Pao de Quejo (Brazilian Parmesan Cheese Puffs)
These cute little cheesy puffs are served as appetizers in Brazilian steakhouses and are so addicting I had to find the recipe for myself!
These cute little cheesy puffs are served as appetizers in Brazilian steakhouses and are so addicting I had to find the recipe for myself!
- Carbohydrate 50.208985000194 g
- Cholesterol 121.251250004205 mg
- Fat 8.18184750136705 g
- Fiber 0.58349998664856 g
- Protein 4.7747375018377 g
- Saturated Fat 4.34441150082668 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (74g)
- Sodium 125.717500073059 mg
- Sugar 49.6254850135454 g
- Trans Fat 0.809354000084144 g
- Calories 294 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large saucepan bring milk, salt and butter to a boil. Remove from heat
- Slowly pour in flour until thoroughly mixed, stirring constantly. Add cheese and eggs.
- Knead with hands until smooth.
- Grease mini muffin tins with butter or cooking spray and drop by the tablespoon. Or, you can grease a cookie sheet and form into balls approximately 2" in diameter.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Bake until golden brown (about 15-20 minutes)
- Eat while hot!
Equipment Requirements and Shaping Workarounds
Achieving the signature hollow interior and crisp crust of these pastries relies entirely on thermal expansion driven by moisture in the dough. Traditional methods utilize specialized hemispherical molds, but standard mini muffin tins yield identical results when greased thoroughly with neutral oil or melted butter. Alternatively, dropping portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet creates rustic domes without requiring dedicated specialty pans. When portioning sticky dough, dipping spoons into cold water prevents adherence and maintains uniform sizing across the batch. Ensure the oven reaches a stable 350 degrees Fahrenheit before loading the pan to trigger immediate steam generation inside the starch matrix.
Starch Chemistry and Dairy Interaction
Tapioca flour, derived from cassava root, lacks gluten entirely, meaning structure depends on gelatinization rather than protein networks. Scalding the milk and butter mixture initiates this hydration process prior to incorporating the eggs and aged cheese. Parmesan contributes both umami-rich sodium glutamate and milk solids that brown rapidly under high heat, producing the characteristic toasted exterior notes. The dairy fats coat the starch molecules, yielding a chewy interior texture that contrasts sharply with the fragile outer shell. Monitor the baking process closely, removing the puffs as soon as the surfaces turn golden brown after approximately fifteen to twenty minutes to prevent interior over-drying.
