You’ll see cornstarch and maize flour in many of my recipes. You might be confused by the differences between cornstarch and corn flour if you are from the US or UK. Since my book was released in the US in August, one of the most frequent questions I receive is: “What’s cornflour?” What is corn flour? Is maize starch the same thing as corn flour? Are cornmeal and cornmeal one in the same? ?”
What is the difference between cornstarch & corn flour?
In the US, both ‘cornstarch” and “corn flour” are commonly used terms.
Cornstarch can be made by extracting starch from the corn kernel, specifically the endosperm. It’s almost all starch. There is no fiber, fat, or protein. It is a fine, white, chalky powder with a very, very appearance. When you rub your fingers over it, the powder ‘squeaks.’ Cornstarch can be used to thicken custards and sauces.
Corn flour is made by grinding whole dried kernels to a fine powder. This is a finely ground-grain meal. It also contains protein, fiber, and a little fat. There are two kinds of corn flour. The more common is yellow corn flour, which is made from yellow kernels. The other type, white flour, is made from white seeds. Although you can use both varieties interchangeably in your recipes, whenever I refer to ‘corn’ flour, I mean yellow corn flour.
Cornstarch is cornflour (cornstarch) in the UK.
This is where confusion begins. In the US, ‘cornstarch’ is the same as ‘cornflour.’ It comes in the form of fine white powder. When referring to starch, the word ‘cornflour is written in a single sentence (without a space between ‘cornflour and ‘corn’).
In order to avoid confusion, I will include this ingredient in my recipes as “cornstarch(US)/cornflour(UK).” To avoid repetition, in this post, I will use the US term “cornstarch.”
Maize flour in the UK = corn flour in the US
The confusion continues… because “corn flour” in the US is also known as “maize flour” in the UK. Note the space between ‘corn flour’ and the word ‘flour.’ We’re talking about the yellow flour made from dried whole corn kernels. It’s just a finely milled corn meal.
Both ‘corn and maize’ are interchangeable, although ‘corn is more common in North America, while maize is used more often in the UK. However, they refer to the same thing.
Cornstarch or corn flour for gluten-free baking
In gluten-free baking, cornstarch and cornflour play different roles.
Cornstarch is a starchy gluten-free flour.’ It gives gluten-free baked goods their fluffy and airy texture but does not contribute to the taste or structure. You can substitute it with arrowroot, potato, or tapioca.
Corn flour is a gluten-free flour that is high in protein. It is a gluten-free flour that adds flavor and structure. However, the amount of system provided by corn flour is negligible when compared with “regular wheat” flour. You can substitute it with equal amounts of white tea, sorghum, or light buckwheat.
Baked To Perfection contains a detailed explanation of the differences between starchy and protein gluten-free flour and their role in gluten-free baking.
It is important to achieve the right balance of starchy and protein flours when baking gluten-free. This will ensure the best texture, taste, and appearance. My Homemade Gluten Free Flour Blend, for example, uses a mixture of brown rice (a “lighter” protein flour), starch from potato (a starchy starch), and corn (a protein starch).
White corn flour vs. yellow corn flour
There are two kinds of corn flour. The most common is yellow flour, which is made from yellow corn. The other type, white flour, comes from white corn kernels. The two types can be used interchangeably.
This is not true. Carotene is responsible for the yellow color of the corn. It has nothing to do with the sugar content.
What is the difference between cornmeal and corn flour (polenta?
The only difference between cornmeal and cornflour is the coarseness of their grinding or milling. Both are made of whole dried corn kernels, but they have a completely different texture.
Cornmeal has a coarser grind, which makes it feel gritty. Cornmeal is commonly used in cornbread recipes but not as a replacement for cornflour.
Corn flour is finer ground and has a fine, sand-like texture.
Polenta is very similar to coarse-ground cornmeal. Authentic polenta, however, is made with a specific heirloom corn variety called eight-row flat, or otto file in Italian. The polenta is also milled a little differently than cornmeal. This results in a heartier, more textured mouthfeel.