Tapioca Starch
Ground from cassava root, tapioca starch is the secret behind that glossy pie filling, that chewy gluten-free cookie, that sauce that holds together without going cloudy.
What It Is
Tapioca starch comes from cassava, a starchy root crop grown across South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The root is processed down to a very fine, bright white powder with almost no flavor of its own. That neutrality is the whole point: it thickens and binds without changing the taste of anything around it.
It behaves differently from cornstarch. It sets clear and stays clear, which makes it the better choice for fruit pies and glazes where you want the color to show. It also holds up better in the freezer, so sauces and fillings thickened with it do not turn watery when thawed.
What To Do
Use about one tablespoon of tapioca starch for every cup of liquid you want to thicken. Stir it into a cold liquid first, then add that mixture to whatever is hot on the stove. It thickens fast, so keep the heat moderate and pull it off once it clears up.
In gluten-free baking, it works best mixed with other flours rather than on its own. A few tablespoons in a cookie or bread recipe adds chew and helps hold the crumb together. Store it in a sealed container away from moisture and it will keep for a couple of years.
