Chocolate Churros with Salted Caramel Chocolate Sauce

Prepare the sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the light muscovado sugar and 60g of butter. Simmer over medium heat until the sugar has completely melted. Stir in the double cream and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat, then stir in a pinch of sea salt and the dark chocolate pieces. Continue stirring until the chocolate is fully melted and the sauce is glossy. Keep warm or set aside to reheat later.

Prepare the cinnamon sugar coating: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the golden caster sugar, ground cinnamon, and a small pinch of fine sea salt. Set this aside for later.

Make the churro batter: Sift the plain flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add a large pinch of salt, the vanilla extract, and 50g of melted butter. Carefully pour in 250-300ml of boiling water while whisking constantly until you achieve a smooth, very thick batter. Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes, then transfer it into a piping bag fitted with a medium star-shaped nozzle.

Fry the churros: Fill a deep-fat fryer or a heavy-based pan no more than one-third full with sunflower oil. Heat the oil to 170°C (or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds). Carefully pipe 12-15cm lengths of dough into the hot oil, using kitchen scissors to snip off the ends. Fry 4-5 churros at a time for about 4 minutes, turning with tongs until they are crisp and cooked through.