Churro-Inspired Bites with Maple Whipped Cream

There are a few beloved dishes Shelburne Farms’ educators make time and again in our outdoor kitchen. One of those favorites has to be flatbreads, which we cook in our woodfired oven or over the campfire. “There are a lot of reasons I like making flatbreads with kids and with adults. One, they’re so versatile and can serve as a vehicle for most any seasonal ingredients,” says early childhood educator Jed Norris. “Two, they are really forgiving to prepare, compared to, say, a loaf of bread. Three, they’re ready quickly; kids can watch them cook before their eyes.” 

At this summer’s Cultivating Joy and Wonder workshop, Jed and fellow early childhood educators transformed these flatbreads into doughy churro bites, served with maple whipped cream. One group made the dough, shaped the flatbreads, and fired them in the oven. Another duo cut the warm breads into bite-sized pieces, coated them with butter, and shook them in a bag with cinnamon and sugar. And a third group prepared the maple whipped cream. “Making these bites with kids would be really fun, with lots of opportunities to participate, shake, and move!” says Jed.

A few more of his tips:

• Jed usually invites kids to shape these breads by hand, rather than using a rolling pin. And, while we typically make these flatbreads in our outdoor kitchen, you can easily make them indoors on the stove, as described below.
   
• There are always curricular connections to be made while cooking. For this particular recipe, Jed says, “you could talk about the transformation of matter from liquid to solid as you make whipped cream.”
   
• You could easily make a savory variation of these bites. “Instead of cinnamon-sugar, coat these bites with your favorite seasoning or chopped herbs, and serve with pesto,” suggests Jed. 

Churro Bites

Adapted from a recipe by Buddy Oliver. Makes 12 flatbreads; once each flatbread is cut into bite-sized pieces, it’s enough to feed a hungry group! 

• 1 cup self-rising flour (make by mixing 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder), plus extra flour for dusting
• Several pinches of salt (or to taste)
• 4 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
• Room-temperature butter
• Granulated sugar
• Cinnamon

Maple Whipped Cream

• Heavy cream
• Maple syrup
• Vanilla extract

Method

1. Pour the flour into a bowl, make a well in the middle, then add the yogurt and several pinches of salt. Use clean hands to mix it together, until you have a dough.
    
2. Wash and dry your hands, then dust your work surface and hands with flour. Split the dough into 12 equal pieces. Stretch each piece of dough with your hands or roll it out with a rolling pin to about ¼ inch thick.
    
3. Put a large nonstick frying pan on medium-high heat.
    
4. Once the pan is hot, carefully add the dough pieces to the dry pan and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, or until golden and puffed up. Use tongs to turn the flatbreads over, and cook for the same time on the other side.
    
5. Remove the flatbreads from the pan and cut into bite-sized pieces. While still warm, butter each piece well, then place the buttered pieces in a bag with a generous amount of sugar and cinnamon. Shake the bag until pieces are well-coated.
    
6. To make the whipped cream: fill a small jar with ¾ cup heavy cream and shake (or beat with a hand mixer) until the cream thickens. Add maple syrup and vanilla to taste. Spread the cream on your churro bites or serve as a dip and enjoy.