Pao de Queijo

If you've ever gone for Brazilian food, you know these little cheese rolls.  Made with tapioca flour, they're gluten-free, and even KLP-dairy if you eat tapioca during Passover.

Analyzing the version at Favorite Family Recipes, this is basically a tapioca-based pate a choux, or "cream puff" dough.  Raised by steam and held together with egg, these chewy balls of goodness are best eaten hot out of the oven.

1/2 C milk
1/4 C oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 C tapioca flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
*1/3 C grated parmesan
1/2 C shredded mozzarella

1.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Line a sheet pan with parchment or a silpat.

2.  In a saucepan, heat milk, oil, and salt to a low boil.

3.  Remove pan from heat.  Add flour in all at once and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.  This step can be done in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.  My batch was a little lumpy, and it would have come out smooth in the mixer.  Allow to cool until you can touch it without burning yourself.  Beat in egg.

4.  Beat in cheeses until evenly distributed.  The mozzarella is going to start to melt and get stringy, and the whole batter will be goopy.

5.  Scoop or spoon out generous tablespoons onto baking sheet.  Bake 25-28 minutes, until dry looking and some spots of cheese are turning golden.  Do not bake until the whole roll is golden, or it will be overdone.  Serve immediately.

Makes 1 dozen

Difficulty rating  π


UPDATE: 4/20/19

I made them in the stand mixer for Seder.  The batter came out so smooth, I ended up adding a couple more tablespoons of tapioca so they wouldn't run on the baking sheet.  It's definitely a superior way to make them.