Starches

In addition to flours, other starch products are also used in the bakeshop. Unlike flour, they are used primarily to thicken puddings, pie fillings, and similar products. The principles of thickening with starches are covered in Chapter 9.

1. Cornstarch has a special property that makes it valuable for certain purposes. Products thickened with cornstarch set up almost like gelatin when cooled. For this reason, it is used to thicken cream pies and other products that must hold their shape.

2. Waxy maize and other modified starches also have valuable properties. They do not break down when frozen, so are used for products that are to be frozen. Also, they are clear when cooked, and give a brilliant, clear appearance to fruit pie fillings.

   Waxy maize does not set up firm like cornstarch but, rather, makes a soft paste, which has the same consistency hot and cold. Thus, it is not suitable for cream pie fillings.

3. Instant starches are precooked or pregelatinized, so they thicken cold liquids without further cooking. They are useful when heat will damage the flavor of the product, as in fresh fruit glazes (such as strawberry).