Tapioca (Brazilian Tapioca Starch Crepes)
In short: Chewy gluten-free crepes made by toasting hydrated tapioca starch in a dry pan, then folding in melted cheese or sweet coconut. It takes about 22 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Resting
- 15 min
- Total
- 22 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 345 kcal
In Brazil, tapioca is a crepe, not a pudding. Tapioca starch is dampened, sieved and sprinkled into a hot dry pan, where the grains fuse in about a minute into a thin, chewy disc. It is filled and folded like a taco. Breakfast stands and street carts in the Northeast sell them with melted coalho cheese or with coconut and condensed milk, and tapioca is naturally gluten-free.
Instructions
- Stir the starch, water and salt in a bowl. Rub the mixture between your fingers until it feels damp and crumbly, like wet sand. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
- Press the damp starch through a fine sieve into a clean bowl, breaking up any lumps. The result should be a fluffy, evenly damp powder. Do not pack it down.
- Heat a 20 to 24 cm (8 to 10 in) nonstick skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Sift in a quarter of the starch to cover the base in an even layer, without pressing.
- Cook for about 1 minute, until the underside is set and the layer holds together as a pale disc. Flip it with a wide spatula and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Lay the filling over one half of the disc: cheese (cover the pan for 30 seconds so it melts) or coconut drizzled with condensed milk. Fold over and slide onto a plate. Repeat for the rest and serve hot.
Tips
- If you can find ready-hydrated tapioca (goma de tapioca), skip the first two steps and sift it straight into the pan.
- Other fillings include guava paste with cream cheese, butter with a pinch of salt, banana with cinnamon, or dulce de leche with coconut.
Questions and answers
Is Brazilian tapioca the same as the pearls in bubble tea?
No. Bubble tea pearls are cooked starch balls. Brazilian tapioca is a crepe made from dampened cassava starch, which is the same ingredient in a different form.
Why is my tapioca falling apart?
The starch was probably too dry or too wet, or the pan was too cool. Let it rest after mixing, sieve it well and wait until the layer holds together before flipping.
Is tapioca gluten-free?
Yes, cassava starch contains no gluten. It is a popular breakfast for people avoiding wheat, as long as the fillings are gluten-free too.
How long does it take to make Tapioca (Brazilian Tapioca Starch Crepes)?
About 22 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 12 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Tapioca (Brazilian Tapioca Starch Crepes)?
About 345 kcal per serving, with 7 g of protein, 62 g of carbohydrates and 8 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 345 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 62 g |
| Fat | 8 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 340 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
