Quesbo Little Chefs · Cooking adventures around the world
A golden cheese bite. A colourful pot.
A little chocolate celebration.
Bake pão de queijo, stir a pot of mild chicken galinhada and roll chocolate brigadeiros. Three family recipes and a new stamp for your tasty passport.
Olá! Welcome to a new stop in Quesbo’s Cooking Adventures Around the World. Find a grown-up cooking companion, choose your kitchen jobs and discover how good food comes together one small step at a time.
Our menu explores three family adaptations inspired by Brazilian cooking: golden cheese rolls, a colourful chicken-and-rice dish and little chocolate sweets. Brazil has many regional food traditions, so this is just a small taste. Choose one recipe today, or enjoy all three across several cooking sessions. The recipes are designed for a family of four, with extra little bites to share where indicated.
Choose your first taste
A little taste of Brazil
Brazil’s food traditions are wonderfully varied, with different ingredients and ways of cooking across the country. This little menu brings together pão de queijo cheese rolls, a family version of chicken-and-rice galinhada and brigadeiros, small chocolate sweets often shared at celebrations. Each dish offers a different texture to explore.
Quesbo’s imaginary passport adventure
Quesbo opened the cooking passport and drew three question marks. Why did the little cheese rolls puff in the oven? Where had the liquid in the rice pot gone? How did a soft chocolate mixture become something you could roll? The little chefs made guesses while their grown-up cooked. Then they looked, smelled and compared. They did not need every answer at once. One good question could lead to a whole new kitchen discovery.
What question would you like to investigate before your next cooking adventure?
Golden cheese bites 01 / 03
Pão de Queijo
Little Brazilian cheese rolls with a golden shell and a softly chewy centre
A bowl of warm pão de queijo makes a lovely start to this adventure. These little cheese rolls use tapioca starch rather than wheat flour, which gives their centres a gentle chew. Our home version uses easy-to-find cheeses; an adult makes the hot dough, then little chefs can help shape it once it has cooled.
Ingredients
For the cheese rolls
- 250 g tapioca starch, also sold as polvilho doce; not tapioca pearls or whole cassava flour
- 150 ml whole milk, plus up to 1 tbsp extra only if needed
- 40 ml sunflower oil, plus a little for hands
- 1 large egg
- 90 g mature cheddar, finely grated
- 35 g Parmesan or a similar hard cheese, finely grated
Cook together
Little hands can- Weigh the tapioca starch and count the ingredients.
- Help work the cheese into the cooled dough with clean hands.
- Roll equal-sized balls and count them onto the tray.
- Grate cheese and handle the egg and hot milk-oil mixture.
- Check the dough is cool enough for children to touch.
- Manage the oven, hot tray and serving temperature.
Kitchen scales and measuring jug, Large heatproof mixing bowl, Small saucepan and long-handled sturdy spoon, Grater and small bowl, Baking tray and baking paper, Wire rack and oven gloves
Let’s cook
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Get everything ready
Wash hands. Weigh the tapioca starch into a large heatproof bowl. An adult grates both cheeses and cracks the egg into a separate small bowl, then beats it with a fork. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Keep the egg and cheese aside while the hot dough is prepared.
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Scald the starch
An adult puts the 150 ml milk and 40 ml oil in a small saucepan and heats them until the mixture just starts to boil. Remove from the heat immediately. Carefully pour it over the tapioca starch while stirring firmly with a long-handled spoon. The mixture will form sticky lumps and some crumbly patches; this is normal. Scrape in all the liquid and keep mixing until no loose pockets of dry starch remain.
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Cool before adding the egg
Spread the mixture slightly up the sides of the bowl and leave for 15–20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until just lukewarm. An adult checks the temperature: it must not feel hot. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6. Stir and press the beaten egg into the cooled mixture until fully incorporated; it may look slippery at first, then come together.
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Make a soft cheese dough
Work in the two grated cheeses with a sturdy spoon, then clean hands if easier. The finished dough should be soft, slightly sticky and able to hold a ball; it will not feel like ordinary bread dough. If it cracks and will not come together, add the reserved extra milk 1 teaspoon at a time, stopping as soon as it softens. If it is too sticky to shape, refrigerate for 15 minutes rather than adding lots more starch. Do not taste the raw dough.
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Shape and bake
Lightly oil clean hands. Divide the dough into 16 similar pieces and roll into balls about 3–4 cm across. Children can help with this cooled dough. Set them on the tray with about 3 cm between them. Wash hands after shaping. An adult bakes the rolls for 25–30 minutes, until puffed, lightly golden in places and firm on the outside. Avoid opening the oven during the first 20 minutes.
