice for 15-20 minutes until the berries breakdown.
Remove from heat and strain out the seeds.

DULCE DE LECHE

2 cans condensed milk
1.5 cups half & half
Place the cans in a small pot and cover with water.
Boil the cans for 3-4 hours at a simmer, add water to keep the cans submerged.
Remove and cool to room temperature.
Open the cans and place the caramelized condensed milk in a small bowl.
Whisk in the half & half to desired consistency.

COCONUT CREAM
2.5 cup coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
3 tbs unsalted butter, softened

Combine the coconut milk and vanilla in a medium size pot set over medium heat and bring to a boil.
Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl.

Slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture, making sure to whisk constantly so that the eggs do not cook.

Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer set over a clean pot.

Bring back to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken.
Transfer hot mixture to a bowl and slowly add the butter a little bit at a time.

Continue to mix for 5 minutes until smooth and the butter has been fully combined.

Place the bowl over ice or cool, covered in the refrigerator.