Brazilian cheese puffs - pão de queijo

These cheese puffs, or pão de queijo in the original language, make great snack food. Great appetizers or hors d'œuvre for Brazilian themed party.

Pão de queijo recipe

Pão de queijo are cheese snacks made with tapioca starch. Eat them still warm from the oven, when the interior is still gooey, soft and creamy from the melted cheese.

Ingredients

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 375° F (190° C) and grease a baking sheet with butter or vegetable cooking spray.
2. Sift the the tapioca starch in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine the vegetable oil, water, and salt in a pan and heat until almost boiling.
4. Pour the hot liquid into the bowl of tapioca starch and mix. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
5. Mix in the egg and cheese.
6. Take a teaspoonful of dough, roll the dough between your hands to form a ball and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat this procedure until the dough is finished keeping the balls 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
7. Bake 20-25 minutes on the middle rack, until the tops of the balls begin to turn brown.

Cooking tips

For speed, heat the liquids in a microwave oven. Combine water, oil and salt in microwave-safe bowl. Heat the liquid mixture in the microwave for 1 minute -if white foam appears on the top, that is fine.

Use a wooden spoon to mix the dough.

Brazilian polite manners ask for using knife and fork even for snacks.

Recipe type

Central and South American Cuisine, Snacks, Baking, Cheese recipes.