Churro
A churro (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtʃuro], Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʃuʁu]) is a type of fried dough from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, made with choux pastry dough piped into hot oil with a piping bag and large closed star tip or similar shape. They are also found in Latin American cuisine, Philippine cuisine, and in other areas that have received immigration from Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries, especially in France and the Southwestern United States.
Not to be confused with Churo.Alternative names
Tejeringos
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack
Hot
Deep-fried choux pastry (flour, water, butter, eggs, salt)
In Spain, churros can either be thin (and sometimes knotted) or long and thick, where they are known as porras (or jeringos[1] in some regions). They are normally eaten for breakfast dipped in coffee, or in hot chocolate for afternoon snack.
There are also two slightly different snacks in Portugal, called porra and fartura, which are filled with jelly instead of the doce de leite, traditional to Brazilian churros.[2]
Etymology
According to the Diccionario de la lengua española, churro is onomatopoeic, ultimately imitative of the sound of frying.[8]
Churros drizzled with chocolate
In Seville (Andalusia), the name "calientes" (meaning hot) or "calentitos de rueda" is sometimes used instead of the word churro. These tend to refer to the thicker variant, called porra. Calientes are usually fried in the shape of a continuous spiral and cut into portions afterwards. The center of the spiral is thicker and softer, and for many a delicacy in itself. The standard "churro" is also sold under the name "calentitos de papas", the name referring to the softer mashed potato–like texture.[9][10][11]
In parts of Eastern Andalusia, a much thinner dough is used, which does not allow for the typical ridges to be formed on the surface of the churro. The final result therefore has a smooth surface, and is more pliable and of a slightly thinner diameter than standard Spanish churros. Another difference is that sugar is never sprinkled on them, because the flavour is not considered suitable.
Filled, straight churros are found in Cuba (with fruit, such as guava), Brazil (with chocolate, doce de leite, among others), and in Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Mexico (usually filled with dulce de leche or cajeta but also with chocolate and vanilla).
In Colombia and Venezuela, churros are round like doughnuts sprinkled with sugar and filled with bocadillo (membrillo or guava paste), arequipe and sweetened condensed milk. In Spain, a considerably wider diameter is used to accommodate the filling. In Uruguay, churros can also come in a savoury version, filled with melted cheese.
In the Philippines, churros are typically straight, or bent into U-shapes or circular shapes dusted with white sugar and are popular during Christmas.[12][13][14]
Churros in American theme parks and street fairs are most often rolled in cinnamon sugar or other flavored sugars.
Similar dishes
In the Middle East, a churro-like fried dough-based sweet is known as Karabeej Halab.[15]
