Cornflour

This is a white starch (powder) which is made from the very centre of the maize (corn) kernel. Cornflour is commonly used as a thickening agent for sauces and gravies and unlike wheat it doesn’t make the sauce look opaque. It is largely flavourless, although it benefits from being cooked to get rid of any starchy flavour.

It is also good to add to batters as it helps improve the lightness of the crust, and it is also used in baking recipes (such as shortbread, pastry and biscuits) to help make a lighter, more crumbly texture.