SC - Cornflour

[Lilinah biti-Anat]

Ras Rote:
>Corn flour is exactly that. A flour made from corn (e.g., maize) that is of
>the same texture as regular flour only yellowish is color. It makes an
>excellent substitute for wheat flour when used in coating food for pan or
>deep frying, providing a nice depth of flavor lacking in wheat flour.
>
>Cornflour is silky almost oily texture and can be used as a base for body
>powders or as a thickening agent for sauces and gravies. The closest flour
>that I can think of is rice flour so far as texture and some forms of usage.

Whew! Talk about semantic distinctions! (not at all criticism of you, 
Lord Ras, you didn't make the labels). I suppose it's difficult to 
hear the space when talking...

But i feel confident that it is the latter (your cornflour) that is 
called for in the shortbread recipe. Using this, what i've usually 
seen called "corn starch", will make the shortbread more tender and 
delicate.

I don't know if rice flour would have the same effect. My experience 
with rice flour is that it makes the things i've cooked with it 
crisper, but then i use it differently than corn starch, and they may 
ultimately have the same effect. I use rice flour in various Asian 
recipes for pancake-y foods and assorted ethnic crisps, in other 
words, pan fried and deep fried items. I've never used it in baking...

I suppose one could make the experiment - i can see it now, pan after 
pan of shortbread - one all wheat, second a mix of wheat and masa 
harina, third a mix of wheat and Ras's corn flour, fourth a mix of 
wheat and corn starch (Ras's cornflour), and fifth a mix of wheat and 
rice flour...

Anahita al-shazhiya

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