We
get so many questions about this, simply because so many recipes
calling for it are from the U.S.A. For all our soapers here in
the U.K. we don't refer to this product as cornstarch, but as
cornflour, so this should take the mystery out of what many bath
bomb recipes include in their ingredients listings.
DEFINITION
TAKEN FROM AN ENCYCLOPEDIA...
CORNSTARCH
A
dense, powdery "flour" obtained from the endosperm portion
of the corn kernel. Cornstarch is most commonly used as a thickening
agent for puddings, sauces, soups, etc. Because it tends to form
lumps, cornstarch is generally mixed with a small amount of cold
liquid to form a thin paste before being stirred into a hot mixture.
Mixing it with a granular solid like granulated sugar will also
help it disperse into a liquid. Sauces thickened with cornstarch
will be clear, rather than opaque, as with flour-based sauces.
However, they will thin if cooked too long or stirred too vigorously.
Cornstarch is also used in combination with flour in many European
cake and cookie recipes; it produces a finer-textured, more compact
product than flour alone. In British recipes, cornstarch is
referred to as cornflour.
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