Thickening advice

[DOMS]

I have the following recipe:

Sweet & Sour Souce

4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup Splenda
1/4 tomato paste

Combine all ingredients into a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, stirring contstantly. Set aside until ready to use or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours.

Any advice as to how I can make it thicker?

Thanks for any help.

 

[wild]

Cornstarch is a thickening agent...if it's not thick enough, add more.

Guar gum is also a thickening agent...that might work

 

[DOMS]

Will using too much cornstarch change the flavor?

 

[wild]

No...but you probably have to cook it a bit longer than one minute. Stir constantly.

 

[Vieope]

Any advice as to how I can make it thicker?

Use half a cup of water instead of one.

 

[DOMS]

Thanks guys, I'll give it all a shot.

In reward, I give you a recipe that will kill your diet.

4 pounds white colossal onions
2 eggs, beaten
1 quart whole milk
1 can beer
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder

Crosscut peeled onions into 1/2-inch rings, discarding onion hearts. In separate container combine eggs, milk, and beer. Mix flour and baking powder thoroughly in separate container. Soak onions in milk mixture and coat onions in flour. This step is repeated a second time, and may be done a third time to insure that the entire onion is dusted with flour mixture. Fry onions in a deep fryer until golden brown.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

 

[boilermaker]

No...but you probably have to cook it a bit longer than one minute. Stir constantly.

Yeah, you have to cook it until it boils to know how thick it is going to get.

 

[DOMS]

Thanks again.

As you can tell, I've had very little experience with cooking. Which I'm in the process of rectifying.

So many things to learn, so little time.

 

[Pylon]

Yeah, you have to cook it until it boils to know how thick it is going to get.

I would agree wiht that if we were talking about flour as the thickener (which, even then, thickens as it cools.) The problem with using corn starch is that it is not very heat stable. If you boil it even a little more than needed, it will release the liquid and you will be back at the starting point.

I'd suggest switching from corn starch to arrowroot powder. Use about a tablespoon per cup of liquid. For this application, I'd go about 1 T and 2 teaspoons for a fairly tight sauce. Dissolve the powder in a cold liquid (use some of the water) first, then add in and heat. It will thicken pretty fast, as root will tighten up at a simmer (lower than a boil.)

 

[DOMS]

What are pylon? A chef?

 

[maniclion]

The easiest solution is use a little over 2/3 cup water first then if it comes out to runny or too thick adjust a bit more.

 

[DOMS]

Thanks manic. Over the next 6 months or so, I'm going to try to up my knowledge of cooking.

"Would you like some ecoli with that?"

 

[Pylon]

What are pylon? A chef?

Nah, just a hobby.