Brazilian cheese bread, or pão de queijo, is a beloved treat from Brazil with a crispy exterior and a chewy, cheesy interior.
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups (170 g) tapioca flour
- 1/2 cup (66 g) packed grated or crumbled cheese, your preference
- 1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread a small amount olive oil around the insides of each well of a non-stick mini muffin tin.
Put all of the ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. You may need to use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender so that everything gets blended well.
At this point, you can cover the batter and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Before baking, let the chilled batter come to room temperature and give it a whisk. Pour into the muffin tin and proceed with the recipe.
Pour the batter into the prepared mini muffin tin not quite to the top; leave about 1/8 inch from the top.
Bake at 400°F in the oven for 15-20 minutes until all puffy and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack for a few minutes.
Eat while warm or at room temperature (they’re best when fresh). Note that Brazilian cheese bread is very chewy, sort of like Japanese mochi.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for 1 week. Reheat for several seconds in the microwave or for a 1 to 2 minutes in the toaster oven before serving. They can also be frozen for up to 1 month and reheated in a toaster oven or low oven until thawed and crisp.