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All the flavours of a churro but without all the pesky deep-frying. The chocolate sauce with a hint of spice has just the right amount of kick for everyone to enjoy.

You won’t use all the pickle that is made for this recipe. Keep the remainder in the fridge for up to two weeks and serve in sandwiches, with steamed rice or even fried chicken – the rich meat pairs deliciously with the bright, zingy pickle.

1 HOUR 10 MINUTES + RESTING | SERVES 10 A LITTLE EFFORT

whole milk 240ml

unsalted butter 80g, cubed, plus 1 tbsp melted, and extra for the bowl

vanilla extract 1 tsp

strong white bread flour 300g, plus extra for dusting

golden caster sugar 60g

fast-action dried yeast 1 tsp

ground cinnamon 2 tsp

eggs 1 dark chocolate 150g

golden syrup 2 tbsp

cayenne pepper large pinch (add a pinch more if you want it spicier)

strawberries or other fresh berries to serve

1 Put 115ml of the milk, half the cubed butter and all the vanilla into a small pan over a low heat. Heat for 1-2 minutes or until just warm and the butter has melted. Set aside.

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, 30g of the sugar, all the yeast, ½ tsp of the cinnamon and ½ tsp of salt. Make a well in the centre and add the egg and warm milk mixture. Using a dough hook, knead on a low speed until just combined and then turn up to a medium speed, continuing to knead for 5-6 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Butter a large bowl and transfer the dough into it, cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

3 Combine the remaining 30g of sugar and ½ tsp of cinnamon on a large plate. Line a 25cm-wide, 5cm-deep round baking dish with baking paper and sprinkle the remaining 1 tsp of cinnamon on the base. Uncover the dough and punch down, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured worksurface, kneading briefly. Divide the dough into 10 pieces. Roll each piece into a 25cm log. Roll each log in the cinnamon sugar to coat then twist the log so you have what looks like a small rope. Tuck the ends under to create a knotted ball and transfer to the baking dish.

4 Arrange nine of the dough balls into a circle, leaving a little space between each, and put the remaining ball in the centre. Cover loosely and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes or until risen slightly. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

5 Once the dough balls are puffy, uncover and brush with the melted butter. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through and golden. Leave to cool in the dish. When just warm to the touch, lift the bake out using the baking paper and wrap in foil.

6 Meanwhile, start the chocolate sauce. Put the chocolate, remaining milk and remaining 40g butter into a small pan and warm over a low heat, stirring often until melted and combined. Remove from the heat and add the golden syrup and cayenne, stirring together until shiny. Set aside and leave to cool. Once cool, pour into a jar and seal. When ready to serve, unwrap the churros and serve with the chocolate sauce for dipping/drizzling, with the strawberries or other berries on the side.

PER SERVING 328 kcals | fat 15.3G saturates 9G | carbs 39.5G | sugars 15.8G fibre 2.5G | protein 6.5G | salt 0.3G