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Your pantry is probably lined with all the essential baking staples— but beyond flour, sugar, and baking soda, there’s one unique ingredient many of us have but don’t often use: cornstarch.
That powdered thickening agent works like magic when you have a soup or gravy to thicken, but what exactly is cornstarch, and why does it work so well?
What Is Cornstarch?
Cornstarch is a powdered ingredient that was developed in the 1800s and is mainly produced in countries that grow corn, like the United States, India, China, and Brazil. It lasts forever and won’t lose quality if stored correctly, out of the light, and in an air-tight container.
Scientifically speaking, cornstarch is a carbohydrate pulled from the endosperm of corn. It’s comprised of starch molecules, which swell when in contact with heat and moisture, causing the results to gelatinize. That gelatinization comes in handy for various recipes that need to be thickened.
Culinarily speaking, cornstarch can…
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