From above, you'll see 4 to 5 golden churros encrusted with glazed fennel seeds and dazzling orange zest. Each churro is half-dipped in glossy dark chocolate, with melting rivulets reaching into the orange-fennel sugar. Small wedges of fresh orange peek from the edges, giving the plate a pop of colour.

Chocolate-dipped Orange & Fennel Churros

Name: Chocolate-dipped Orange & Fennel Churros
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: Fresh fennel seeds, 2 tablespoons lightly crushed; Orange, 1 medium zested and quartered; Sugar, 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons for churro dough; Salt, 1/4 teaspoon; Unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon; All purpose flour, 1 cup; Eggs, 2; Dark chocolate, 150 g 70% cocoa; Vegetable oil, for frying

Category Dessert

Prep 20 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Style Spanish

Technique frying

Diet Friendly Vegetarian

Daily Recipe: January 22, 2024

Inspired by Spanish cuisine, this dessert embraces a unique ingredient not often associated with sweet treats - fennel! Paired with flavours of orange and chocolate, it takes on a new perspective and imparts surprising depth.

Ingredients (for 2)

Fresh fennel seeds - 2 tablespoons - lightly crushed
Orange - 1 medium - zested and quartered
Sugar - 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons - for churro dough
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
Unsalted butter - 1 tablespoon
All purpose flour - 1 cup
Eggs - 2
Dark chocolate - 150 g - 70% cocoa
Vegetable oil - - for frying

Preparation

Step 1 - 🍊🔥🍬

On low heat, infuse 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar with 2 tablespoons of lightly crushed fresh fennel seeds and half of the zested medium orange for 8-10 minutes. Remove the mix from heat and set it aside.
Step 2 - 🥣🧈🔥

In a small pot, melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in 1 cup of water over medium heat. Add in 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and bring it all to a simmer.
Step 3 - 🔥🥣🍞

Lower the heat and add 1 cup of all-purpose flour, stirring the mix rapidly until the dough comes together. Remove the dough from heat and give it a 5 minutes breather to cool down.
Step 4 - 🥣🥚🥮

Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time, into the dough mixture until a smooth and glossy dough forms.
Step 5 - 🔥🥣🍳

Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Pipe the dough into oil and fry until it turns golden, then roll it all in the orange-fennel sugar mix.
Step 6 - 🍫🔥🍡

Melt 150g of 70% cocoa dark chocolate in a double boiler. Dip half of each fried dough (churro) into the melted chocolate.
Step 7 - 🍊🍽️🥳

Move the churros on a parchment-lined tray to cool, then serve them garnished with the remaining zested orange.

Additional

Don't skimp on the zesting! The fresh zesty aroma of orange dramatically balances the aniseed-like fennel and adds a brightness to the dessert. For a fun twist, consider adding a pinch of paprika to the chocolate before dipping, complementing the Spanish roots and adding a hint of smokiness.