Why do you need corn starch - step by step recipe with photos

Quite often, the list of ingredients for cakes, pies and pancakes includes starch (potato, corn, etc.). This product helps remove excess liquid from the dough, resulting in baked goods that are airy and light. In addition, the dough with the addition of starch becomes viscous and can be used to mold products of any shape. However, the use of starch is contraindicated for some people; women who carefully watch their figure also do not like this product due to its high calorie content, and in the end it may happen that the absence of starch in the kitchen cabinet is discovered at the very last moment when you run to the store late. How to be? How to replace starch in baking? We'll talk about this today.

No matter how surprising it may seem, there are a large number of alternatives to starch. This product in baking can be replaced with flour, ground coconut, semolina, breadcrumbs and even raw eggs. Which alternative to use in this or that case should be decided based on the type of baked goods you decide to pamper your household with.

Paint for creativity.(STARCH)

paints
Safe and very simple. I take 1-2 tbsp. spoons of water and twice as much starch, I mix it all with the chosen dye, always food coloring. First, the powder should be brought to a boil, cooled, and then just add paint. These were the very first finger paints for us, but it is convenient to paint with a brush.

And here you can read how to use starch for beautiful skin

What to put in shortcrust pastry and pie dough instead of starch?

Baking from shortcrust pastry, as well as pies, the original composition of which involves the use of starch, will turn out no worse if you replace the powder with coconut or semolina ground into dust. In a desperate situation, you can put more flour into the shortbread dough and increase the portion of the ripening agent a little, you can be sure that the substitution will not be noticed. Baking will turn out delicious if you put an increased portion of eggs in the dough instead of starch. As a last resort, you can use breadcrumbs; they will have exactly the same effect as starch.

Culinary experiments

How can you replace corn and potato starch if you don’t have any of the above in the house? Of course, it is better to postpone preparing the dish until better times. But when you really can’t bear it, you can try making starch at home. How to do it? Use this recipe.

Compound:

2-3 potato tubers;
cold water.

Preparation:

First, let's prepare the potatoes. Wash it in water to remove dust and dirt, remove the peel in a thin layer and cut into cubes.
Place the potato pieces in a blender bowl and grind everything thoroughly until pureed.
Now take gauze folded in several layers and squeeze out all the juice that appears through it.
This juice will be a natural starch substitute. 4 tbsp. l. liquids will replace 1 tbsp. l. the same dry ingredient.

If you want, you can work even harder and get real dry starch from potatoes. To do this, they soak it in water, and then wait until all the liquid comes out and the tubers fade. The potatoes are thrown away, and the water is gradually evaporated in the oven. True, this process is labor-intensive. It is much easier to buy a bag of a ready-made product in a store.

Starch is a unique substance. It is a complex carbohydrate found in plants. It is well absorbed and is actively used in food production. I most often use potato starch, but corn starch is often used in recipes. Now we’ll talk about whether cornstarch can be replaced.

How to replace cornstarch in baking?

Starch increases the elasticity of the dough, giving it airiness and friability. In biscuits, starch removes excess moisture, resulting in a lighter finished product. So, if we see cornstarch in a recipe, but we don’t have it on hand, what’s the right thing to do – just skip this ingredient or replace it with something else?

Some chefs claim that nothing bad will happen if this ingredient is not put into the dough at all, but the flour must be sifted. Better yet, do this several times, and then the baked goods will turn out very light and airy without starch.

If, for example, we talk about, then it makes sense to replace corn starch with semolina in the same proportion.

If you are wondering what to replace corn starch in cream with, let us tell you that you can safely replace it with regular flour. It will give the product the required consistency and thickness.

What can you substitute for cornstarch in ice cream?

When cooking, cornstarch can be replaced with regular wheat flour. In this case, the amount of flour should be exactly the same as the amount of starch. And it must be sifted.

Can I replace corn starch with potato starch?

Potato starch can be found in the kitchen, and on sale much more often than corn starch. So can they be interchanged? Let's look into this issue.

It turns out that starch is different from starch. Potato starch is more viscous. If you cook jelly on it, it will turn out thick and more transparent. And the jelly in which corn starch was used will come out more liquid and opaque. And if you do replace corn starch with it, then it costs about 2 times less. If you follow this simple rule, then the products in question are completely interchangeable.

In general, if you find corn starch in a recipe, you shouldn’t be afraid, because we’ve just told you how to replace it.

Corn starch is often used to prepare various dishes, but many do not know what it is and why it is needed. Let's look at this issue in more detail.

How to replace starch in cutlets

If your recipe for making cutlets involves adding starch to the minced meat, then you can safely replace it with various types of flour and raw grated potatoes.

If you just can’t do without starch, you can prepare it at home. To do this, you need to peel one medium-sized potato, grate it on a fine grater, and then squeeze it well or keep it in water. The light-colored precipitate that appears is starch.

Now you know how to replace starch when preparing various dishes. And if you suddenly find out that you don’t have it, then you can easily replace it with another ingredient, or do without it altogether.

