Valentine’s Day is just around the corner so whether you’re celebrating it with a loved one or not, it’s a great day to remind ourselves that self-love is the best kind of love. So boo or no boo, treat your partner or yourself to these delicious and super adorable heart-shaped churros.

Here are some tips to assure a succesful churros run:

1. Prepare your hearts by tracing a heart-shaped cooking cutter onto parchment squares then flip the parchment paper and pipe. This way the lead of your pencil does not touch your dough and the tracing makes it easier to pipe out the shape.
2. Make sure your oil is hot enough, around 350F/180C. Use a neutral oil, such as vegetable oil or canola oil.
3. Double bag your piping bag. Choux dough is very thick and often the nozzle would pop out of the bag when you squeeze the piping bag.
4. When adding the eggs, make sure to add one at a time and to mix vigorously to combine the egg in fully before adding in the next egg. The mixture will look lumpy and strange at first but keep going until it’s fully incorporated.

Ingredients

150ml water
40g butter
20g sugar
110g flour
2 eggs
Cinnamon
Extra sugar
White Chocolate, optional
Sprinkles, optional

Method

1. In a pot over medium heat, bring the water, butter, sugar and a pinch of salt to a simmer.
2. Add in the flour and mix vigorously until the mixture forms a ball. Keep moving the ball around for an extra 1-2 minutes to cook out the floor. Transfer the dough ball into a bowl and let cool for 2 minutes.
3. Add 1 egg at a time and mix vigorously to full incorporate the egg before adding in the next. Repeat with the second egg. Transfer the mixture into a piping bad with a star tip nozzle.
4. With a pencil, trace a heart-shaped cookie cutter onto some parchment paper squares. Flip the paper and then pipe out the dough by following the tracing. Repeat until you have used up all the dough
5. Heat up the oil until it’s 350F / 180C. While the oil is heating up, preparing your cinnamon sugar by combining 1/4 cup sugar with 1-2 tbsp cinnamon powder/ Set aside.
6. Carefully drop in the parchment paper square, 1 at a time. Let the dough set a little bit before wiggling the parchment paper out from underneath and removing it from the pot. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove the churros from the oil and onto a paper towel lined plate.
7. While the churros are still hot, carefully dip it into the cinnamon sugar until coated on both sides. Decorate with melted white chocolate and sprinkles.