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Cool and discover the texture
An adult moves the rolls to a wire rack and leaves them for at least 5 minutes. Break one open carefully: the inside should be moist and stretchy, with no wet, uncooked paste. If needed, return the tray to the oven for a few more minutes. Let children’s portions cool and cut into suitable pieces. Taste the crisp outside and the softly chewy middle while the rolls are still warm.
From the table: Pão de queijo means cheese bread in Portuguese and is closely associated with Minas Gerais in Brazil. Recipes use different cheeses and either sweet or sour cassava starch, or a mixture. This family version uses sweet tapioca starch and readily available UK cheeses.
↑ Back to the recipe menuA colourful family pot 02 / 03
Mild Chicken Galinhada
Golden chicken and rice with colourful vegetables, cooked in one pan
Galinhada brings chicken and rice together in one comforting dish. Our mild family adaptation uses boneless chicken, a little turmeric for colour and small pieces of vegetables. Children can measure the rice and arrange the ingredients while their grown-up looks after the chicken and the hot pan.
Ingredients
For the chicken and rice
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 250 g ordinary long-grain white rice, not brown, risotto or microwave rice
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 red or yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into small pieces
- 1 large ripe tomato, about 150 g, finely chopped
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp sweet paprika, not hot paprika
- 500 ml hot reduced-salt chicken stock, plus a little hot water if needed
- 100 g frozen peas
To finish
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Lemon wedges, optional
Cook together
Little hands can- Measure rice, peas and gentle spices before the chicken is handled.
- Wash the vegetables and pick parsley leaves with help.
- Count four serving bowls and choose whether to try a squeeze of lemon.
- Chop vegetables and handle the raw chicken on a separate board.
- Manage browning, hot stock, steam and the covered pan.
- Check the chicken temperature, rice texture and children’s portions.
Kitchen scales and measuring jug, Sieve, Knife and separate chopping boards for vegetables and raw chicken, Wide heavy-based pan with a well-fitting lid, Sturdy spoon, tongs and fork, Clean food thermometer
Let’s cook
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Prepare a colourful line-up
Wash hands. Children can weigh the rice, measure the spices and put the peas in a bowl. An adult chops the onion, garlic, pepper, tomato and parsley on a clean board. Rinse the rice in a sieve and drain well. On a separate board, an adult cuts the chicken into pieces about 2.5 cm across. Do not wash raw chicken; wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling it.
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Brown the chicken
An adult heats 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide, heavy-based pan with a well-fitting lid. Add half the chicken and cook over a medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes, turning to colour the outside. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining chicken. It will finish cooking with the rice, so do not taste it yet. Keep the bowl and utensils used for this partly cooked chicken separate from serving dishes.
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Soften the vegetables
Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining ½ tablespoon oil. Add the onion and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until they start to soften. Stir in the garlic, turmeric and sweet paprika for 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomato and cook for 2 minutes. If browned bits catch on the bottom, loosen them with a small splash taken from the measured stock.
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Let the rice simmer
Stir in the drained rice for 1 minute, then return the chicken and any juices to the pan. Pour in the remaining measured hot stock and stir once to spread everything evenly. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid and turn the heat low. Cook for 15 minutes without stirring. The liquid should bubble gently, not boil fiercely; frequent lid lifting lets the steam escape.
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Add peas and check the centre
An adult lifts the lid away from faces and gently folds in the frozen peas. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes, or for the peas’ packet cooking time if longer. Check that the rice is tender and the peas are piping hot. If the rice is still firm and the pan is dry, add 2–3 tablespoons hot water and cook covered for a few more minutes. Check several of the largest chicken pieces with a clean thermometer: their centres must reach at least 75°C and stay there for 30 seconds. Continue cooking and recheck if necessary.
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Rest, fluff and serve
Once the rice and chicken are cooked, turn off the heat and leave the covered pan to rest for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork and fold through the parsley. Divide between four bowls, making sure everyone has chicken, rice and vegetables. An adult cuts children’s chicken into suitable pieces and lets their portions cool to a comfortable temperature. Offer lemon wedges separately if wanted.
From the table: Galinhada is a Brazilian chicken-and-rice dish with many regional and household versions. Some use a whole chicken cut into pieces. Our small family version uses boneless thighs, mild spices and familiar vegetables, with no hot chilli.
↑ Back to the recipe menuA chocolate celebration 03 / 03
Chocolate Brigadeiros
Small Brazilian chocolate sweets to roll in crunchy sprinkles
Brigadeiros are little chocolate treats often found at Brazilian celebrations. Condensed milk, cocoa and butter cook into a soft fudge that becomes firm enough to roll when cold. This small batch makes twelve sweets: the grown-up does all the hot stirring, and children join in once the mixture is completely cool.
