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AI-generated illustration of Pão de Queijo
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Pão de Queijo

Brazil's crisp-outside, chewy-inside cheese puffs, made with tapioca flour and naturally gluten-free.

  • Serves 8
  • Active 20 min
  • Total 50 min
  • Baking
  • Breakfast

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups tapioca flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
  2. Bring the milk, oil and salt to a boil, pour it over the tapioca flour in a bowl and stir until it forms a sticky, lumpy dough.
  3. Let it cool 10 minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth and stretchy.
  4. Mix in both cheeses, then scoop 1 1/2-tablespoon balls with oiled hands onto the sheets, 2 inches apart.
  5. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes, and serve warm.

Notes

Makes about 24. Freeze unbaked balls on a sheet, then bag them; bake from frozen with a few extra minutes, which is handy for catering.

Brazilian bakers often use sour cassava starch, polvilho azedo, for a tangier, crackly crust.