#cornstarch

#cornstarch

Sweetening your homemade desserts can often be a matter of taste, depending on whether you want a subtle sweetness, something with rich caramel notes, or add chewiness from liquid sweeteners. But there are some recipes where you can't make substitutes. A smooth frosting, shiny glaze, or some no-bake desserts rely on the fine texture of powdered sugar for the right results. If you're in a pinch, you can make your own powdered sugar with granulated sugar and a coffee grinder.

The step is coating blueberries with cornstarch before adding them to your mix. "Blueberries leak a lot as they bake, and that juice can mess with the crumb or make things a bit wet," Daud explains. "The cornstarch soaks up some of that moisture, so the berries stay more contained." Dredging in cornstarch gives you more control over the berries and resulting texture of your bake, as it keeps them intact and their moisture in check.

Over the years, I've become a huge fan of tofu. Here's a way to prepare it that I can't get enough of: crispy tofu! It's easy to make and comes out perfectly seasoned, with extra crunchy edges and a tender interior. I love that there's no need to press the tofu in this recipe, making it quick and easy for weeknight dinners! It's actually pretty amazing that it can go from a bland blog to meaty, savory cubes in just 20 minutes.

"To fix a baked pie, cornstarch works best as a slurry," Cianfanelli explains. "First, stir equal parts of cornstarch and cold water until smooth..." You don't want lumps in the slurry ( here's what water temperature you should use), so it's important to mix well in a saucepan or in a mixing bowl. Then, this mixture, once heated, will become a thickener that can fix watery pies or runny syrups. For the same reason, we mix cornstarch slurry into the soups, gravies, and sauces.

Since the 1970s, studies have indicated that talc may be carcinogenic even studies conducted by one of its biggest commercial producers, the US pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson. But many studies and experts suggest it's when talc is contaminated with asbestos that it becomes conclusively carcinogenic. Johnson & Johnson says its talc products "do not contain asbestos." However, after a series of court cases and multi-billion-dollar payouts, Johnson & Johnson stopped making talcum powder with talc in the early 2020s

Thankfully, roasting solves both of these problems, intensifying the cruciferous vegetable's flavors and enhancing its texture with a delightful crunch. But if you are looking to turn an already irresistible side dish into a stand-out weeknight staple, try coating your broccoli in cornstarch before roasting to make it extra crispy. You might only associate cornstarch with thickening sauces or soups, but it also works great for crisping up just about any roasted vegetable.

"Cornstarch is the most reliable thickener and doesn't give off that raw flour taste or create a dense texture like regular flour does," says Guy.