Brazilian Pão de Queijo

Versão em Português

This is one of the most traditional and beloved recipes in Brazil. Pão de queijo means literally cheese bread, however I don’t think this translation can express exactly this peculiar Brazilian snack. There are several kinds of cheese bread, but just one pão de queijo.

When I moved to the US  I was desperate because I couldn’t find pão de queijo in New Hampshire, for obvious reasons. I had pão de queijo for breakfast every day in Brazil, but I bought it at the bakery. In Brazil, especially in São Paulo, you can find pão de queijo everywhere. You can find it at the grocery store, at the bakery, at school, at College, at the bus and trains station, at the airport... So, there was no reason for me to bake them in Brazil. As soon as I arrived in the States I had to learn how to prepare, because I really wanted to eat it.

I had to research a lot to find the perfect proportion and the right ingredients to have the traditional pão de queijo. Bake in another country is never easy. Many factors like the origin of ingredients, the weather, the room humidity can change the recipe result completely.

Now I will teach you all the tips to everybody who is not in Brazil and wants to eat a authentic and delicious pão de queijo.

We are going to use a very specific and popular flour used in Brazil: the yuca flour. Yuca (mandioca, in Portuguese) is a native Brazilian root, very popular since Brazilian first people.

Yuca (mandioca)

I really love Yuca Flour (also called Tapioca Starch or Tapioca flour). It is gluten free, so this flour is perfect if you need or want to cut gluten out of your diet. It is really easy to find among gluten free products at good Grocery stores. I’ve already find it at Hannaford, Shawn’s, Price Chopper, Shoprite and Whole foods. Online you can buy at Walmart.com or Amazon. The most common brand is Bob’s Red Mill.

However in Brazil there are two kinds of tapioca flour: sweet tapioca flour (in Portuguese, polvilho doce) and sour tapioca flour (in Portuguese, polvilho azedo). The American tapioca flour is the Sweet one. We are going to need both of them to prepare a perfect pão de queijo. However, if you can't find the sour, it's OK to use the American only.

The sour tapioca flour can also be called Sour starch or Sour manioc starch. You can find it in Brazilian grocery stores. There are several around the USA. I bought mine at SEABRA FOODS or A&J Seabra in New Jersey. If you cannot go to a Brazilian grocery store, you also can order online. You can look for it at AMAZON or at a specific site that sells Brazilian products called RIO MARKET (products are delivered anywhere in the USA). Hint: look for “polvilho azedo”, in Portuguese, because it is easier to find.

Polvilho azedo = Sour starch or Sour manioc starch

Making a long story short: you are going to need Tapioca Flour "polvilho doce" (you can find at any grocery store) and Sour Starch "polvilho azedo"  (you can find at Brazilian grocery stores).

Finding the perfect cheese was difficult for me because pão de queijo in Brazil is made using a specific cheese called queijo meia-cura. You know, cheese is like wine, their characteristics depend on where they were produced, and nothing else can change it. I tried to use several kinds of cheese I found at the grocery, but the kind best fitted the recipe was the classic American Shredded sharp cheddar cheese. I used the Kraft one, but the brand doesn’t make any difference.

The other ingredients are just the regular ones: eggs, milk, oil, salt. Now it is just follow the instructions and taste the most delicious Brazilian pão de queijo in your home!

Let's learn!!!

1. Add 1 cup tapioca flour (sweet one) and 1 cup sour starch (sour one) to the bowl (I use the bowl of a stand mixer, but you can use any other).

2. Combine 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1/3 cup milk, ½ cup water and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan and bring to boil. I use vegetable oil, but you can use any oil you prefer.

3. Once this liquid mixture boils, pour it over the flour. Turn the mixer on and mix it well using the flat beater. You can also mix it with a spoon.

4. Keep it 15 minutes at room temperature.

5. After this time, with the mixer on add 2 eggs and 1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Let it mixing using the dough hook for at least 5 minutes. If you are not using a stand mixer, mix with a spoon for at least 10 minutes. The dough is supposed to be soft and sticky.

6. Wet your hands with water or oil, and, using a spoon, scoop some dough to shape little balls. The dough will rise, so shape the balls a little smaller than you want as a final product.

7. Place the balls on a baking sheet covered with a little bit of oil. Let some space between the balls to rise.

8. Bake on the preheat oven (375 F) for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden.

TIP:

You can freeze them if you want. Place the little balls on the baking sheet and bring to the freezer for at least 2 hours. Once they are frozen, transfer them to a ziplock. Once you want to use them, bake the frozen balls for around 30 minutes.

Pão de queijo

AUTHOR Fernanda Rios

CUISINE Brazilian

SERVES Around 30

INGREDIENTES

1 cup (110g) tapioca flour

1 cup (110g) sour starch (polvilho azedo)

1/3 cup (80ml) oil

1/3 cup (80 ml) milk

½ cup (120 ml) water

1 tsp (6g) salt

2 eggs

1  ½ cup (150 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions 1. Add tapioca flour and sour starch to the bowl. 2. Combine oil, milk, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to boil. 3. Once this liquid mixture boils, pour it over the flour. Turn the mixer on and mix it well. 4. Keep it 15 minutes at room temperature. 5. After this time, with the mixer on add the eggs and the cheese. Let it mixing using 6. the dough hook for at least 5 minutes. The dough is supposed to be soft and sticky. 7. With your hands wet with water or oil, shape little balls. 8. Place the balls on a baking sheet covered with a little bit of oil. 9. Bake on the preheat oven (375F) for 15-20 minutes or until they are golden.