Effect of the State of Starch Dispersion in Choux Paste on the Puffing of Buckwheat Choux

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the distribution of buckwheat starch in choux paste and evaluated the effect of its degree of dispersion on choux pastry puffing.

The starch in buckwheat flour is primarily present in broken endosperm cell units with few small starch granules. Such a dispersion state persists in the choux paste. Ultrasonic homogenization effectively promoted the efflux of starch granules from endosperm cells but also caused the degradation of buckwheat proteins into low-molecular-weight peptides. The buckwheat choux paste was difficult to emulsify owing to this change in protein composition. No increase in puffing of the buckwheat choux was observed.

Supplementation of the buckwheat choux paste with several kinds of starches not only yielded a hard and brittle texture but also increased the specific volume. Particularly, the addition of tapioca or arrowroot starches (with low elastic moduli) to choux paste notably improved the puffability.