A cooking platform built around craft, culture, and the stories behind what we eat.
Created by Chef Remy
Golden pillows of fried choux dough with ridged edges that shatter on contact, rolled in cinnamon-cayenne sugar and dunked into a bittersweet chicory chocolate sauce that tastes like New Orleans in a cup.
Two traditions collide in this dish, and the result is pure Louisiana magic. Beignets gave us that light, pillowy interior. Churros gave us those ridged edges that crisp up in hot oil and hold onto every grain of spiced sugar. Put them together and you have something that honors both without betraying either.
The secret is in the choux. You cook the dough on the stovetop first, driving out moisture and developing structure before the eggs ever go in. This is the same technique French pastry chefs use for eclairs and profiteroles, but we are frying, not baking. The result is a churro with a soul: crisp exterior, tender interior, and enough body to stand up to a serious chocolate dip.
Now about that chicory chocolate. If you have spent any time in New Orleans, you know chicory coffee. That slightly bitter, roasted earthiness that cuts through sweetness like nothing else. We steep it right into the cream before building our ganache. The chocolate becomes deeper, more complex, with a finish that lingers. At Lagniappe, we serve this as a special when the weather turns cool and folks need something warm in their hands.
My grandmother Evangeline would have loved this dish. She was a beignet woman through and through, but she appreciated innovation when it respected tradition. The cayenne in the sugar coating would have made her smile. That little bite of heat at the end of each bite, that is the bayou way.
Quantity
1 cup
Quantity
6 tablespoons
cut into pieces
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
1 cup
Quantity
3
at room temperature
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
about 2 quarts
for frying
Quantity
3/4 cup
Quantity
1 tablespoon
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
Quantity
1 cup
Quantity
2 tablespoons ground or 1 tablespoon instant
Quantity
6 ounces (60-70% cacao)
finely chopped
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
pinch
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| water | 1 cup |
| unsalted butter (for dough)cut into pieces | 6 tablespoons |
| cane sugar or granulated sugar (for dough) | 2 tablespoons |
| fine sea salt (for dough) | 1/2 teaspoon |
| all-purpose flour | 1 cup |
| large eggsat room temperature | 3 |
| pure vanilla extract (for dough) | 1 teaspoon |
| vegetable oil or peanut oilfor frying | about 2 quarts |
| granulated sugar (for coating) | 3/4 cup |
| ground cinnamon | 1 tablespoon |
| cayenne pepper | 1/4 teaspoon |
| heavy cream | 1 cup |
| ground chicory coffee or instant chicory | 2 tablespoons ground or 1 tablespoon instant |
| bittersweet chocolatefinely chopped | 6 ounces (60-70% cacao) |
| unsalted butter (for chocolate) | 2 tablespoons |
| pure vanilla extract (for chocolate) | 1/2 teaspoon |
| fine sea salt (for chocolate) | pinch |
Start with the chocolate because it needs time to infuse. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. The moment you see bubbles forming around the edges, remove from heat and whisk in the chicory. Let this steep for ten minutes. The cream will turn a deep coffee brown and smell like a French Quarter morning. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any grounds, pressing to extract every drop of flavor.
Reheat the strained cream until just simmering. Pour over the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and let stand for two minutes without stirring. The heat needs time to penetrate the chocolate. Now whisk from the center outward in slow circles until completely smooth and glossy. Whisk in the butter, vanilla, and salt. The ganache should be pourable but thick enough to coat a spoon. Keep warm over a pot of barely simmering water while you fry.
Whisk together the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne in a shallow bowl or baking dish. The cayenne seems like a small amount, but it builds warmth at the back of your throat after a few bites. That is exactly what we want. Set this near your frying station.
Combine the water, butter pieces, cane sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until the butter melts completely and the mixture comes to a rolling boil. You want everything dissolved and homogeneous before the flour goes in. The moment it boils, remove from heat and dump in all the flour at once.
Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula until the flour is fully incorporated and the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan, forming a smooth ball. Return the pan to medium heat and continue stirring for two minutes. You are cooking out raw flour taste and driving off moisture. A thin film will form on the bottom of the pan. That is normal. The dough will look slightly shiny and feel smooth when you press it.
Transfer the hot dough to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use a large bowl and a hand mixer. Let cool for three minutes, stirring occasionally. The dough should still be warm but not hot enough to scramble the eggs. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The dough will look broken and curdled after each egg. Keep beating. It comes together into a smooth, glossy paste that holds soft peaks when you lift the beater. Beat in the vanilla with the last egg.
Pour oil into a large Dutch oven or heavy pot to a depth of three inches. Clip a deep-fry thermometer to the side and heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 360 degrees. This temperature is crucial. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through. Too cool and the churros absorb oil and turn greasy. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan nearby for draining.
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip (Ateco 846 or similar). Working in batches of four or five, pipe four-inch lengths of dough directly over the oil, using kitchen scissors or a knife to cut the dough cleanly from the tip. Let them drop into the hot oil. They will sink briefly, then bob to the surface.
Fry the churros, turning occasionally with a spider strainer or slotted spoon, until deep golden brown on all sides, about four to five minutes total. The color should be even, with the ridges slightly darker where they catch the heat. The churros will puff slightly and feel light when you lift them. Transfer to the wire rack and let drain for thirty seconds.
While still hot, toss the churros in the cinnamon-cayenne sugar, rolling to coat all sides. The warmth helps the sugar adhere. Work quickly and transfer to a serving platter. Repeat with remaining dough, letting the oil return to 360 degrees between batches.
Arrange the churros on a platter with the warm chicory chocolate in a bowl alongside for dipping. These are best eaten within fifteen minutes of frying, while the exterior still crackles and the inside stays pillowy. Pour yourself a cup of chicory coffee to complete the New Orleans experience.
1 serving (about 45g)
Culinary guides, cultural storytelling, and the editorial depth that makes cooking meaningful.
Discover Culinary Explorer
Chef Remy
A free-form tart that forgives every wrinkle and fold, filled with bourbon-kissed blackberries that bubble into jam at the edges and hold their shape in the center, all wrapped in the flakiest butter pastry you'll ever make.
Chef Remy
Dense, butterscotch-scented bars made with deeply nutty brown butter, good Kentucky bourbon, and toasted Louisiana pecans, finished with a boozy glaze that pools into every crack and crevice.
Chef Remy
Buttery laminated dough spiraled with bourbon-kissed pecans and dark brown sugar, inverted from the pan with a sticky caramel crown that makes your whole kitchen smell like Sunday morning in New Orleans.
Chef Remy
Golden choux puffs, crisp as autumn leaves and hollow as promises, split open and filled with bourbon-kissed vanilla ice cream, then crowned with a river of warm bittersweet chocolate that pools on the plate like an invitation.