Bob Pastorio wrote:
>
> Miche wrote:
>
> > In article >,
> > Bob Pastorio > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>How do the thickening powers of, say, cornstarch, arrowroot, and flour
> >>>differ? Not what the outcome looks like or how it keeps, but how they
> >>>relate in thickening power. I.e., if it takes 1 tbsp of flour to
> >>>thicken x amount of liquid, it will take how much arrowroot to produce
> >>>the same thickness in the same amount of liquid?
> >>
> >>flour (as roux)= 2 tablespoons to 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups liquid
> >>potato starch= 1 tablespoon per cup liquid
> >>tapioca starch= 1 tablespoon per cup liquid
> >>cornstarch= 1 tablespoon to 1 1/2 to 2 cups liquid
> >>arrowroot= 1 tablespoon to 2 cups liquid
> >>
> >>They don't all have the same effects. Potato starch will be more
> >>opaque than the rest, but it will thin out with boiling. Tapioca
> >>starch will become stringy if not handled properly. Arrowroot will be
> >>the shiniest.
> >
> >
> > Arrowroot thins out again on standing. It needs to be added right
> > before serving.
>
> I don't agree. It will thin if held on heat for a protracted period or
> if overwhisked because of the stress ("sheer") on starch strings.
> Otherwise, it works as well as any starch and better than most.
>
> If you want the technical stuff, start here for how the starch is
> tested. <http://www.starch.dk/isi/methods/19brabenderNotes.htm>
>
> Here are some definitions:
> Pasting temperature The temperature at which the viscosity curve
> produced in the Brabender viscograph leaves the baseline as the
> temperature rises during the initial heating process. Care is needed
> in using this term as other definitions exist.
>
> Peak viscosity The highest viscosity reached during the gelatinisation
> of starch usually corresponding to the point where all the granules
> are swollen to occupy a high proportion of the available volume with
> each in contact with its immediate neighbours. May be conveniently
> observed on the Brabender Viscograph. Note that on cooling the starch
> paste, the viscosity may rise above this level, but only the initial
> shoulder (Corn starch) or true peak (Potato starch) values determined
> on the hot paste are termed peak viscosity.
>
> Here are the characteristics of arrowroot.
> <http://www.starch.dk/isi/starch/arrowroot.htm>
>
> The black line is when and how hot the "cook" is. The red line tells
> you how thick it is over time. That it thins slightly with long
> cooking, but thickens upon cooling.
>
> Pastorio


Agreed... I've used Cornstarch, flour, and arrowroot in my cooking and
frankly, have had the BEST luck with arrowroot not breaking on even
overnight refrigeration of leftovers! :-) I use it most of the time now.

But, that's just my personal experience with it....

K.

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