Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo) is absolutely delicious, right? Serving them warm for breakfast or an afternoon snack is a real treat. Today, you’ll learn how to make your own from scratch. Let’s get cooking!
Ingredients for Brazilian Cheese Bread:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil;
- 1.75 oz (50g) grated Parmesan cheese;
- 6.3 oz (180g) heavy cream (creme de leite);
- 1.75 oz (50g) mozzarella cheese, finely diced;
- 1 ½ cups tapioca flour (polvilho doce);
- Filling of your choice (optional).
How to make Brazilian Cheese Bread:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the tapioca flour and the cheeses;
- Add the heavy cream and olive oil to the mixture;
- Incorporate everything with your hands until you have a smooth, compact dough, similar to a truffle consistency—it should be easy to roll;
- Let the dough rest for 10 minutes;
- Take small portions of the dough and flatten them in the palm of your hand;
- Add your preferred filling to the center, if desired;
- Close the edges and roll the dough into a ball;
- Place the cheese balls on a greased baking sheet;
- Bake in a preheated oven at 425°F (220°C) for about 25 minutes;
- Halfway through, flip the cheese bread balls to ensure they are golden brown on both sides;
- All done! Now, just brew some fresh coffee and enjoy these treats with your family!
Yields 15 to 20 cheese bread balls, depending on the size of the portions.
Serving Suggestions:
You can fill them with your favorite cheeses, ham, bacon, guava paste (goiabada), strawberry jam, or dulce de leche (doce de leite)… There are so many options to make your cheese bread even tastier.
Did you know?
Although called “bread,” pão de queijo is essentially a type of baked good made from tapioca starch (manioc flour), eggs, salt, oil, and cheese. It has a soft, chewy, and elastic texture.
There are many variations of the recipe, with different types of starch and cheese affecting the final result. While some use sweet tapioca flour, others prefer sour, or a mix of both. The signature texture comes from the cassava-based starch.
Commonly used cheeses include mozzarella, Parmesan, and Minas cheese. The cheese provides the authentic flavor that gives the dish its name (Source: Wikipedia).
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