Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo)
Tasty Brazilian cheese puffs, pão de queijo, are an easy, chewy, puffy snack for all occasions.
- Makes24 Puffs
- Cook Time40 minutes
- 7
These savory puffs—called pão de queijo—are similar to popovers, with two important differences. Tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour) gives them a unique chewiness, while a generous dose of cheese makes them particularly savory. In Brazil, the cheese of choice is queijo minas curado. We found that more widely available Asiago had just the right balance of salty-sharp flavor to make delicious puffs. Pão de queijo are best eaten within a couple hours of baking, but the puffs can be frozen and reheated in a 350°F oven for five to 10 minutes (do not thaw before reheating). You will need a nonstick 24-cup mini muffin pan for this recipe.
Don’t forget to stop the blender and scrape the jar as needed when processing the batter. This ensures the tapioca starch that clings to the sides of the jar will be fully incorporated. Don’t worry about overblending. There’s no wheat flour in the batter, so there’s no risk of developing gluten that can toughen the puffs.
Step 1
Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle position. Mist a nonstick 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray. In a blender, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping the sides of the blender jar as needed.
Step 2
Divide the batter among the cups of the prepared muffin pan. Bake until the puffs are well risen and deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Immediately transfer the puffs from the pan to a wire rack by lifting them out one at a time. Serve warm or room temperature.
Step 3
Brazilian Cheese Puffs with Gruyère and Chives:
Substitute an equal amount of Gruyère cheese for the Asiago. After blending, stir in 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives.
