I tried thickening mint tea with cornstarch. I was hoping for something with a more thick mouth-feel. I got the consistency I was looking for, but the cornstarch imparted a slightly mineral/dirty flavor. It certainly didn't ruin the tea, but it wasn't what I was hoping for.
My specific steps were:
- Boil water
- Add cornstarch slurry
- Cook 4-5 minutes more
- Take off heat, add tea bag and sugar (Splenda) then steep.
Will cornstarch always impart this flavor or was it my technique?
Will another common thickener work better (I don't want to have to buy some powder off of Amazon)? Ideally, I would like a thickener that adds no color or flavor, though I'm perfectly happy with one that just adds color.
Thanks.
Best Answer
You could try using arrowroot. This is a widely available alternative to cornstarch - it is used in cookery because it doesn't turn liquids cloudy like cornstarch does. In your case, it might work better as it also has a more neutral flavour.
Substitute 2 tbsps of arrowroot for 1 tbsp cornstarch, and make a slurry with cool water as you would cornstarch. One issue is that overheating can break down the arrowroot, preventing it from thickening, so you are probably better off adding it to the tea after removing it from the heat.