Jo Whitton's Brazilian cheese puffs

Ingredients

• 200 ml milk (any kind you prefer)
• 100 ml olive oil or melted butter, plus extra for greasing 
• 1 tsp sea salt 
• 300 g tapioca starch or arrowroot 
• 3 large eggs
• 200 g cheddar cheese, or a mixture of cheddar and parmesan, grated 
• extra olive oil or butter for greasing, or 12 paper muffin cups
• butter, to serve, optional 

Cooling time: 1 hour

Instructions

1. Place the milk, oil and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until hot but not bubbling, stirring occasionally.

2. Place the tapioca starch into a food processor, add the warm milk and oil mixture and process until well combined. Stand the mixture in the food processor bowl for 20 minutes or until cool. 

3. Add the eggs and cheese to the cooled mixture and blitz for 20 seconds or until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Place into the refrigerator or freezer until the mixture is completely cold and thickened.

4. Meanwhile, grease a 12-hole muffin tin with olive oil or butter, or line the muffin tin with paper cases. 

5. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 

6. Using an ice-cream scoop or large dessert spoon, scoop out the cold mixture into the muffin holes so they are about three-quarters filled with a rounded top. The mixture will be very stiff and even have a dry, crusty layer- that’s fine, the crusty bits will melt and they will cook perfectly. 

7. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy on the outside. Make sure they are firm to touch before removing from the oven, so they don’t collapse. To make them even crunchier on the outside, you can turn off the oven, leave the door slightly ajar and leave them there for another 10-15 minutes. 

8. Serve hot for a super crunchy outside and chewy inside! 

Catch Helen Tzouganatos whipping up lush gluten-free meals alongside guests in the brand new first series of Loving Gluten Free on SBS and SBS On Demand.