Which roux is cooked until very dark and has a nutty/roasted flavor, with the least thickening power?

Which roux is cooked until very dark and has a nutty/roasted flavor, with the least thickening power?

• A. Blond Roux
• B. Brown Roux
• C. Dark Brown Roux
• D. Temper

Answer: (C)

Roux color tracks both flavor development and thickening power. The longer you cook a roux, the darker it becomes, developing a nutty, roasted aroma. But as it darkens, the starch’s ability to thicken diminishes because the starch granules are damaged and dextrinization reduces swelling. A very dark roux offers a deep, roasted flavor with the least thickening ability among common roux stages, which is exactly what this description calls for. Blond roux is pale and thickens well; brown roux has more color and a bit less thickening; temper isn’t a roux at all—it’s a technique for adjusting temperature—so it doesn’t fit the concept of a browned roux with limited thickening.

Roux color tracks both flavor development and thickening power. The longer you cook a roux, the darker it becomes, developing a nutty, roasted aroma. But as it darkens, the starch’s ability to thicken diminishes because the starch granules are damaged and dextrinization reduces swelling. A very dark roux offers a deep, roasted flavor with the least thickening ability among common roux stages, which is exactly what this description calls for. Blond roux is pale and thickens well; brown roux has more color and a bit less thickening; temper isn’t a roux at all—it’s a technique for adjusting temperature—so it doesn’t fit the concept of a browned roux with limited thickening.