Pao de Queijo - Brazilian Cheese Bread

Step 1

Set oven to 400ºF

Step 2

Combine milk, butter and oil in a small pot and place over medium-high heat. Bring to boil.

Step 3

Put tapioca flour and salt into mixing bowl of a stand mixer.

Step 4

Pour in hot milk and mix on low until smooth. It will look soft and stringy. Once cool to touch, mix in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.

Step 5

Mix in the cheese. **If your dough is too runny or soft to scoop, just chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer to let it firm up before scooping!

Step 6

Line two baking sheets with parchment and scoop the dough out by large tablespoons, spaced an inch apart. (At this point, you may freeze the tray until the balls are solid, then store the balls in a freezer bag. When ready to bake, just put frozen pao de quiejo on a baking sheet and add an extra 5 minutes to cook time. Do not thaw first.)

Step 7

Bake 20-25 minutes until lightly golden and and puffed. The interiors should be soft-set and elastic, but if you want a crispier outside, leave them in for 25-30 minutes.

Step 8

Eat warm right away or let cool. Leftover pao de queijo can be left to cool completely, then stored at room temperature up to 3 days. Reheat in a low oven before serving (or eat at room temp).