Second runner-up

LUCILLE KISTIAH, JHB “One evening my sister’s children said they felt like eating churros after having seen them on one of the TV cookery shows. I googled a few recipes and the one I chose was a success — and came served with a shiny luscious chocolate sauce. I experimented with different flavours and came upon this idea, adding chilli to half of the mixture and serving the other half with a coconut rum sauce, giving it a much-needed kick — for adults only, though.”

LETTING OFF STEAM CHURROS

50g butter, melted

2.5ml (½ tsp) vanilla extract 250g cake flour, from a new bag 5ml (1 tsp) baking powder

Big pinch of salt

2.5ml crushed chilli flakes

100g caster sugar

5ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon

Chocolate and piña colada sauces:

100ml cream

200g dark chocolate

50ml full-cream milk

30ml (2 tbsp) golden syrup

Dash of vanilla essence

60ml (4 tbsp) chocolate vodka

250ml (1 cup) pineapple juice

60ml (4 tbsp) coconut rum

30ml (2 tbsp) coconut cream

15ml (3 tsp) cornflour, mixed to a paste in a little water 30ml (2 tbsp) butter

To fry:

About a 1 litre of sunflower oil 100g caster sugar

5ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon Finely grated zest of half a lime Measure 350ml boiling water into a jug and add the melted butter and vanilla extract. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a big mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, pour in the contents of the jug and very quickly beat with a wooden spoon until lump-free. Rest for 10-15 minutes. Divide into two portions of dough.

For the first portion of dough, add the crushed chilli flakes and leave aside to rest. For the chocolate sauce, place the cream, chocolate, milk, golden syrup and vanilla essence in a pan and gently melt together, stirring occasionally until you have a smooth shiny sauce. Remove from heat and add the chocolate vodka and set aside. For the piña colada sauce combine pineapple juice, coconut rum, cream of coconut and cornflour. Whisk until smooth over medium heat until it boils and thickens, add the butter and set aside.

Fill a deep saucepan one-third full of oil. Cover a tray with kitchen paper and mix half the caster sugar and cinnamon together on one plate and remaining half with lime zest together on another plate. Fit a star nozzle to a piping bag, 1.5cm-2cm wide is a good size. Fill the first bag with the plain dough, pipe 5cm strips directly into the pan, snipping off each dough strip with a pair of kitchen scissors.

Fry until golden brown and crisp and transfer to a kitchen paper-lined tray. While still warm dust with caster sugar and lime zest mix and serve with piña colada sauce. Continue cooking the second portion of dough with chilli flakes following the same process. While still warm dust with the cinnamon and sugar mix and serve with the chocolate vodka sauce.

Find all the finalists recipes online: www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/lifestyle/food