Delicious Pao de queijo (Brazilian Cheese bread) chewy snacks goes well with coffee. Gluten free made with Asiago cheese and tapioca starch.
How was your Memorial Day weekend, as national weather center predicted it was a total wash out? It was raining throughout the day until today afternoon. Still it is cloudy, and there will be more rain tonight. It was scary Monday evening as there was warning for a possible tornado touch down near our area, luckily there was no tornado. We even got an experience to sheltering inside the closet of our home. I know about hurricane with Hurricane Ike, which never wants to remember it was really scary one. After that warning was lifted at 6.45 PM, I made some pao de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread) for our evening tea.
For this month, the Daring Baker’s challenge hosted by Renata of Testado provado & aprovado was to make Pao de queijo ( Brazilian cheese bread). I was planning to make that for long time, even bought cheese and other ingredients, but never got around to making it. Finally I donned my apron and made it. It is delicious chewy, cheesy delight which I like as bite sizes. Usually it is served along with good Brazilian coffee. Marriage between the cheese and coffee creates wonders. In my house evening always starts with tea so I served with tea. These are one of the gems of Brazilian cuisine which everybody enjoys whether it is from a street vendor, or made from supermarket frozen dough or made from scratch.
Usually Pao de queijo is made with sour tapioca starch. I tried to search them in my grocery store Fiesta, where I couldn’t find them, so tried with tapioca starch (Yuca harina). The authentic recipe calls for “Queijo Minas Curado” which is typical from Minas Gerais. I couldn’t find that here, so used Asiago cheese and parmesan cheese to make this cheese buns. I followed the recipe that Renata given, only change I made is that I used only half the recipe. You can use your favorite cheese to make this delicious treat, but make sure to use a firm cheese.
These pao de queijo is delicious when they come out the oven, you can even freeze them, but make sure to reheat before serving.
First you need to heat milk and butter
Then add sifted tapioca starch into a large bowl. Pour the boiled (hot) mixture over the tapioca and start stirring with a fork
Then add grated cheese
and egg
Make it into a smooth dough
Make a small balls out of the dough like this
Bake it in a pre-heated oven at 400F for 25 minutes
After baking
Pao de queijo (Brazilian Cheese bread)
Ingredients
- 250 gm 2 cups tapioca starch (If you have access to sour tapioca, you can use 250gm (2 cups) of each)
- ½ cup 125ml whole milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons 20 gm butter
- ½ teaspoon 1.5 gm salt (or to taste depending on how salty your cheese is)
- 1 ¼ cup Asiago cheese coarsely grated
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Heat milk, butter, and salt in a small sauce pan until it comes to a boil. Watch closely as it may boil over. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Sift tapioca starch into a large bowl.
- Pour the boiled (hot) mixture over the tapioca and start stirring with a fork.
- The milk mixture will not be enough to form dough yet. You will have a lumpy mixture, that's what it is supposed to be.Keep stirring with the fork, breaking down the lumps as much as you can, until the mixture cools down to warm.
- At this point, preheat your oven to moderately hot 400° F/200° C/gs mark 6
- Add the grated cheese to the tapioca mixture and mix well, now using your hands.
- Add one egg at a time; mix with your hands until dough comes together. lightly beat the egg with a fork and add little bits until the dough comes together into soft but pliable dough.
- You only have to knead it a bit, not as much as you knead yeasted bread. It's OK if it is slightly sticky.
- Form balls with the dough and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon mat or lightly greased with vegetable oil. If necessary, you can oil your hands to make shaping easier.
- The size of the balls may vary from small bite-sized balls to the size of ping pong balls. They will puff up quite a bit after baking. I personally prefer the smaller ones.
- Bake it for about 25 minutes or until they just start to brown on the bottom. You may have golden spots of cheese on the crust. Don't over-bake as they will get hard and bitter.
Notes
Nutrition
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This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Cintia Luz says
You made them so beautiful...we always eat these bread here in in!!! brazil.Cogratulations
maha says
that was a famous cheese bread of brasil vch my 2 kids madly loves n asks at least once in a week..U got a perfect look dear..even i searched fr this recipe long time back but was not interested to to try it out..I use frozen packet mostly,but vl follow one day urs post...Good one swathi..this post brought smile on my face..:)
Nalini Somayaji says
Hello Swathi Iyer..lovely Cheese buns...beautiful explanation.....excellent pics too
Savitha says
Cheese balls looks so nice.
April @ The 21st Century Housewife says
I am glad there was no tornado after all, Swathi! That must have been so scary!
Your Pao de queijo look wonderful - beautifully shaped and delicious. The recipe sounds wonderful.
rebecca says
these look great love how you tackle other cuisines so well
Hema says
They look so beautiful, with the cheese and all, should have tasted too good..
Sundari says
looks absolutely delicious!!
Anupa says
It looks so delicious....can imagine the joy of bitting into cheesy bread while they are still hot ...ummmm
kaveri says
A very interesting and new recipe..looks delicious
sona says
Brazilian cheese bread looks delicious!!!
sayantani says
wow what pillowy texture and light and fluffy bread.
julie says
wow..beautiful bread..loved it dear 🙂
Gloria says
Loved these Brazilian cheese bread.. They look so perfectly baked.. So yumm..
Arthy Shama says
Brazilian cheese bread, looks super-cute and adorable as well. My daughter would drool for these 🙂
Anu'skitchendelights says
Something new to try....looks yummy and delectable cheese buns.
Kumar's Kitchen says
beautiful bread...so cheesy,perfect and delightful....that cheese adds all the more flavor to this scrumptious,filling and delicious bread,beautiful food clicks,thanks 🙂
traditionallymodernfood says
Wow tis looks amazing:)
jaspinder kaur says
Wow.... such a yummy nd delicious bread..
Akila says
This was mind blowing... Though nvr heard of this... Wanna try this sure.. Bookmarking it...
Smitha says
very interesting bread.. looks good
Shama says
tempting dear...well prepared
Babitha costa says
new bread recipe,it resemble more like nungu/palm fruit
Rani Vijoo says
Very interesting recipe Swathi...looks delicious and yummy..thanks!
Shobha says
So perfectly made !
I really give you the credit for this. .. Here we get the ready mix packs.. so I have never really tried to make them from scratch..
Gayathri says
Yummy temting cheese buns.
Mayuri Patel says
lovely tempting cheese buns
Renata says
Hi Swathy, I love that you joined in the fun! Your pão de queijo looks perfect and delicious! I wish I could grab some from the screen 😀
Thanks for participating, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Sony's kitchen says
Very interesting cheese bread !