the.com/cornflour
The silent thickener that turns watery sauce into silky confidence.
means A fine, powdery starch (usually from corn/maize, though the British term historically also covered wheat starch) used to thicken sauces, soups, and custards without adding flavor.
from Straightforward compound of 'corn' + 'flour' — in British English 'corn' long meant grain generally, so 'cornflour' originally just meant finely milled grain starch. The American cousin 'cornstarch' (19th century) names the same substance more bluntly, specifying maize and 'starch' rather than 'flour,' which is why the two words can trip up cooks crossing the Atlantic.
- actual identity
- pure starch, no protein, unlike wheat flour
- uk vs us
- british cornflour equals american cornstarch, not fine cornmeal
- science trick
- thickens by gelatinizing, so add near end of cooking
- gluten free hero
- used in baking to lighten and replace wheat flour