Churros with Mexican Chocolate Dipping Sauce

Churros:

1. In a wide dish, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the eggs and vanilla extract. Add to the cooled flour mixture, beating well with a wooden spoon.

4. Fill a decorating bag fitted with a 1M large star tip with some of the churro dough. (The star tip helps create the ridges on the outside of the churro.)

5. Heat 2 inches of oil and the lemon peel in a deep saucepan to 350 degrees F. Make sure the oil is hot before squeezing any dough into it. Try testing the oil by dropping in a small amount of dough. If it bubbles quickly then it is probably ready. If you have a candy thermometer test the temperature. (When lemon peel becomes crispy remove from oil and discard.)

6. As soon as your oil is hot enough, squeeze about a 4-inch-long piece of dough into the hot oil for each churro. Cut off the dough with a pair of scissors or a sharp knife. Be careful not to burn yourself with the hot oil. Cook about 4 churros at a time. Allow the churros to fry for about 1 minute before turning over with a pair of tongs and frying for another minute. Churros should be a golden brown.

7. Drain the churros on paper towels. As soon as you are able to handle them roll each one in the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Serve warm with the Mexican chocolate dipping sauce.