Pao de Queijo Cheese Puff Recipe
Delicious little cheese puffs known as pao de queijo are sexy Brazilian party food. YUM!
Pao de Queijo-one of my most favourite Brazilian treats. These are best served straight out of the oven, when they're still a bit gooey inside from the delectable cheese. You can't just have one though- consider yourself warned. Serve alongside some cool and delicious Caipirinha cocktails- the cocktail of choice in Brazil.
Pao de Queijo, courtesy of Chef Mario Cassini.
INGREDIENTS:
1 kg fine sour cassava flour (Povilho Azedo). Also known as tapioca starch.
2 cups of milk
1 ¼ tablespoon salt
1 cup of vegetable oil or butter
2 cup grated cheddar cheese and ½ cup Parmesan cheese
5 medium sized eggs
PREPARATION:
Sift flour into bowl. Mix in cheese. Warm up milk in a pot, with oil and salt. Bring to a simmer. Pour warm milk into the bowl with the cheese and flour mix. Pour small amount of milk at a time and until the flour becomes very lumpy. Let it sit for a few minutes. Add the eggs, one or two at a time, mixing well by hand, until a smooth texture is achieved. Add milk if the dough is not soft enough. Let dough sit for ½ hour. Shape the dough into little balls (the size of a loonie) by rolling in your hands. Place on a well greased baking sheet (or on baking sheet with parchment paper). Top balls with some grated cheddar cheese to add a golden colour once baked. Bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees until slightly golden.
TIPS:
- Let dough rest after mixing by hand.
- Place balls at least ¼ inch apart on baking sheet. They will grow to twice their original size.
- The size of the eggs matters. If you use large eggs you can likely use less eggs- check for smooth dough consistency and adjust accordingly.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Time of baking is approximately 12 – 15 minutes.
