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4.2: Starch-Thickened Products

  • Page ID
    43463
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    Learning Objectives
    • Demonstrate increased skill in thickening starch mixtures.
    • Prepare some basic starch-thickened products.
    • Identify a standard product for pudding and compare its qualities with commercial pudding products.

    Preparation of White Sauce and Variations

    Thin Medium Thick Very Thick
    Butter or margarine 1 tbsp. 2 tbsp. 3 tbsp. 4 tbsp.
    Flour 1 tbsp. 2 tbsp. 3 tbsp. 4 tbsp.
    Salt* 1/8 tsp. 1/8 tsp. 1/8 tsp. 1/8 tsp.
    Milk 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup

    Melt fat in a saucepan. Blend in flour and salt; remove from heat. Add milk, stirring to blend; return to heat and stir gently while heating quickly to a full boil. Boil for 1 minute if the sauce is not to be cooked further.

    *Amount of salt may vary with added ingredients or intended use of the white sauce.

    White Sauce Variations

    • Tomato Sauce: Substitute tomato juice for milk in the above recipe for medium sauce. Omit salt.
    • Brown Sauce: Follow instructions for medium white sauce with the following changes: 1) Omit salt if a salted liquid is used. 2) After the flour and butter are blended, continue to heat until the mixture has turned a light brown color. 3) Substitute water or broth for milk.

    Sensory Evaluation

    Sauce Appearance Texture Uses
    Thin White Sauce     Cream soup, vegetable sauce
    Medium White Sauce     Casserole base, cheese sauce
    Thick White Sauce     Soufflé
    Very Thick White Sauce     Croquettes
    Tomato Sauce     Tomato soup or gravy
    Brown Sauce     Gravy, meats

    Prepare Cream Soups

    Cream of Asparagus, Spinach, or Pea Soup

    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoons finely chopped or minced fresh onion (not dry minced)
    • 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
    • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
    • 1/8 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup milk
    • ¼ cup pureed or finely chopped vegetable
    • dash of white pepper

    Instructions

    Cook onion in butter over low heat until onion is translucent.

    Stir in cornstarch and salt; remove from heat. Add milk, stirring to blend; return to heat and stir gently while heating quickly to a full boil.

    After the mixture has boiled for 1–2 minutes, add vegetables. Heat to serving temperature and add a dash of white pepper.

    Pimento and Onion Soup

    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoons minced fresh onion
    • 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
    • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup milk
    • 1 Tablespoon chopped pimento
    • dash of white pepper

    Instructions

    Cook onion in butter over low heat until onion is translucent.

    Stir in cornstarch and salt; remove from heat. Add milk, stirring to blend; return to heat and stir gently while heating quickly to a full boil.

    After the mixture has boiled for 1–2 minutes, add pimiento. Heat to serving temperature and add a dash of white pepper.

    Cream of Celery Soup

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup thinly sliced celery
    • 2 teaspoons minced fresh onion
    • 1 Tablespoon butter
    • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
    • ½ cup milk
    • ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth

    Instructions

    Cook celery and onion in butter over low heat until vegetables are translucent.

    Stir in cornstarch; remove from heat. Add milk and broth, stirring to blend, return to heat, and stir gently while heating quickly to a full boil.

    Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.

    Cream of Potato Soup

    Ingredients

    • ⅔ cup diced potatoes
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup reserved cooking liquid, from cooking potatoes
    • 2 teaspoons minced fresh onion
    • 1 Tablespoon butter
    • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
    • ⅔ cup diced potatoes
    • 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
    • dash of white pepper

    Instructions

    Peel, dice and cook potatoes in enough salted water to just cover potatoes; drain and reserve cooking liquid.

    Cook onion in butter over low heat until onion is translucent.

    Stir in cornstarch; remove from heat and add milk and reserved cooking liquid from potatoes, stirring to blend, return to heat and stir gently while heating quickly to a full boil.

    Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.

    Add potatoes and parsley; heat to serving temperature and add a dash of white pepper.

    Creamed Peas, Carrots, and Potatoes

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup diced potatoes
    • ¼ cup diced carrots
    • ¼ cup peas, frozen
    • 1 Tablespoon butter
    • 1 Tablespoon corn starch
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup half and half
    • 1/2 teaspoon parsley, dried

    Instructions

    Vegetable Preparation: Peel and dice potatoes and carrots. Measure potatoes, carrots, and peas.

    Cooking Vegetables: In a saucepan, first, cook potatoes and carrots in enough lightly salted water to cover them. When the potatoes and carrots are almost done cooking, add in the peas and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes. Drain the vegetables.

    Cream Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan. Blend in cornstarch and salt; remove from heat. Add half and half, stirring to blend; return to heat and stir while heating to a full boil. Boil for 1 minute.

    Mix cooked vegetables and parsley into the cream sauce and serve.

    Sensory Evaluation

    Cream Soup Appearance Consistency Flavor
    Asparagus      
    Spinach      
    Pea      
    Pimento and Onion      
    Celery      
    Potato      
    Creamed Peas, Carrots, and Potatoes      

    Prepare Basic Puddings

    Cocoa Pudding

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon cocoa
    • dash salt
    • 1 cup milk
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla
    • ½ teaspoon butter

    Instructions

    In a small saucepan, mix cornstarch, sugar, cocoa, and salt. Blend in milk.

    Cook over medium heat, stirring gently until the mixture boils. Continue cooking over direct heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring slowly but constantly.

    Remove from heat, blend in vanilla and butter, and pour into serving dish to cool.

    Chocolate Pudding

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • dash of salt
    • 1 cup milk
    • ⅓ oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into small pieces
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla

    Instructions

    In a small saucepan, mix cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Blend in milk; add chocolate.

    Cook over medium heat, stirring gently until the mixture boils. Continue cooking over direct heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring slowly but constantly.

    Remove from heat, blend in vanilla, and pour into serving dish to cool.

    Vanilla Pudding

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon + 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
    • 1/8 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup milk
    • 1½ teaspoons butter
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions

    In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually stir in milk.

    Cook over medium heat, stirring gently until the mixture boils. Continue cooking over direct heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring slowly but constantly.

    Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into a serving dish and cool.

    Peach Tapioca Pudding

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca
    • dash salt
    • ⅔ cup peach juice (from the can) and/or water**
    • ½ cup peaches, chopped fine
    • few drops of almond extract

    Instructions

    In a small saucepan, mix tapioca and salt. Blend in peach juice and/or water; let stand for 5 minutes.

    Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture barely simmers. Simmer for 1 minute; remove from heat.

    Cover and let stand for about 5 minutes to complete gelatinization of starch. Stir in peaches and almond extract. Pour into a serving dish and cool.

    **Add 1 Tablespoon sugar for each ½ cup of water.

    Prepare Commercial Puddings As Assigned

    Prepare a package of regular packaged pudding and pie filling mix or instant pudding mix according to package directions.

    Sensory Evaluation

    Evaluate all puddings at the same temperature if possible.

    Pudding Appearance Texture Flavor Overall Quality
    Cocoa        
    Chocolate        
    Vanilla        
    Peach Tapioca        
    Packaged (regular box mix)        
    Packaged (instant box mix)        
    Ready to Eat (snack pack)        
    Ready to Eat Rice (refrigerated)        
    Ready to Eat Tapioca (refrigerated)        

    This page titled 4.2: Starch-Thickened Products is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Erica Beirman and Kate Gilbert (Iowa State University Digital Press) .

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