Pao de Queijo – Brazilian Cheese Bread

Recipe by: Claudia Soares, Partnership and Volunteer Program Lead, Upwardly Global

“We eat Pao de Queijo almost every day in Brazil. It’s a pretty common food. But this recipe is special. It’s from my Aunt Maria Helena, perfected after 30 years of her experimenting with different ingredients and formats.”

INGREDIENTS:

  • 28 oz (800 grams) Tapioca Flour/Starch
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 ½ cups oil
  • 14 oz (400 grams) fresh grated parmesan cheese
  • 14 oz (400 grams) shredded cheddar jack cheese
  • 4-5 eggs

STEPS:

  1. Mix tapioca flour, salt, and baking powder.
  2. Heat milk and oil in a pan, bringing to boil. Pour boiling liquid slowly over the flour and continue mixing on low speed.
  3. Let the dough cool for about 15 minutes.
  4. Add the cheese and eggs one at a time. Find the right consistency by adding eggs. The dough should be firm enough that you can roll it into small balls.
  5. Place dough in the refrigerator to firm up a bit more, about one hour, so it is easy to roll. I use oil to grease my hands.
  6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for about 20 minutes when the dough is fresh or up to 25 minutes when frozen. Or better yet, til golden brown.

Makes about 60 balls. Place balls on a baking sheet put in the freezer, covered with plastic wrap, then once frozen, transfer to storage bags and leave in the freezer until ready to bake.

Enjoy! Bon Appétit!