Cornstarch and flour are made from corn but differ in nutritional profiles, tastes, and uses.
In the United SCorne, the powder is made from whole corn kernels. Cornstarch, o in the United States, the other hand, is also a fine powder, but it’s made from only the starchy part.
They have different culinary applications due to their differences in nutritional content and processing methods. In some countries, they even have other names.
This article will tell you all you need to about the differences between cornstarch (corn flour) and cornstarch.
Processing
Corn flour and cornstarch can be made from corn.
The result is a fine powder made by grinding the whole corn kernel. It contains all the nutrients and vitamins in whole corn, including protein, starch, and fiber. It is usually yellow.
Cornstarch, on the other hand, is refined. It’s made by removing all the fiber and protein from the corn kernel. This leaves only the starchy endosperm. The endosperm is then turned into a powder.
Corn flour is rich in B vitamins, iron, and potassium. It also contains Magnesium and other nutrients.
Cornstarch is devoid of B vitamins and contains much less other nutrients than corn flour.
Flavor differences
Like corn, corn flour has a sweet and earthy taste.
You can use it in addition to wheat flour or instead of it in pastries, bread, pancakes, and waffles to give them a corny taste.
In the United States, cornmeal is often confused with corn flour. Cornmeal is a coarser ground flour made from corn kernels. Cornmeal is more distinctive in taste than corn flour.
On the other hand, cornstarch is mainly flavorless and adds texture, not taste. It is a light powder used to thicken food.
Confusing names
Cornstarch is commonly referred to as corn flour in Israel, Ireland, and other countries ( 4).
They may also refer to cornmeal as cornmeal.
So, when recipes or cooking instructions originate from outside the United States, they may refer to cornstarch instead of cornmeal or cornflour when they mean cornstarch.
If you are unsure of which product to use in a particular recipe, you can determine the country where it was created.
You can also look at how the corn is used in a recipe. Corn flour is the best choice if you want to use it similarly to wheat flour.
Cornstarch should be used if the recipe demands thickening soup or gravy.
Recipes that do not interchange
Cornstarch and cornflour cannot be used together in recipes due to their different nutritional compositions.
You can use corn flour to make waffles, pastries, bread, biscuits and pancakes. It is an excellent alternative to wheat flour. It gives a distinctive corn flavor and a yellow color.
Corn flour, however, does not contain the gluten found in wheat and gives bread and baked products their elasticity and strength. This may lead to a product that is more dense and crumbly.
Cornstarch can thicken sauces, soups, gravies, and stews. It should be mixed with a cold liquid before adding it to a hot dish.
Cornstarch, primarily starch without any proteins or fats, cannot be used the same as corn flour when baking.
Cornstarch can also be added to fried or breaded food, which helps give it a crisp finish. Cornstarch can also be added to the confectioner’s sugar to prevent it from clumping.