Complex Carbohydrates - Starches - Starch & Liquid Mixtures

Terminology within Starch Cookery:

Slurries:

▪ Uncooked mixtures of water and starch

Sols:

▪ Thickened liquids (pourable)
▪ Ex. Muffin or pancake batter

Pastes:

▪ Thickened mixtures of starch & liquid with

little flow

Gels:

▪ Starch mixtures that are rigid
▪ Hydrogen bonding forms a JUNCTION

More…
Terminology within Starch Cookery:

Retrogradation:

▪ Firming of a gel during cooling and

standing

▪ Good- need gel to form

▪ Bad-Cracks in gravy

Syneresis:

▪ Water leaking from a gel

Consider when product will be

served

And Even More…
Terminology within Starch Cookery:

Viscosity:

▪ Resistance of a mixture to flow

▪ Larger molecules more difficult to move

▪ Measures the thickening ability of a starch

Stability:

▪ Ability of a thickened mixture to remain

constant over time

▪ Stable sauce can be frozen and/or reheated

Thickening Sauces with
Starch

◼ Cold Water Paste

▪ Quickly stirring starch with cold water until

paste is formed

▪ Thicken soup broth or gravy

◼ Starch & Sugar

▪ Combining starch and sugar, gradually

adding liquid

▪ Should sound familiar ☺

Thickening Sauces with Starch

◼ Starch & Fat

▪ BEURRE MANIE

▪ Mixture of equal amounts by weight of flour and

butter

▪ Added to hot soups to thicken broth
▪ Disperses starch granules with little risk of clumping

▪ ROUX

▪ Mixture of equal amounts by weight of flour and fat

cooked to a varying degree of doneness

▪ Needs low heat and constant stirring
▪ Extended heating will reduce thickening ability of the

starch

I’m done, I promise… (for now)
Terminology within Starch Cookery:

Opacity:

How much an object blocks light

Translucency:

How much light passes through an object

Modified Starches:

also called starch derivatives, are prepared

by physically, enzymatically, or chemically
treating native starch to change its properties.

Examples:from potato, corn, rice, tapioca, and wheat