Breads
Pan de Bono
Ingredients
- - Queso costeño or a salty white cheese, grated — 300 g (10.5 oz)
- - Sour cassava starch (almidón de yuca agrio) — 250 g (2 cups)
- - Cornstarch — 100 g (0.75 cup)
- - Large eggs — 2
- - Panela or sugar — 2 tbsp
- - Baking powder — 1 tsp
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Combine the grated cheese, cassava starch, cornstarch, panela and baking powder in a large bowl.
- Add the eggs and mix by hand until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms; add a splash of milk if it is too dry to come together.
- Shape into small balls or slightly flattened rounds, about the size of a golf ball, and place on the lined tray.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden on top and firm to the touch.
- Serve warm, ideally with hot chocolate.
Introduction: Pan de bono is a chewy cheese bread made from a mix of cassava and corn starches, originating in the Valle del Cauca region and now sold in bakeries across Colombia.
Cultural Background: Pan de bono is a chewy cheese bread made from a mix of cassava and corn starches, originating in the Valle del Cauca region and now sold in bakeries across Colombia. Its distinctive stretchy, cheesy interior places it within the wider Latin American tradition of cheese breads made with tapioca starch.
Tips: Sour cassava starch gives pan de bono its characteristic chew and slight tang — regular (sweet) cassava starch produces a noticeably different, denser texture.
Variations: Some bakeries add a touch of guava paste inside the centre before baking for a sweet-savoury twist. Naturally vegetarian as written.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Warm in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 5 minutes to restore the fresh-baked texture.
Nutrition: Per piece (approx.): 150 kcal, 5g protein, 16g carbohydrate, 7g fat, 0g fibre.
FAQs
Q: Can I use regular tapioca starch instead of sour cassava starch?
A: You can, though the bread will lack the traditional tang and characteristic chew of the original.
Q: Why did my pan de bono spread flat?
A: The dough was likely too wet; add a little more cassava starch to firm it up before shaping.