In many baking recipes, especially pies with juicy fruit or berry fillings, jelly, cookie dough or pancakes, we find starch, a white thickening powder. You need it quite often, but what if you run out of starch at the most inopportune moment? Or do you want to treat a guest to baked goods who, due to medical contraindications, should not eat starch? In this case, you can replace it without losing the taste of your products.

Why is it useful?

Corn starch can be both beneficial and harmful. Its beneficial effect on the body is as follows:

Reduces cholesterol and blood sugar levels, so diabetics and people on a diet can consume it in small quantities. For example, when eating according to the Dukan system, dishes should be prepared using this substance;
Improves the functioning of the central nervous system, indicated for stress and depression;
Increases blood clotting and has a positive effect on the condition of blood vessels, so it is recommended to use it for hypertension, anemia and diseases of the cardiovascular system;
Quickly satisfies hunger, because the process of breaking down the carbohydrates it contains lasts quite a long time;
The vitamin complex supports the immune system;
Used by athletes to accelerate muscle gain and activate the body's strength;
Promotes the excretion of urine and bile. Decoctions are prepared from it, which are used in the treatment of urolithiasis;
Approved for use by people with celiac disease - gluten intolerance.

This substance is used in folk and traditional medicine. Various medicinal drugs are prepared from it. It is included in some medications.

Recipes with cornstarch

Corn starch cream

Delicious custard for cakes, pastries or biscuits is very easy to prepare. Moreover, corn starch is much better suited for this purpose than potato starch, as it makes the cream lighter. By making this cream at home, you can enjoy the real taste of an absolutely natural product.

To prepare you will need:

butter or cream – 200 g (150 ml);
chicken egg – 2-3 pcs.;
vanilla sugar – 1 tsp;
milk – 0.5 l;
corn starch - 2 tbsp;
granulated sugar – 200 grams (for a very sweet cream).

Mix vanilla sugar, a little sand and milk in a saucepan. Boil the mixture, stirring constantly to make the cream more tender. After boiling, you need to remove and leave the liquid to infuse under the lid for 30 minutes.
Mix the remaining sugar and starch. Add eggs to them. The more dry mixture, the thicker the cream will be, so it is not necessary to use all the eggs.
Pour about a third of the hot infused milk into the egg-starch mixture in a stream, remembering to stir. The consistency of the resulting mixture should be uniform, bring it to that consistency.
Gradually add the rest of the milk and stir.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook with constant stirring. As the mixture thickens, reduce the heat.
After boiling, the cream needs to be boiled for another 2 minutes and add butter or cream.
Remove from heat and place in refrigerator covered or with cling film. In a few hours the cream will be ready.

Cottage cheese casserole with cornstarch

low-fat cottage cheese – 0.5 kg;
egg – 4 pcs.;
sour cream – 2 tbsp;
granulated sugar – 7 tbsp;
butter – 20 g;
corn starch - 2 tbsp;
cinnamon, raisins, vanillin, etc.

Beat the egg whites, adding a pinch of salt.
Beat the cottage cheese (with a mixer at low speed) with sugar, starch and yolks.
Lightly beat the egg whites again and pour into the cottage cheese.
Add raisins, vanilla, cinnamon or similar for flavor.
Pour the mixture brought to homogeneity into a baking dish, previously coated with a piece of butter.
Bake for 30-40 minutes at 180˚C.

Pancakes with cornstarch

2 eggs;
200 g starch;
2 tbsp. olive oil;
2 tbsp. Sahara;
400 ml milk;
lard - for lubrication.

Combine eggs with granulated sugar and beat until foamy. For a dish with a salty filling, you need to salt the liquid, and for a sweet filling, do not use salt.
Gradually add starch while stirring the mixture. The result will be a fairly thick and dense slurry.
Dilute the base with milk, also stirring during the pouring process.
Just before frying, add the oil and mix thoroughly.

Corn starch porcelain

This product can be used to make cold porcelain, perfect for home sculpting.

Mix 2 tablespoons of powder with a spoon of Vaseline oil (can be replaced with Johnson's Baby oil). Add glycerin (2-3 drops).
Grind the ingredients, add baking soda on the tip of a teaspoon, stir.
Add two spoons of PVA glue.
Stir until smooth. If the mixture turns out to be too thick, you need to add a little more glue.
Knead the mixture in your hand until you obtain a homogeneous white plastic substance. The porcelain is ready.

To store cold porcelain, it is better to wrap it in cling film, greased with hand cream.

How to use in individual dishes?

The sauce, whatever it is, should always have thickness. Because of this, it contains starch. The quantity depends on how thick the sauce is required. Several components may be suitable as replacements for this product.

Flour. It is gradually introduced into boiled cold water, and added to the sauce before the final stage of cooking.
Ground flax seeds. They are diluted in cold water and boiled before adding.
Cream or sour cream. The products are poured into the dish and stirred lightly.

