Easy Chipa Almidón
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
45 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
24 Chipa Almidon
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Calories
262 kcal
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Course
Breakfast
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Cuisine
Paraguayan
Easy Chipa Almidón
Description
This recipe uses yuca (cassava) starch as the base combined with butter and eggs kneaded into the dry mixture of starch, salt, anise seeds, baking powder, and optional dry milk powder. Crumbled queso panela or queso de freir adds a salty, fresh-cheese flavor and moist texture. Buttermilk adjusts moisture for kneading until a smooth dough forms.
The dough is shaped and baked at a high temperature to develop a golden crust with a soft and chewy crumb. The anise seeds provide a mild licorice-like aroma characterizing traditional chipa.
This bread is commonly enjoyed fresh but can be stored and reheated without toughening significantly if handled properly.
The dough can be prepared or shaped ahead and refrigerated, and chipa breads freeze well. Reheating can be done in a microwave briefly or wrapped in foil and warmed in an oven to restore texture.
Ingredients
- 1 kg. yuca starch
- 300 gr. butter , room temperature
- 6 large egg room temperature
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt (to taste)
- 8 oz buttermilk room temperature, 1 cup, or whole milk
- 700 gr. Queso Panela crumbled, shredded, Mexican basket such as El Viajero or Queso de Freir "fresh white cheese for frying" such as Tropical Brand
- 20 g anise seed to taste, 2 tablespoons
- 30 g baking powder 2 tablespoons
- 40 g dry whole milk powder optional, 4 tablespoons, such as Nido Brand
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) and line two 13x18x1-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine tapioca starch, dry milk, salt, anise, and baking powder.
- Pour the yuca starch mixture on a clean work surface and form a well in the center. Add the softened butter and eggs into the well, then cream them with your fingers. You want to make that as much a homogeneous mixture as you can without bringing too much of the tapioca mixture into the fold just yet.
- Once you get it together, start adding the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until a coarse crumb forms. The crumb should be loose but should hold together when pressed.
- Add the cheese and mix until they are evenly distributed.
- Slowly add buttermilk, just enough to make the dough easy to knead but not too firm. Knead by hand until the dough is smooth and compact. Note: You may not need to use all the buttermilk; if the dough becomes too soft, add a little more tapioca starch.
- Knead the dough by using the heel of your hand to push it away, then gather it back using a bench scraper. Continue until the dough is homogeneous and no longer sticks to the work surface and your hands, for about 4-5 minutes. The dough should have a smooth, playdough-like consistency when done.
- Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Take small portions of dough (about 130g each) and roll each into an 8-inch log. Bring the ends of the log together to form a circle. Overlap the ends slightly and gently press them together to seal.
- Place the shaped dough on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden and puffed. Do not overbake. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chipa is best eaten fresh but can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 5 days.
- Reheat gently in a microwave or wrapped in foil in a 350°F oven until warm; avoid overheating to prevent toughness.
- Dough can be prepared in advance and refrigerated covered for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Shape dough and refrigerate formed pieces on parchment-lined trays before baking.
- Freeze shaped chipa on trays until firm, then transfer to freezer bags. Label and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Bake frozen chipa adjusting time slightly until cooked through.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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