Last month , I was headed into another early morning meeting at work. I had the good fortune to be meeting with someone who is very thoughtful. That morning , she welcomed me with a delightful treat, two delicious brazilian cheese puffs. This was my first time tasting this yummy, light and airy bread. They are crispy on the outside and soft and cheesy on the inside. When I arrived home by the bay that weekend, my sister Nancy welcomed me with the same little treat. Amazing to spend your whole life unaware of something so good and then you experience it twice in one week . I knew then, i needed to figure out to make these little breads myself. So this is the recipe and technique that worked best for me. It’s a hybrid of several recipes I tried. You can make these in a large size and serve for breakfast ( do adjust the baking time if you do that) or make them in a small bite size as an appetizer to serve along with your favorite wine or cocktail. These are pretty easy to make and definitely worth the time and effort.
From by the bay, wishing you cheesy food memories!
Maryann
Brazilian Cheese Puffs
Ingredients
2 cups tapioca flour*
1 cup milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 stick
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
* Tapioca Flour can be found at specialty markets such as Whole Foods or Asian markets and is also called manioc starch or tapioca starch.
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium sauce pan, bring the milk, salt, and butter to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture starts to boil remove from heat. Slowly add tapioca flour, stirring constantly until thoroughly mixed. The dough will be somewhat gummy at this point. Transfer the dough to a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachement. Beat the dough for a few minutes until it smooths out. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and add into the dough 1/2 at a time . Make sure the egg is incorporated into the dough before adding the rest of the egg. With the mixer on medium, beat in the cheese and rosemary until incorporated. Round out the dough onto the parchment lined baking sheet into little mounds spaced apart about 2 inches. Approximately 10 per tray. Place in the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 350 degrees F. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. They will puff, look dry on the outside and start to turn color. Cool slightly and eat warm.Cooked puffs can be stored, in the fridge as long as it’s kept covered and then reheat in the microwave.
note: I like to mixed my parmesan cheese 1/2 grated and 1/2 shredded for a little more texture. You can also use thyme in place of rosemary or add some mixed garlic in place of the herbs. If you like things spicy, substitute the parmesan cheese for cheddar and replace the rosemary with minced fresh jalapeno.
