The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

the interior. For this reason, it’s essential to add
your starch in a form whereby the liquid can be
absorbed evenly, either by combining it with a small
amount of cold water to form a slurry or by
combining it with a solid or liquid fat to form a
beurre manié.

Some Common Culinary Starches

There are a number of starches available in the
supermarket. Flour and cornstarch are the most
common, but potato starch and arrowroot can also
be found. This chart shows you their thickening
power, along with the best ways to incorporate
them.

STARCH AMOUNT

NEEDED  TO

THICKEN 1

CUP MILK    TO

THE

CONSISTENCY

OF  HEAVY

CREAM

BEST    WAY TO

INCORPORATE