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Separating Granules
Appears in
By Paula Figoni
Published 2003
Before heating starches, and many other thickening and gelling agents, be sure dry particles are well-separated from each other. If granules are not separated before heating, they will clump. If this happens, they must be sieved out, and this lessens the thickening ability.
Following are the three main ways of separating dry granules from one another. The first two are commonly used in bakeshops.
- Blend granules with other dry ingredients such as granulated sugar. The rule of thumb is to add at least four or five parts sugar to one part dry starch (or gelatin, or gum).
- Add granules first to cold water, making a paste or slurry. This technique is used with gelatin when it is bloomed, and it can be used with most starches except instant starch. Many instant starches—and other ingredients like guar gum that absorb cold water quickly—clump when added directly to cold water. These ingredients must be blended with dry ingredients first, or blended with fat.
- Blend granules with fat such as butter or oil. Culinary chefs use this technique whenever they prepare roux, which is flour blended with and cooked in melted butter.