Brazilian Cheese Bread – Pao De Quejo


A naturally gluten free bread that also makes a good pizza base? Yes please!

  • 2/3 cup (160ml) milk
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) neutral oil such as avocado oil
  • 2 cups (450g) tapioca flour/starch
  • 6 ounces (170 grams) of cheese (Cheddar, mozzarella) (vary this to your taste, both for cheese variety and amount)
  • 2 eggs
  • (OPTIONAL: see edit) 1 tsp baking powder
  • seasoning to taste (I don’t add any, the cheese seems to add enough)
  • Add all the ingredients into your food processor. Blend them all together into a sticky mess. Be warned, this is an absurdly sticky dough – have everything prepared before you handle the dough because it will stick to everything!

    PAO ROLLS
    Preheat the oven to 450F / 230C.

    Grease up a muffin pan or cookie sheet. Divide the dough evenly between the muffin holes or into 12 blobs on the sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until they’re golden brown and delicious. Eat while piping hot. Serve with butter for an extra sinful treat.

    PIZZA
    Preheat the oven to 425F / 220C.

    Line a pizza pan with a silicone baking sheet. Spread the dough over the baking sheet. Par bake the base for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on if you want a softer or more cracker-like base. Add whatever sauce and toppings you like then bake for 15 minutes or until your topping is done. Feel free to tweak the cheese – a basic cheap orange cheddar will make a wonderfully aromatic, cheesy crust. Be careful which cheese you add, as the baking process will make the aroma and flavour of the cheese really vibrant, so go gently with the seriously sharp / mature cheeses as they could get overwhelming, which is fine if that’s what your looking for.

    EDIT JUNE 2020
    Thanks to feedback on this recipe from a kindly Brazilian person on Reddit, I have amended the baking powder to optional, as baking powder is not traditional in Brazilian Pao. Thank you, “AlehCemy”!

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