Brazilian Pão de Queijo with Parmesan & Mozzarella

Directions

1. Heat the oven and prepare the pan

   Heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the upper-middle position. Line a heavy rimmed half-sheet pan with parchment. Put the tapioca starch in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, or in a large heatproof bowl if mixing by hand.

2. Scald the milk, water, oil and salt

   Combine the milk, water, oil and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium until the mixture reaches a lively simmer and a ring of bubbles rises around the edge, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not walk away because the milk can foam over quickly.

3. Gelatinize the tapioca starch

   With the mixer on low, carefully pour the hot liquid over the tapioca starch in a steady stream. Mix for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl once, until no powdery pockets remain and the mixture looks pebbly, glossy and uneven. Let it cool for 8 to 10 minutes; it should feel warm rather than hot and register below 120°F before the eggs go in.

4. Work in the eggs gradually

   Mix on medium-low and add the beaten eggs in four additions, waiting until each is mostly absorbed before adding the next. At first the dough will separate into slick pieces; continue mixing for 3 to 4 minutes until it becomes thick, sticky and elastic. Scrape the bowl and paddle as needed.

5. Add both cheeses and chill

   Add the Parmesan and mozzarella. Mix on low for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the cheeses are evenly distributed and the dough pulls in stretchy ribbons. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes so the tapioca hydrates and the fat firms enough for neat portions.

6. Portion 24 round rolls

   Lightly oil a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop and your fingertips. Scoop 24 level portions, about 30 grams each, and roll them gently into balls. Arrange them 2 inches apart on the prepared pan. If the dough still clings heavily, dust only your fingertips with tapioca starch; excess starch makes chalky seams.

7. Bake until puffed and deeply set

   Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan after 14 minutes, until the rolls are fully puffed with dry golden patches and lightly blistered tops like the photographed breads. One roll from the center should register 195°F to 205°F; do not pull the pan while the sides still look wet or collapsed.

8. Rest briefly and serve warm

   Let the rolls stand on the pan for 5 minutes so their crisp shells set, then transfer them to a cloth-lined basket. Serve warm, allowing three rolls per person. The centers should be stretchy and pleasantly chewy rather than bread-like or completely hollow.

Why this works

Swaps & notes

Easy swaps

• For a closer Brazilian cheese profile, replace the mozzarella with the same weight of finely grated queijo Minas padrão if it is available; keep the Parmesan for salinity and browning.
• Pecorino Romano can replace up to half of the Parmesan, but reduce the salt to 3/4 teaspoon because Pecorino is usually sharper and saltier.
• Part-skim low-moisture mozzarella works, though the rolls will be a little less rich. Avoid fresh mozzarella packed in liquid because its extra water makes the dough spread.
• Unsweetened lactose-free whole milk can replace regular whole milk measure for measure. For a dairy-free version, use an unsweetened high-protein plant milk and 200 grams of a firm melting dairy-free cheese, understanding that flavor and rise will differ.
• Do not replace tapioca starch with cassava flour, cornstarch or wheat flour. Cassava flour contains the whole root and absorbs liquid differently; this formula depends on purified tapioca starch.

Cook notes

• Tapioca starch and tapioca flour are generally the same refined starch in U.S. grocery stores. Cassava flour is a different whole-root product and is not interchangeable here.
• The dough should be too sticky to knead but firm enough to hold a scooped mound after chilling. Egg size, cheese moisture and starch brand can shift the texture; add 1 tablespoon tapioca starch only if a test scoop spreads flat.
• For people with celiac disease or strict gluten avoidance, verify the tapioca starch, cheeses and parchment are labeled gluten-free and protect the mixer, scoop and pan from flour cross-contact.
• A pale roll may be cooked but lacks the toasted-cheese flavor shown in the photograph. Rotate the pan once and wait for scattered gold patches rather than baking only by the clock.
• Calories and cost are estimates for three rolls per serving. Imported queijo Minas, specialty tapioca starch and regional cheese prices create the largest cost differences.

Storage

Pão de queijo are best within an hour of baking. Cool extras completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat on a sheet pan at 350°F for 7 to 9 minutes until hot and crisp. Freeze shaped unbaked balls on a tray, transfer them to a freezer bag and keep for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen at 400°F, allowing 4 to 6 extra minutes and checking that the sides are dry and the center of a test roll reaches 195°F to 205°F. Baked rolls can be frozen for 1 month, but their crust is slightly less crisp after reheating.

Questions