Ingredients
For the chocolate mixture
- 200 g sweetened condensed milk, about half a standard UK tin; not evaporated milk
- 10 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 10 g unsalted butter, plus a little for the plate and hands
To finish
- 30 g chocolate sprinkles
- 12 small paper sweet cases, optional
Cook together
Little hands can- Weigh the cold ingredients and mix the cocoa paste.
- Count twelve paper cases and divide the cooled mixture with help.
- Roll cold sweets in sprinkles and arrange the finished plate.
- Handle the opened tin and supervise measuring.
- Do all hob cooking and judge when the fudge is thick enough.
- Transfer and cool the hot mixture, then check it is cold before children roll it.
Kitchen scales, Small heavy-based saucepan, Silicone spatula or wooden spoon, Shallow heatproof plate and cover, Teaspoon and shallow bowl for sprinkles, Small paper sweet cases, optional
Let’s cook
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Measure before heating
Wash hands. Lightly butter a shallow heatproof plate. Put the cocoa in a small heavy-based saucepan and mix it with a spoonful of the measured condensed milk to make a smooth paste. Stir in the remaining condensed milk and the 10 g butter. Children can help with this cold mixing before the saucepan goes anywhere near the hob.
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Stir over a gentle heat
An adult puts the saucepan over a low heat and stirs steadily with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, scraping across the base and into the corners. The butter melts and the mixture turns smooth and glossy. Continue stirring as it gently bubbles and thickens. Keep children back: this sticky mixture gets very hot and can burn skin.
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Look for the rolling stage
After about 10–15 minutes in total over the heat, the mixture should gather into a thick, soft mass and pull away from the pan as it is stirred. Draw the spatula across the base: a clear path should remain visible for a couple of seconds before slowly closing. Stop at this stage; cooking until it is dry or crumbly makes the finished sweets hard. The visual cues matter more than the exact minute.
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Cool completely
An adult scrapes the mixture onto the buttered plate and spreads it into a shallow layer with the spatula. Leave for about 20–30 minutes until it is no longer warm, then cover and refrigerate for 40–45 minutes, or until cold and firm enough to shape. Put it in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. Children must not touch or taste the mixture while it is hot.
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Roll twelve little sweets
Put the sprinkles in a shallow bowl. Wash and dry hands, then rub a tiny amount of butter over the palms. Divide the cold mixture into twelve similar portions, using a teaspoon or small scales. Gently roll each between your palms into a ball, then roll it through the sprinkles. If the mixture softens and sticks too much, return it to the fridge for 15 minutes before continuing.
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Finish your celebration plate
Place each brigadeiro in a small paper case if using, or arrange them on a plate. Chill for a further 10 minutes if they have softened during rolling. Serve small portions and invite everyone to notice the soft middle and crisp coating. A grown-up can cut the sticky sweets into smaller pieces for younger children; enjoy them seated and take small bites.
From the table: Brigadeiros are well-known Brazilian chocolate sweets, often served at birthday parties. A traditional version combines sweetened condensed milk, chocolate or cocoa and butter, then gets a coating of chocolate sprinkles. This small batch keeps that familiar combination.
↑ Back to the recipe menuThree words for your cooking notebook
Pão de queijo: Portuguese for cheese bread. These small rolls use tapioca starch and cheese, giving them a different texture from wheat bread.
Galinhada: A Brazilian chicken-and-rice dish with many versions. Our boneless, mildly seasoned recipe is made for family cooking.
Brigadeiro: A small Brazilian chocolate sweet made from a cooked condensed-milk mixture. Once cooled, it can be rolled and coated with sprinkles.
Your tasty passport · Brazil
You asked. You noticed.
You discovered something delicious.
A curious cook asks questions, watches ingredients change and takes time to notice new flavours. You can explore with your eyes and nose as well as your taste buds.
- Write BRAZIL at the top of a new notebook page. Draw the dish you made and add the date.
- Before cooking, write one question about an ingredient or a change you expect to see.
- After cooking, record three things you noticed: perhaps a smell, a colour and a texture. You can draw instead of writing.
- Earn your CURIOSITY stamp: share one discovery and choose a question to explore next time.
Food detective: Can you be a curious food explorer even if you are not ready to taste something? Yes. Look closely, notice its smell from a safe distance, ask how it was made or help with a suitable cooking job. A small taste can wait until you feel ready.
A word for your journey: Olá — hello. At the table: Bom apetite — Enjoy your meal.
Food and discovery notes for grown-ups
This original Quesbo adventure offers approachable family adaptations with mild seasoning and clearly shared cooking jobs. Pão de queijo, galinhada and brigadeiros have regional and household variations. This small menu introduces Brazilian cooking through cheese rolls, a mild chicken-and-rice dish and chocolate sweets. Follow each recipe’s specific cooking and storage guidance, especially for raw chicken, cooked rice and hot condensed-milk mixtures. Recipes have not been kitchen-tested. Food images are AI-generated serving illustrations.
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