High school bonfire chocolate melting heart cake

with a soft marshmallow first memory hidden inside.

Ingredients

Churros

3 cups extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup water

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Sugar for rolling

Chocolate Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/8 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste

1 cinnamon stick

4 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

Instructions

1. Make the churros. In a heavy-bottomed pot fitted with

a candy thermometer, slowly bring the oil to 370°F.

2. While the oil warms, bring the water and butter to

a boil in a medium saucepan. Boil 10 seconds before

adding all of the flour at once. Use a wooden spoon

to combine the water and flour into a sticky batter that

pulls away from the side of the pan. Stir until all the flour

is incorporated into the batter. Remove from the heat.

3. Spoon the batter into the bowl of a standing mixer

fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on low until

the batter cools, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the

beaten eggs in three or four additions, mixing the dough

until smooth after each addition and scraping down

the side and bottom of the bowl until all of the eggs

are incorporated. You will know if you add too much

egg at once if the batter curdles and it takes awhile to

beat it back into shape—just keep beating until it no

longer looks curdled. The dough should be of a pipable

consistency and not too runny.

4. Cut wax paper into whatever shapes you want the

churros to be—rounds, nests, straight strips, etc.—and

oil lightly. Using a pastry bag with a large star nozzle,

pipe the batter onto the wax paper shapes.

5. Using tongs, gently lift and place several churros, wax

paper and all, into the oil with the churros face down.

(Fry in batches so as not to crowd the pan and lower the

oil temperature.) Use tongs to lightly dunk the churros for

a few minutes, so that the hot oil seeps in between the

batter and the wax paper. Continue frying the churros,

turning or dipping occasionally to cook them evenly, until

they are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes in total.

6. Remove the churros from the oil and drain on brown

paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter. Pour

sugar onto a tray. Roll the churros immediately in the

sugar.

7. Make the sauce. In a medium saucepan, bring the

cream, butter, chili powder, and cinnamon to a simmer.

Remove from the heat and let the flavors infuse, about

5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and bring the

back to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate in a heatproof

bowl. Let sit until the chocolate begins to melt, about

1 minute, then stir until smooth. Add more chili powder

as desired. Serve warm for dipping with the churros.

Yield: 6 servings