Another plus, it’s naturally gluten-free! So if you’re looking for a gluten-free product, masa could be a smart choice!
The problem with masa flour
If you are using masa flour, there are a few things to be aware of.
- Water retention is CRITICAL! If the dough isn’t properly hydrated, then it just falls apart. Gums can help with this.
- Fine tune your fat percentage. Too much, and there will be off flavors or odors. Not enough, and your product won’t have the desired firmness and chewiness.
How is it made?
Masa is a dough made from ground corn that has been cooked in alkali. The wet masa dough is dried and ground, resulting in corn masa flour or masa harina. There are several stages for corn masa flour production using nixtamalization process, the traditional method used.2 First, dried maize is soaked in a solution of water with lime, often with ashes mixed in. The grain is then cooked, steeped, drained, and rinsed multiple times. After which, the grain is then ground to make masa. Masa can be further dried into masa flour.
Want more insight into masa? Find it here!
