Pão de Queijo: Brazilian Blender Cheese Bread
Gluten-free cassava starch rolls that are made in the blender: the liquids and starch are processed together, the cheese is folded in by hand, and the mixture goes straight into the muffin tin. Eat them hot.
Ingredients
- 250 g cassava starch (tapioca starch)
- 75 g grated parmesan cheese
- 75 g pategrás cheese in small cubes (or gouda, emmental, or gruyere)
- 200 ml milk
- 80 ml neutral oil
- 1 whole egg + 1 yolk
- 1 level tbsp salt
Method
- 1
Turn the oven on to 180 °C so it reaches temperature while the mixture is prepared.
- 2
Grate the parmesan and cut the pategrás into very small cubes. Set both aside.
- 3
Place the liquids in the blender first—the milk, oil, whole egg, yolk, and salt—: if the starch goes in first, the blade cannot move it.
- 4
Add the cassava starch and blend, first slowly and then at maximum power. The starch sticks to the sides of the jar: it is best to stop, scrape it off with a spoon, and blend again until the mixture is smooth.
- 5
Turn off the blender and incorporate the cheeses by stirring with a spoon. Do not blend them: the point is for them to remain whole and melt in the oven, forming golden spots.
- 6
Fill the muffin tins only up to three-quarters of their capacity. They grow quite a bit and will overflow if filled completely. If the tin is not non-stick, grease it with butter first.
- 7
Bake at 180 °C for about 20 minutes, until they are just golden and have darker spots of melted cheese.
- 8
Eat them hot: they become rubbery when they cool down. If that happens, a short blast in the oven will revive them.