Thickness is the thickness of an element : that is, how thick, bulky or wide it is. The idea of thickness can also be linked to condensation or the density of a substance.
For example: “The number of minutes that the preparation must be in the oven depends on the thickness of the meat,” “The works include the construction of 10-centimeter-thick sidewalks,” “My hairdresser recommended a cream so that my hair does not lose thickness.”
Thickness is a very important characteristic in different contexts. A wall , to cite one case, will be more or less resistant, and will have greater or lesser insulating capacity, according to its thickness. Due to its thickness, on the other hand, a glass panel may or may not resist intense winds.
Knowing the thickness of a mattress is also very important, since the thickness of this product affects the quality of rest. The thickness, in addition, must be linked to the type of base chosen.
In the context of gastronomy , thickness is key to determining cooking times . A thick dough requires more cooking time than a thin dough; The thickness even affects the final product, since certain recipes require a thin dough to be pleasant to chew.
Depending on the ingredients and cooking, on the other hand, a sauce can be achieved to have a certain thickness. In this framework, for example, the amount of flour and milk used makes the white sauce (or bechamel sauce) more or less thick.
The thickness of the sauce is one of its properties that is least attended to by people with little culinary knowledge, given that its basic shape is associated with tomato in an almost liquid state, a clove of garlic, oregano and salt. However, given that there are countless sauce recipes that, in turn, must be combined with many dishes with different characteristics, it is not correct to assume that this component of the meal should always be light in consistency.
One of the advantages of thickening a sauce is that it gives it a better appearance and therefore also improves the presentation of the overall dish. When we leave it too liquid it can give the sensation of not having been cooked well or of having a greater amount of water than necessary; On the contrary, a good thickness speaks of control over the ingredients and cooking.
On the other hand, a sauce with an adequate thickness can be consumed without the help of other products , such as bread, very useful in certain cases due to its absorption capacity. Depending on the recipe, correcting a sauce that is too thin can be easy or difficult; In some cases, it is even possible to do it once cooked, just before serving.
The quintessential ingredient to thicken a sauce is flour . This is good news for any cooking lover, since it is an economical and very common product. In addition to its price and easy access, flour offers a key benefit in this context: it does not alter the flavor of the mixture. Of course, we should not exceed the quantity, and we should not allow lumps to form, for which it is necessary to stir at every step.
On the other hand, we have cornstarch, an alternative that acts instantly, so it is not necessary to dissolve it like flour. While the sauce is boiling on the stove, we must add cornstarch until we achieve the desired thickness. A third option is breadcrumbs, ideal for creams , mushroom sauces and soups, among other recipes; Since it quickly absorbs liquid, it can get us out of trouble without much effort.