Recipes from professional Chef Tallyrand:

• Choros - Mexican Donut / Doughnut •

Doughnuts . . . Mexican style!
Last week I gave the recipe for traditional yeast dough, doughnuts. But suprisingly around the world doughnuts are made in many ways. My favourite is the 'Choros', which is yeast free and uses eggs as its aeration agent. They are lighter than the yeast dough version and also a lot quicker to make as there is no proving required.

From start to finish you can have these on the table within thirty minutes. Probably quicker than you can find the keys, get the car out of the garage, get to the nearest shop to buy some doughnuts and drive home . . . and they are so easy too!

Served sweet or savoury, hot or cold, round or in long thin strips . . . these are sure to be a winner with your family and friends and you can say "Oh, just a little something I knocked up earlier" as you take their praises and compliments.

Choros - Mexican Donuts

Ingredients

water	250	ml
butter	125	gm
flour	150	gm
eggs	4	pc

Method

1. Melt the butter in the water and bring to a full boil for 10 seconds only
2. Immediately add the flour, do this all at once and stir continuously with a wooden spoon
3. Cook for a couple of minutes until the mixture pulls away from the pan, forming a ball and remove from the heat
4. Place the dough in the bowl or a mixer, using a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment, mix the dough for a few minutes, allowing it to cool slightly
5. Add the beaten eggs gradually, in three or four additions, mixing the dough until it is smooth each time; scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl until all of the eggs are incorporated. If you add too much egg at once it will be more difficult and take longer to combine. It will also look like it has curdled, but continued beating will bring it back.
6. The paste should be of a pipeable consistency and not too runny: a little finely grated cheddar, parmesan, garlic, herbs, spices etc may be added to the mixture for a savoury finish
7. Cut strips of greaseproof paper and lightly oil
8. Using a piping bag with a large star nozzle, pipe mixture into rounds, nests, straight strips or what ever shapes and sizes suits your taste
9. Gently lift and place the strips into the deep fryer (170ºC) with the choros face down
10. Lightly dunk with tongs for a few minutes, the hot oil will get between the mix and the paper and the paper will be easily removed
11. Continue frying for 12 - 15 minutes until golden brown and crisp, turning or dipping occasionally to cook evenly
12. Remove from the deep fryer and allow to drain on a wire rack or on paper towels
13. These may then be coated / tossed in a mixture of
            · 4 parts castor sugar, 1part icing sugar, 1 part cornflour and cinnamon to taste
             · 4 parts castor sugar, 1part icing sugar and 1 part cocoa
             · 4 parts grated parmesan and 1 part cornflour and garlic salt to taste
    

Chef's Tip:

If you would like to glaze these like other doughnuts <click here>

Enjoy and bon appetit . . . . .

Published 12 May 2003