To obtain a sauce of proper quality, any products that add thickness should be added over low heat, stirring regularly. In this case, the dish comes out with the desired consistency.

In cottage cheese casserole, it is better to replace the product in question with semolina in a 1:1 ratio.

In ice cream, sifted wheat flour is suitable to replace corn starch, in the same amount as starch.

When preparing cutlets, starch is replaced with one of the following types of flour:

Flour is replaced in the same way as in previous examples. You can replace it with raw, finely grated potatoes. However, this is not a complete replacement due to the starch content of potatoes. Starch is also used to thicken the cream of cakes. But since it has a damp aftertaste, as a result of which the taste of the cream deteriorates, it is not recommended to use it. In this case, starch can be perfectly replaced with the following products.

Semolina. It must first be boiled, you need to add products as follows: half a liter of milk, 80 grams of semolina, 40 grams of sugar, one teaspoon of lemon zest. And only then they make the cream.
Gelatin. This product can be a starch substitute when making cream. In such a situation, it must be diluted following the instructions. The resulting mass is mixed with the finished cream. Apply the cream after it has cooled.
Coconut flakes. It is quite suitable for this in its ground state. The shavings will make a wonderful cream. The only thing is that it will take a little longer to prepare the cream, since the product will take longer to dissolve. The shavings are poured into the prepared cream in the amount of three tablespoons per liter.

The above products make it possible to create a consistency identical to that to which starch is added. At the same time, all creams are pleasant to taste and rich in nutrients.

In the preparation of baking fillings, products are used that add thickness to dishes.

Eggs. They are added to fillings made from meat, potatoes and other vegetables.
Flour. It is used for a variety of fillings, both salty and sweet in taste. Wheat flour is mainly used, but products made from corn, buckwheat, and oatmeal are quite suitable. Add it dry in the amount of five tablespoons per kilogram of filling.

Replace starch in various dishes, including desserts. Baking turns out airy when adding the appropriate product.

Why is it useful?

Corn starch can be both beneficial and harmful. Its beneficial effect on the body is as follows:

Reduces cholesterol and blood sugar levels, so diabetics and people on a diet can consume it in small quantities. For example, when eating according to the Dukan system, dishes should be prepared using this substance;
Improves the functioning of the central nervous system, indicated for stress and depression;
Increases blood clotting and has a positive effect on the condition of blood vessels, so it is recommended to use it for hypertension, anemia and diseases of the cardiovascular system;
Quickly satisfies hunger, because the process of breaking down the carbohydrates it contains lasts quite a long time;
The vitamin complex supports the immune system;
Used by athletes to accelerate muscle gain and activate the body's strength;
Promotes the excretion of urine and bile. Decoctions are prepared from it, which are used in the treatment of urolithiasis;
Approved for use by people with celiac disease - gluten intolerance.

This substance is used in folk and traditional medicine. Various medicinal drugs are prepared from it. It is included in some medications.

How to prepare starch

We have offered a sufficient number of starch alternatives. If the search for a replacement is not due to contraindications to the use of starch, but to the lack of the product at home and the reluctance to go to the store to buy it, you can prepare it yourself. Peel the potatoes, rinse thoroughly, grate and squeeze through cheesecloth. Leave the freshly squeezed juice for a while; the sediment that appears is nothing more than potato starch. Drain off excess water and let the starch dry, after which it can be used for its intended purpose.

Dear visitors to our portal, perhaps, while creating culinary masterpieces, you had to replace starch with alternative products. We will be grateful if you share your experience in the comments to this text.

Replacement options: what to choose

Many housewives know that potato starch is used in cooking. But it can also be different:

If one type is not available, you can easily use another in the same quantity. If there is none, you will have to select a replacement, but taking into account what kind of dish is being prepared and what ingredients are included in it.

If you once replaced starch in a sauce with flour, do not rush to resort to the same method when you prepare jelly, because the result will not be satisfactory.

In one case, the product is needed to obtain thickness, and in the other, for gelling. This means that we’ll look in detail at proven ways to replace starch at home so as not to spoil the dish.

If the recipe calls for adding starch along with flour, you can discard the first component if it is absent. In this case, increase the amount of flour by several tablespoons. This replacement is acceptable for sauces and dough. You can add it to jam or jam filling. Different types of flour are suitable:

A raw egg

Sometimes potato starch is added to cutlets so that it absorbs excess moisture. Then the finished products will not fall apart during baking. The cutlets will turn out perfect if they contain an egg. It is believed that 2 tbsp. l. starch can be fully replaced with one small chicken egg.

Features of potato starch

In most situations, a corn product can be replaced with one made from potatoes, and vice versa. And this despite the fact that corn starch is often used in desserts, and potato starch is rarely used in sweet dishes. This is due to their taste.

One tablespoon of starch from potatoes is replaced by two tablespoons from corn. This is due to the fact that potato has a more viscous consistency. For example, if you take both varieties in equal quantities and cook jelly from them separately, then the potato variety will produce a clear and viscous drink, and the corn variety will produce something similar to a cloudy compote.