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THICKENING AGENTS

Thickening agents have three functions to improve consistency (depending on the thickening agent). Their first task is to bind and thicken liquids, as the name suggests. Their second task is to round off the sauce’s taste. Their third task is to make the sauce smoother and creamier.

Farine (Flour)

Thickening sauces simply by flour can have the following reasons: 1. Re-thickening a sauce that is not sufficiently thick. 2. Reducing the energy content of a sauce by not using fat as a thickener. Thickening sauces simply by flour does not require any additional butter or fat (as is usually the case in a Roux). The following methods apply: a) for dark sauces: Mix flour with a little tomato puree and red wine until reaching a liquid consistency, b) for white sauces: mix flour with milk until reaching a liquid consistency, c) for all other white sauces: mix flour with water or, according to taste, with white wine until reaching a liquid consistency. In any case, pass through a sieve and add to gently boiling liquid, stirring the sauce vigorously until the desired consistency is reached. Important to note: Continue to gently boil sauce thickened with flour for at least 10 minutes, stirring it frequently so that the starch granules swell and the optimum thickening degree is reached without affecting the taste.

Roux

Sweating flour in fat has two advantages: 1. Starch turns into dextrin and thus loses its floury taste. 2. Flour is bound by fat as a “transportation vehicle” and dissolves more easily in the liquid / sauce. We differentiate between white and brown Roux. The thickening ratio for 1 litre of liquid / sauce: 40 g (1 1/3 oz) of butter or fat (coconut fat, margarine etc.) and 50 g (2 oz) of flour. a) White Roux for all white sauces: Slowly heat fat, and gently cook flour for one to two minutes over low heat. b) Brown Roux for all brown sauces: Slowly heat fat and gently roast and brown flour for approximately 30 minutes over low heat. In both cases: Add the warm liquid / sauce to the Roux which is still hot, bring to the boil, frequently stirring the sauce or alternatively place cooled down Roux in hot liquid / sauce and dissolve, stirring frequently. It is recommended to add hot liquid to cold Roux. Reason: The sauce boils up more quickly and the risk of burning is thus reduced.

Roux Clair

1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.

2. Add flour and mix with butter.

3. Gently sweat flour for a maximum of 2 minutes without browning it.

1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.

2. Add flour and mix with butter.

3. Gently sweat flour for a maximum of 2 minutes without browning it.

Roux Brun

1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.

2. Add flour and mix with butter, stirring constantly.

3. Slowly increase temperature until reaching desired colour (resembling hazel colour).

1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.

2. Add flour and mix with butter, stirring constantly.

3. Slowly increase temperature until reaching desired colour (resembling hazel colour).