Pao de Queijo

So this "bread" or really, cheese roll, is fluffy, simple and delicious. A friend of mine from the Azores- her mom used to have it in the house every now and again and she would say :"I just buy the dough at the Brazilian store and make them whenever I want." This Brazilian cheese bread is the so simple to make you don't have to bother going to your local Brazilian market to get it. You can make it all by yourself! The one thing you may not carry in your pantry (if you don't make many gluten free products) is tapioca flour. You can buy this at your local grocery or Asian market. You could also use arrowroot flour which is equally good. But if you are looking for a treat that is "flour-less" and has taste, this is your best bet for a dinner roll substitution. 
Also, to make this I used queso fresco, but I think a nice ricotta salata with its buttery and salty texture would add much more- but honestly you could just about any semi-soft to hard cheese- many recipes use parmesan. 


To make this you will need: 

1 cup milk (I used half organic heavy whipping cream and half almond milk)
1/2 cup vegetable/olive oil or butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups tapioca flour or cassava flour (I used half tapiopa flour and half arrowroot)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Queso Fresco or Ricotta Salata

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking pan with parchment and set aside.

Combine the milk, oil, and salt in the saucepan, and whisking occasionally, bring it to a low boil over medium heat. Remove from heat when you see large bubbles coming to the surface.

Add all of the flour to the saucepan and stir until you see no more flour. The dough a little lumpy.

Place your dough in the bowl for your standing mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the dough for a few minutes at medium speed until it is smoother and has cooled.

Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl. With the mixer on medium, beat the eggs into the dough slowly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

With the mixer on medium, beat in the cheese until fully incorporated. The dough will be very sticky and stretchy- thick.

Using your hands, scoop rounded portions (like a little smaller than a golf ball size) of the dough into mounds on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your hands to create balls by rolling the dough. Space the dough balls apart like cookies.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until they just get a golden color on the outside. Cool and eat. Leftover puffs can be kept in Tupperware and reheated in a toaster oven or what-have-you. Bon appetit.

Xoxo Renee