Make Ahead

Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)

by:
August 19, 2014
4
3 Ratings
  • Makes 50 small rolls
Author Notes

From Southeast of Brazil, made with Yucca starch ( or Tapioca Starch) .It is the first thing a Brazilian family will offer you if visiting their house. Easy to make and Gluten-free. —Fabiola

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups Yucca Starch or Tapioca Starch
  • 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 cup Whole Milk
  • 2 Large Eggs Beaten
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
Directions
  1. Pre heat the oven at 400 F In a large recipient mix the Starch and Salt, reserve In a sauce pan, warm the Milk and Oleo, just until start to boil. Take out of the stove and pour over the Starch mix. Keep mixing very well,(with your hands or mixer)and you will get a batter very sticky and looking like glue. Add the beaten Eggs For last, add the Parmesan cheese. Mix until all ingredients are combined and you are able to hold the batter in your hand to shape the little balls. Put the cheese breads on a baking sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Lower the oven temperature to 375 F Bake for 15 to 20 min. They should be lighter in color but that is up to your taste, I prefer a little bit more brown.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

2 Reviews

Gal August 21, 2015
For a step by step pictures on how To Make Pão de Queijo check out Emma's page http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-po-de-queijo-brazilian-cheese-bread-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-176118
 
Gal August 21, 2015
This is what EMMA CHRISTENSEN is saying about making these Cheese Bread: "Tapioca flour is strange stuff. When mixed with the hot milk in these pão, it turns gelatinous and sticky, closer to wallpaper paste than something you'd put in the oven. It requires a leap of faith and a bowl of water for dipping your fingers and spoons to prevent sticking.
Keep going with the recipe and you'll be rewarded with these puffs".

Mel, in her blog 'Mel's kitchen', wisely advice "Don't substitute pre grated Parmesan in the green cardboard tubes or the pre shredded Parmesan in the bags". And she is absolutely right! Those are so far from the real Parmigiano-Reggiano. These "Parmesan cheese" contain chemicals and additives ingredients such as Cellulose Powder, Potassium Sorbate, and Cheese Cultures that are not found in real Parmigiano-Reggiano. In fact, dry powdered “cheese” in green cardboard tubes is so far removed from actual Parmigiano-Reggiano that virtually no one could confuse the two.
Mel says freshly grated from a block is the way to go. And I agree. The best way is to buy wedges that were cut relatively fresh from the wheel.
Lastly Mel says these puffs must be eaten warm. must. & don’t let them get too brown on the bottom – they’ll lose their chewiness.