cornflour
Definition
- Noun:
- A fine, powdery starch made from corn (maize) kernels: It is a white, flavorless powder used primarily as a thickening agent in cooking and baking.
Usage
As a thickener: Cornflour is used to thicken sauces, gravies, soups, and pie fillings. It creates a clear, glossy finish, unlike wheat flour.
- Add a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with water to thicken the stir-fry sauce.
- The recipe calls for cornflour to give the lemon curd a smooth texture.
In baking: It is often used in combination with other flours to create lighter textures in cakes and cookies.
- These shortbread cookies are made with cornflour for a delicate crumb.
Advanced Usage
"Cornflour slurry": A mixture of cornflour and a cold liquid (like water or stock) used to thicken hot liquids without forming lumps.
- Always make a cornflour slurry before adding it to the boiling soup.
As a coating: It can be used to lightly coat foods before frying to achieve a crisp texture.
- Dust the tofu in cornflour before frying for extra crispiness.
Variants and Related Words
Cornstarch (US): The most common equivalent term in American English.
- In the US, you would ask for cornstarch at the grocery store.
Maize starch: A more technical term for the same product.
Synonyms
- Thickening agent: A general term for any substance used to thicken liquids.
- Starch: A broader category of carbohydrates; cornflour is a specific type of starch.
Important Notes
- Not to be confused with "cornmeal" or "corn flour" (UK): In some contexts, especially British English, "cornflour" refers specifically to the refined starch (cornstarch in US English). However, "corn flour" (two words) can sometimes refer to a finely ground whole corn powder similar to cornmeal, which is used for baking breads like tortillas. The key difference is that cornflour (one word, starch) is a pure white powder used for thickening, while cornmeal/corn flour is yellow and has a grainier texture.
Noun
-
starch prepared from the grains of corn; used in cooking as a thickener
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