My recipe for Pão de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread or 'cheese balls')

I am SO sorry, if anyone tried this recipe I posted years ago, I only just realized that I had made a very big mistake as to the quantity for the flour, which means the recipe would've been a disaster.   I can't believe I have been referring friends and readers to this blog for the recipe and had not realized that until now. I am so so sorry! I have read and re-read this, and since I now know this by heart (I can make these with my eyes closed now), this is now correct. 

Pão de Queijo are one of my favourite things to eat. Ever. These Brazilian little gummy cheese 'balls' are so delicious, they are literally always a hit.

I made these again today, as friends and family were invited to join pre-preschoolers at my daughter's Montesori centre for a picnic lunch.  Lil' Brigs #1 was SO excited and looking forward to it, her excitement was uber contagious.  The weather cooperated, and it was absolutely lovely.


Pão de Queijo (GF)

Ingredients

1 kg tapioca flour (I buy this at Asian grocery stores - it says 'tapioca starch' on the packet, ideally I'd use sour cassava flour if I could find it, which I can't here in Australia)

600 mls of milk

200 ml melted butter

1 tsp of yeast (optional)

1 tsp salt

500g grated parmesan or pecorino cheese (or a mixture of both)

4 eggs

Method

1. Place the tapioca starch in a large bowl.

2. Add 300ml of cold milk to the 'flour/starch', crumb it with your fingers.

3. In a saucepan, heat the 300ml of milk and the butter/oil until it reaches almost boiling point, then turn off the heat. 

4. Add the hot milk/butter mixture to the flour in the bowl, then add the salt and yeast.

5. Mix with a wooden spoon until it cools.

6. Add the eggs one by one, stirring in between.

7. Lastly, add the grated cheese and knead the dough until smooth and homogenous.

8. Roll into little balls.

9. Place on a greased (or lined) baking tray allowing a little room for it to 'grow'.

10. Place in a preheated oven at 180ºC or 360ºF (fan-forced) until golden (usually 20-25 mins)

The texture should be crispy/crunchy on the outside, gummy/gooey on the inside....

You can also freeze the balls and store in the freezer so you can bake as required after thawing them at room temperature for 15 mins (that is what I do, as these are best eaten freshly baked). 

Enjoy!

If you make them, please do leave a comment below ;) 

Or if you already make Pão de Queijo, please feel free to share your recipe!  

 OOTD:  Top and tote: Everlane (Fall's Seed stitch raglan in merino and Petra Market tote), Shoes: Chanel espadriles, Jeans: Frame Denim (available at Shopbop and Net-a-Porter), Watch: Larsson Jennings (available here at Net-a-Porter), Ring: Balenciaga  (updated version available from Matches Fashion and Barneys), Picnic rug: Christmas present from my lovely sister.

Happy Friday everyone!


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Healthy chocolate mousse? Dairy-free, refined sugar free, guilt-free, but so so yummy!

I grew up eating avocados, I think we ate it almost everyday growing up in Brazil.  Even back then in the 80's my mom had heard it was a 'superfood', and she wanted us girls to benefit from all its nutrients.  I must admit I didn't quite like eating it, so we had it with condensed milk,  then blitzed as an avocado smoothie, and when after we got tired of having avocado smoothies, my mom froze them into popsicles.  Fast-forward a few avocado-less years, and I rediscovered it a few years ago.  I had never seen it used as a spread, and when I tried it in a wrap filled with salads and turkey breast, I fell in love.  I love it in salads, but when I heard of it being used in chocolate mousse, I was intrigued yet hesitant, I thought it'd be too clawy, heavy or that it'd taste like avocado instead of chocolate mousse.  I looooooooove chocolate mousse, but have made it maybe once, and as it's not the healthiest of desserts, I don't eat it often.  Now that's about to change.  I finally decided to try my hand at this vegan-friendly (not that I'm vegan, but I love vegan foods too), refined-sugar free (yes!) and nutrient-filled chocolate mousse:

 pic from The Healthy Chef

I adapted (only very slightly) this recipe from Teresa Cutter (aka The Healthy Chef) (I have made several recipes of hers and bookmarked countless more).

