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1
Combine the caster sugar and ground cinnamon in a wide shallow dish. Set aside. Prepare the chocolate sauce: warm the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to steam, then remove from the heat, add the chopped unsweetened chocolate, sugar, and cinnamon, and stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy.
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2
Bring the hot water and salt to the boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the flour all at once, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth, cohesive dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan. The hot water partially gelatinises the starch at this stage; the dough should be stiff and non-sticky.
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3
Beat in the butter or lard, then the egg, until the dough is fully homogeneous. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
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4
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 175–180°C. This is where the dish lives or dies: the oil must be at temperature before any dough enters the pan, and each churro must not be moved for the first 30 seconds after piping — movement before the exterior sets produces uneven, misshapen churros. Pipe 10–12 cm lengths of dough directly into the oil, cutting cleanly with scissors or a knife.
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5
Fry the churros, turning once the underside is set, until deep golden brown all over — the ridges created by the star tip will be visibly crisped and the colour uniform. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly.
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6
Roll the hot churros immediately in the cinnamon sugar until evenly coated. Serve at once alongside the warm chocolate dipping sauce.