The Origins of the Pão de Queijo

Pão de queijo, more commonly known as Brazilian cheese bread overseas, originates from Minas Gerais in southeast Brazil and combines indigenous technique with colonial ingredients. Cassava, a staple food of the indigenous Guarani people, can be poisonous due to its high levels of cyanide. Preparing cassava for consumption requires a lengthy and laborious process of grating, soaking, and drying. As cassava soaks, its starch separates and sinks down to the bottom of the soaking vessel. This starch was shaped into balls and baked into a bread.

As the dairy and cattle industry grew in Minas Gerais, the simple tapioca starch bread evolved to include eggs, milk, and cheese.

Which Tapioca Starch to Use?

Pão de queijo traditionally incorporates fermented tapioca flour, which has a more tangy flavor (sour starch or polvilho azedo). Normal tapioca starch will work as well, but I recommend avoiding Thai tapioca starch which has a very fine, powdery grind and will create a dense product. More texture suits these delicious pão de queijo, which can be further achieved by opting for finely chopped or shredded cheese instead of grated or blended cheese.

One more important note- tapioca flour requires gelatinization which can be created through heat or absorption over time. This recipe includes heated milk, but you can skip this step if you prefer to mix the batter and let it rest overnight in the fridge.

As tapioca starch is used as the base, pão de queijo is naturally gluten free.

Variations of Ingredients in Pão de Queijo

Note that I use butter instead of oil out of personal preference. Some recipes call for melted lard. Other recipes replace milk with water. Baking powder is included in other recipes to add a bit of lift. Have fun experimenting.

Pão de Queijo Recipe

• 2 cups (255g) tapioca flour (or a 1:2 ratio of the sweet to sour starches, in this case 2/3 sweet tapioca flour and 1 1/3 c sour tapioca flour)
• 1 cup (240ml) milk, heated to a slight simmer (around 180°F/82°C)
• ½ cup (120ml) butter, melted
• 1 egg
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup (130 g) finely chopped or shredded cheese (authentic Brazilian cheeses are difficult to find in the US, so use gruyere, mozzarella, or cheddar)
• 1/3 cup (35 g) Parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.

2. Over a large bowl, sift and combine the tapioca flour with the salt and mix well.

3. In a saucepan, heat the milk and butter together until the milk simmers or bubbles slightly.

4. Pour the milk and butter into the tapioca flour and mix well, making sure all of the flour is hydrated.

5. Add the egg and incorporate thoroughly.

6. Add the cheese and mix. If the dough is extremely wet at this point, cover it and let rest in the fridge for an hour.

7. Shape the dough into 2 inch balls, around 2-3 tablespoons each. You should get around 10-12 balls.

8. Place the balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 18-25 minutes, or until puffed and slightly golden brown.

Enjoy while warm.

Estimated Nutritional Information (Variations Highly Likely)