Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)

Preparation: 10 minutes

Baking Time: 15 minutes

Makes 16 (2-inch) puffs

Bake: 150°C for 15minutes

50ml whole milk
50ml water

1 1/2 tbsp Vegetable oil
100g Tapioca flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 beaten egg
50g parmesan cheese (more if you like it cheesy)

METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to 150’C. Prepare 2 baking trays and oil them with vegetable oil.
2. Place the milk, water, oil, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat as soon as you see big bubbles coming through the milk.
3. Add all of the tapioca flour and stir until the tapioca flour mixed like a grainy and gelatinous dough.
4. Transfer the dough to a standing mixer (Alternatively, you can finish the dough by hand but it is a lot of hand-works) Beat the dough at medium speed until it smooths out.
5. Add in eggs a little at a time. Ensure eggs are fully incorporated before adding the second. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
6. Add the cheese and beat until fully incorporated. The dough will be very sticky, stretchy, and soft with a consistency between cake batter and cookie dough. It will not be completely smooth.
7. If the dough is too wet, place it in the fridge for 30mins so that it will be easier to form into balls.
8. Oil your hands and scoop the dough using a measuring spoon/ice cream scoop (size of 1.5 inches in diameter) and round them up into small balls (golf ball size).
9. If you are making it in advance, chill them in the freezer for at least 30mins then bag them.
10. Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Bake until the puffs have puffed, the outsides are dry, and they are just starting to turn golden-brown on the bottoms, 10 to 15 minutes more. (The tops will not brown much.) Cool for a few minutes and eat warm.