Pão de queijo

Please note: I have modified this recipe from multiple sources, and it still needs a little tweaking. The batch I made yesterday turned out very well indeed, but I actually made it with more liquid than listed below (1 c. milk, 1 c. water, 8 eggs) and then had to add another 300 g polvilho to get the right consistency because it was a runny batter. (In past efforts, my dough has been too dry and stiff.) So, no guarantees that the recipe as written below will work properly. The liquid might need to be reduced more to get the right consistency with the given amount (1 kg total) of polvilho. If you can't find polvilho azedo, you can use all doce, but they're better with both kinds. Also, you can use all water rather than water plus milk and/or 1 c. canola oil rather than oil plus butter.

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1/2 c. canola oil
3/4 c. milk
1 c. water
1 T. salt

500 g polvilho doce (manioc flour/tapioca starch)
500 g polvilho azedo (fermented manioc flour/tapioca starch)
1 t. garlic powder, optional

7 eggs, lightly beaten

ca. 400 g grated cheese: I use ca. 1/4-1/3 Parmesan and ca. 2/3-3/4 cheddar


1) Place the butter, oil, milk, water, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Heat until the butter is melted and the mixture comes to a boil.

2) Transfer the boiling mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer, then add all the polvilho (and optional garlic powder). Mix thoroughly, then beat well until smooth, ca. 4 minutes.

3) With the mixer running slowly, pour in the beaten eggs and mix thoroughly. The dough should be homogeneous, smooth, a bit shiny, soft, and sticky but not a runny batter nor stiff and solid.

4) Add all the cheese and mix just until well blended. The texture of the dough should be like soft putty or caulk.

To mix by hand
2a) Put the polvilho in a large mixing bowl and pour the boiling mixture over it. Stir well with a big wooden spoon, then beat as best you can until smooth and homogenous. The mixture will probably be dry and stiff.

3a) Wait for the dough to cool enough that you can put your hands in it. It is easiest to mix using your hands. Add the eggs and blend well, then mix/knead with your hands until dough is as described above.

4a) Add the cheese and mix in with your hands, but no need for further kneading.

Shape and bake
5) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

6) Scoop out walnut-sized balls of dough. A standard cookie scoop works well for this. Place them 1"-1.5" apart.

7) Bake for about 25 minutes until they are well puffed, dry and crisp on the outside and spongy and not too wet on the inside. The bits of cheese showing at the surface should begin to brown nicely. Unlike most breads and pastries, they do most of their puffing in the last ca. 1/3 of the baking time.