Cookbook:Guar Gum
| Guar Gum | |
|---|---|
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| Category | Thickeners and stabilizers |
Cookbook | Recipes | Ingredients | Equipment | Techniques | Cookbook Disambiguation Pages | Ingredients
Guar gum is a thickener derived from seeds of a legume native to South Asia.[1][2][3][4]
Characteristics
[edit | edit source]The gum is sold as a beige powder. It can be hydrated in cool water,[3] whereupon it will bind up to 100-fold its weight of water and impart high viscosity to the mixture.[4][5] However, it cannot actually make gels without other additives.[3] Notably, this viscous mixture is not particularly stable in highly acidic mixtures (< pH 4).[4][5] The gum can sometimes result in an undesirable starchy texture.[1]
Selection and storage
[edit | edit source]Make sure to purchase food-grade guar gum, since non-food grades exist. Keep guar gum in an airtight container away from light, heat, and moisture.
Use
[edit | edit source]The water-binding capacity of guar gum makes it particularly useful in gluten-free baking and frozen desserts. In the former, it adds structure and functions as a binder;[6] in the latter, it reduces the development of ice crystals.[3] It also adds body and mouthfeel to products where a creamy texture is desired.[3][4]
Substitution
[edit | edit source]In some cases, xanthan gum may act as a substitute for guar gum.[1]
Recipes
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ a b c America's Test Kitchen (2014-03-01). The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook: Revolutionary Techniques. Groundbreaking Recipes. America's Test Kitchen. ISBN 978-1-936493-61-6.
- ↑ Figoni, Paula (2010-11-09). How Baking Works: Exploring the Fundamentals of Baking Science. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-39267-6.
- ↑ a b c d e Zeece, Michael (2020). Introduction to the chemistry of food. London San Diego Cambridge Oxford: Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-12-809434-1.
- ↑ a b c d Wong, Dominic. Mechanism and Theory in Food Chemistry, Second Edition. Springer. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-50766-8.
- ↑ a b Velisek, Jan (2014-03-17). The Chemistry of Food. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-118-38384-1.
- ↑ Gibson, Mark (2018-01-04). Food Science and the Culinary Arts. Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-12-811817-7.