If you’ve ever had these, they are unforgettable. The doughy texture of the cassava flour, mixed with the sweetness of this ancient root gives this bread a “melt in your mouth,” type of feeling. For those who are eating low carb, gluten free, paleo, or bulletproof; this recipe for Brazilian Bread Balls fills the void just enough to help you stay on track during the tough parts of the month.
Brazilian Bread Balls are a great thing to bring to parties, cook for your family and make ahead of time for those weak moments when you’d rather have a donut 😉 I’ve included 3 recipes to go with this article. One is savory, one is sweet, and one is plain.
Since most of the ingredients get tossed in the blender, it makes this recipe quick with minimal clean up. I had them mixed, rolled, and in the oven in less than 10 minutes!
Ingredients For Brazilian Bread Balls
3 Versions: Herb Garlic, Blueberry or Plain
Plain Pão
1 cup cassava flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup XCT oil or vegan buttery spread
1 egg (at room temperature)
Garlic-Herb Pão
1 cup cassava flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp dried herbs or 2 Tbsp fresh herbs, minced
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup olive oil, vegan buttery spread, or XCT oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
1 egg (at room temperature)
* I skipped the garlic cloves and added 1 teaspoon of garlic salt – this covered the salt requirement and the garlic as well.
Savory or Sweet Blueberry Pão
1 cup cassava flour
For Savory: 1/2 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp cumin + 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
For Sweet: 2 tsp sugar + pinch salt + 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries + 1 – 2 tablespoons of additional cassava flour
1/2 coconut milk
For Savory: 1/4 cup XCT oil
For Sweet: 1/4 cup vegan buttery spread, Ghee or XCT oil
1 egg (at room temperature)
Instructions for Gluten Free, Dairy Free Brazilian Bread Balls
The view of the batter inside my Vitamix blender
In a blender, mix all wet ingrediants plus spices, sugar (only for sweet version), and salt.
Next, add in your cup of cassava flour and blend on low. It will become the consistency of play-dough.
Remove a portion at a time and roll into balls. Place in a muffin tin or on a cooking sheet.
*Fitness Tip: whatever size you create with the dough, that’s the size they will stay. These hold their shape and form through out the entire cooking process.
Cook at 375 degrees F, for 25 – 30 minutes. The longer you leave them in the crunchier the outside of the bread will be. I like to warm them before serving.
FOR THE SWEET VERSION:
Add the blueberries at the very end of the process after all ingredients have been blended together. Mix on low or pulse into the mixture slowly. Then use a spatula to combine better. Pulse once more then begin to create your cassava balls.
ALSO NOTE: that you have to add an additional 1 -2 tablespoons of cassava flour to counteract the water in the berries. If you forget to add this, the dough will be too sticky to form.
Allergy Update
In pervious posts, I’ve always used the SO Delicious boxed coconut milk because it was the one I reacted the least to. However, after testing out the Nature’s Forest Brand, I’ve found it to be a more balanced product with even less reactions. For that reason, I’ve inserted Fit Tip Daily’s amazon link. The can is also lined with a BPA free plastic to prevent heavy metals from leaching into the milk.
Nutrition Facts for Brazilian Bread Balls
When they are cooked, they will have a crunchy outer shell and a soft chewy middle (when warm). Once cooled, they will still have a crunchy outer shell but the inside will be more of a bread texture. I always make 2 batches of these and place them in a ziplock bag (once cooled). Keep them in the fridge to ensure freshness through out the week.
Adria Ali
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