Healthy Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dark Agave syrup (or honey, or coconut nectar, 4 fresh pitted dates, brown rice syrup or organic maple syrup)
2 ripe avocados (I had the flesh of two avocados in the freezer and only half-thawed them as I wanted my mousse to be an ice cream)
1 tsp vanilla extract (or paste or pods from 1 fresh vanilla bean)
1/2  cup raw cacao powder (you can also use cocoa)
70ml of coconut milk/cream (mine was in the freezer and I partially thawed it, as I wanted it firm and semi-frozen)
Pinch of sea salt and cinnamon

Method:

Blitz everything in a food processor until smooth and creamy.

Spoon into a bowl and allow to set in the fridge. (I didn't have to do that because my main ingredients were still half-frozen).

I love mine with raspberries, the acidity cuts through the sweetness, marrying the cacao beautifully!

Teresa's suggestions:

A splash of water or coconut water will make the mousse lighter.

Adding 2 tablespoons melted cacao butter or cold pressed coconut oil will firm up the mousse.

She says the mousse will make a great topping for cakes and cupcakes.

Enjoy!

pics via my iPhone/Instagram

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Vanilla, cherry and raspberry macaroons (no spelling mistake here)

I am in no way a healthy eater, I love food both healthy and unhealthy.  Somehow, as I grow older I am finding things increasingly 'too sweet' for me, and I don't feel as good when I eat too much refined sugar.  I first started getting into 'raw' food when I was pregnant with Lil' Brigs #2.  My body really did not sit well with all the junk I usually ate/eat, and I kept craving fresh food, lots of vegetables, no refined sugars.  I think it was my body's way of telling me, yep, you've been eating too much junk, it's time to change (whereas usually those who restrict their diet go all out when they're pregnant, haha!).It was then that I discovered the world of 'raw foods'.  And the world of 'raw desserts', oh my! Desserts minus the guilt and yucky feeling after? Yes please!

I recently bought some macaroons for a picture I wanted to make (first picture below, if you're curious), and proceeded to eat some of them.  I didn't feel very nice even after just one of them.  So I looked up a recipe for a healthier version.  When I found this one below on Loving Earth's website (I have bookmarked so many recipes!), I was so excited I couldn't wait to make it (and have done so twice now), I got the kids involved and they love it too!  I only made one teensy adjustment from the original recipe, as I love raspberries, and wanted a bit of tartness to my macaroons (raspberry macarons are one of my favourites, along with pistachio).  These are seriously so good!

I know you're probably thinking: what? a recipe? Yeah, it's been yeeeeeears since I last shared one, but this was too good not to!

Warning: these can be addictive!

 And so good with coffee...

 all photos via my iPhone for my Instagram account (you can follow me here)

Now, onto the recipe:

Vanilla, cherry & raspberry macaroons

Ingredients

• 2 cups fine Desiccated Coconut

• 1 cup fine white almond meal

• ¼ cup 100% pure Coconut Nectar

• 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil

• ½ cup pitted black cherries, chopped (I used frozen, and used a mixture of 2/3 raspberry and 1/3 cherries)

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (I used raspberry 'juice' - the liquid I got from the raspberries after it defrosted)

• Zest of one lemon (I didn't use it in mine, but it's in the original recipe)

• 2 teaspoon vanilla paste

• Pinch of coarse sea salt

• Extra coconut and lemon zest (again didn't use this) to roll balls in

Method

• If you’re using frozen cherries (and raspberries if you're using them) like I did, thaw them out a little, pat them dry and chop them up
• Blitz everything in a food processor till well combined
• Make balls using a 1 tablespoon mixture per ball
• Roll balls in desiccated coconut and lemon zest (if using them)

 Enjoy!

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