Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)
Chewy, cheesy Brazilian tapioca rolls with a crisp shell and an irresistibly stretchy center.
🍽️ Makes 18
Ingredients
| ½ cup | 120 ml | whole milk |
| ¼ cup (½ stick) | unsalted butter | |
| 1½ teaspoons | 7.5 ml | kosher salt |
| 2 cups | 480 ml | tapioca flour |
| 2 | large eggs | |
| 5 ounces | 140 g | fresh farmer's cheese, crumbled |
| 2 ounces | 57 g | crumbled Parmesan |
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 425°F. Heat milk, butter, salt, and ¼ cup water in a large saucepan over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted and the mixture begins to boil, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the tapioca flour; vigorously stir with a wooden spoon until the dough is dry and shaggy, about 10 seconds. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (flat beater) attachment. Let cool 5 minutes.
- Beat on low speed just until the dough starts to come together, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, continuing to beat on low speed until incorporated (the dough will look broken at first, then come together). Keep beating on low speed until the dough is smooth, sticky, and somewhat stretchy; do not overbeat or it will lose its stretch. Add the farmer's cheese and Parmesan and beat on low speed until evenly distributed.
- Using a 1⅓-oz. ice cream scoop, portion the dough onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, spacing about 2" apart (or roll into ping-pong-ball-sized pieces by hand).
- Bake 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking until the pão are very light brown with darker brown speckles all over (that's the cheese) and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, 20–25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.