Brazilian Cheese Bread
Diane Zatz is a design educator who grows vegetables and cooks obsessively when not clicking on a computer keyboard.
Brazilian cheese breads are surprisingly simple and quick to make. Keep a 5-pound bag of tapioca flour on hand, add oil, egg, cheese, milk, and salt, and stir all together in a blender. There are so many variations, using different types of oils and cheeses, but you can’t go wrong. You can also add seasoning such as a dash of garlic salt, top with sesame or everything-but-the-bagel mix, and inject with a bit of guava jelly… Bake in well-greased muffin tins for 20-22 minutes.
My 3-year-old granddaughter has come to expect “cheese balls” when she comes to visit. They are the best after-school snack, gluten-free, healthy, and made with clean, natural ingredients. The neighborhood kids jumping rope will demolish a plateful in minutes. Treat guests to a basket of warm mini rolls with an aperitif. Add a basket of larger muffins to a breakfast buffet. Like me, you will be making these regularly once you try it!
This recipe is adapted from the back of Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca Flour.
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 158 ml (2/3 cup) milk
- 190 grams (1.5 cups) tapioca Flour
- 281 grams (1.2 cups) shredded or grated cheese*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
My preferred cheese mix is cheddar with feta. Any mix of grated cheeses you have on hand will work. Cheddar, on its own, sharp or mild, will work. A Monterey Jack pre-shredded bagged mix is an easy option. Two Brazilian bakers told me they used only store-bought grated dry shelf-stable parmesan (the cheap stuff.) A good Parmigiano on its own, or mixed with a cheddar or gouda would be lovely.
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 204°C (400°F) and grease a 12-cup muffin tin. Blend ingredients together in a standing mixer, stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
- Pour batter into greased muffin tins.
- Bake for 20 minutes until tops are browned.
Diane Zatz
Diane Zatz is a graphic designer, educator, and editor at The Cook’s Cook. Diane and her husband divide their time between Philadelphia and their family farm in Lancaster County, Pa. They enjoy their off-screen time planting seeds and pulling weeds.
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