Chipa cheese bread rings

AT YOUR PACE, STEP BY STEP

Let’s get baking

1. 01

   Mix the cassava starch, corn flour, and salt in a bowl. If using anise, lightly rub the seeds between your hands and mix them in to distribute their aroma.

2. 02

   In another bowl, mix the softened butter and egg until combined. Add the grated cheese and the 100 ml milk. There is no need to whip air into the mixture.

3. 03

   Add the dry ingredients and bring together with your hands. Gradually add the remaining 20 ml milk, kneading briefly until the dough is soft and can be rolled without cracking. It should hold its shape without feeling runny or sticky.

4. 04

   Cover the bowl and rest the dough at room temperature for 15 minutes to hydrate the flours. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 °C using conventional top and bottom heat, and line a baking tray measuring approximately 40 × 30 cm with baking paper.

5. 05

   Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, approximately 71 g each. On a clean work surface, roll them into ropes approximately 20 cm long and 1.8 cm thick. Join and firmly press the ends together to make rings approximately 8 cm across with open centers.

6. 06

   Arrange the rings on the tray in 3 rows of 4, leaving approximately 1 cm between them. Bake on the middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly golden, firm underneath, and showing small cracks on the surface.

7. 07

   Rest the chipa on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving. The inside should be tender and slightly springy without a wet, starchy paste; if the first one you open is raw inside, return the others to the oven for a few more minutes.

8. 08

   Enjoy warm. Once cool, keep any leftovers in a closed container in the refrigerator and eat within 2 days. To restore their texture, warm them in an oven at 160 °C for 5 to 8 minutes.

Times are approximate and vary with your oven. Use oven mitts and check doneness before serving.