Churros credit Flickr/sincerelyhiten
Thirteen people who followed a recipe for churros published in a Chilean newspaper suffered burns when the dough-based snack exploded while being cooked. Flickr

A Chilean newspaper has been ordered to pay compensation to readers who were injured when they followed a churros recipe it published.

Chile's supreme court has ordered the newspaper La Tercera to cough up $125,000 (£79,000) to 13 people who suffered burns seven years ago while following the recipe for the popular Spanish snack of dough fried in hot oil.

Grupo Copesa, which publishes the paper, must pay two men and 11 women damages ranging from $279 to $48,000. One woman's burns were particularly severe.

Judges ruled that the newspaper failed to test the recipe prior to publication and said that the temperature of the oil printed in the recipe was too high, placing anyone who followed it at risk of an explosion when the mixture was placed in the pan.

The ruling was announced seven years after the victims endured burns to the arms, body and face as a result of following the recipe.

"The explosions were so violent that, in some cases, the splashes hit the ceiling and covered the person who was cooking," the court said.

"Faithfully following the recipe published in the newspaper, this damage could not have been avoided," it added.

Grupo Copesa said it will abide by the ruling.

Supreme Court