Brazilian Cheese Puffs
Pão de queijo
Just in time for Thanksgiving. Mix up in 20 minutes and eat in another, hot from the oven … A simple foolproof recipe. This small cheese bread is typically eaten as a snack but I say it’s a perfect bread accompaniment for a Thanksgiving meal. It’s mild in flavor, and the cheese is not overwhelming. I suppose you could make them cheesier by using stronger tasting cheeses. And if that’s not enough, you could experiment with herbs or just add some minced garlic. This recipe is pretty authentic and I enjoy the simplicity.
A gluten free recipe … The internal stretchiness and crispy exterior of this little puff come from using tapioca flour. Once the batter is mixed you’ll find it’s quite elastic. Rolling into little balls for baking can be a challenge. (Butter those hands!) All is very characteristic of tapioca flour. Mix the batter by hand or use your electric mixer. Either works perfectly.
Goodness! We’ve eaten them all up and I have yet to post the recipe. I have to honest. I’m particular about my biscotti. Freshly baked gets thumbs up while store bought … can’t go there. The reason is obvious to me … dry toasted vs stale! Try this little recipe … gives you just enough for a day or two treat … simple … delicious & healthy fresh.
It’s a birthday cake for a special friend! He’s so into “The Surprise Cake.” And 
White cake to Chai! And because I wasn’t satisfied with the height, after all, this was for someone’s special birthday, spiced nuts in caramel sauce were added. It was an absolute hit!
Motivated by the Brookster. Didn’t even know about The Brookster or Baked until my recent trip to Tribeca. The cookie was amazing. Thought about recreating it, two of my favorite cookies baked together. Weeks went by and I hadn’t made any cookies at all … unusual since I love homemade cookies right from the oven. I began feeling cookie deprived, craving my favorites. Why not bake my three favorites together. Know it will work! And here it is, a three layer cookie bar!
Mother’s Day was much different decades ago. Mainly a greeting card day. I loved the crafts created by my children and have saved almost all to their horror. For my mom I often made cookies because while she always claimed she didn’t like sweets she never refused them especially cookies. Today, I’ll be celebrating with a nice brunch at the VP, one of my favorite local restaurants. My children have made this day a big deal and I’m almost a little embarrassed but I love it! Enjoy some of my Mother’s favorite sweets. And Happy Mother’s Day!
