Aged-Cheese Sour Cassava Pão de Queijo

Method

1. Take the eggs out 30 minutes ahead. Grate both cheeses on the finest side of the grater. Sift both starches and the salt into a large bowl; sifting means no dry lumps and an even scald.

   Add in this stepEggs (room temperature, beaten) 1Aged queijo canastra (or an aged hard cheese such as gruyère) 70 gParmigiano Reggiano 20 gPolvilho azedo (sour cassava starch) 95 gPolvilho doce (tapioca starch) 30 gFine salt ½ tsp

2. Bring the milk, water, oil and butter to the boil in a 14 cm saucepan over medium-high heat for 2 min 30 sec. The butter must be fully melted and the whole surface boiling hard; liquid that is only hot will not cook the starch enough and the bread will rise less. Pour it over the starch in a thin stream, stirring nonstop with a wooden spoon, until every bit is moistened into translucent clumps.

   Add in this stepMilk 70 mlWater 25 mlNeutral oil 27 mlUnsalted butter 10 g

   medium-high heat

3. Let the dough cool for about 10 minutes until warm. Add the eggs in three additions and knead for 5 min, pushing the dough away with the heel of your hand and folding it back. When it is smooth and stretchy, work in the cheeses. It is right when a fingertip leaves a dent and it feels slightly tacky.

4. Cover the dough and chill it for 30 minutes to firm up. Weigh it into 12 pieces of 25 g and roll each into a smooth, crack-free ball with lightly oiled hands. Set them 4 cm apart on a lined tray and freeze for 20 minutes until the outside is firm.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 3 ml

5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 °C for a full 15 min. A thoroughly hot oven makes the cold dough spring up in the first minutes.

   oven

6. Put 1 tray(s) of cold dough straight into the oven and bake at 200 °C for 10 min. Without opening the door, lower the temperature to 180 °C and bake for another 12 min. They are done when tall, split on top, evenly golden and light when tapped. Cool for 5 minutes so the crust crisps before serving.

   oven