Basic White Sauce

I use three methods of making a white sauce, depending on time mainly as my reason for choosing which I make. White sauces are usually thickened with flour, either plain or cornflour.

The most traditional method is prepared with a ‘roux’, this is a combination of fat, I always use butter and flour,  most commonly equal proportions.  It gives a rich base to add other ingredients and can be used for savoury or sweet sauces.

A quicker version of this is to put the cold milk, fat and flour into the pan together and whisk like mad. I tend to use more butter than flour in this version as it stops lumps forming more readily. The milk has to be cold for this though or it will go lumpy. This is also a rich base and can be made into savoury or sweet sauces.

For both of the above sauces always use plain flour.

The ‘cornflour’ method uses no fat in the preparation and can lighten the calorie content somewhat if you need too. This can be as rich or light as you wish. You can have a fairly low calorie sauce if you use skimmed milk and no added fat or add butter to enrich the sauce if that is required. I find this a very versatile way of making a white sauce.

There are no seasonings listed in these recipes as that will depend on what you want to do with the sauce. To flavour these three methods of making a white sauce, the milk may be infused with whatever ingredients you wish before preparing the sauce. See individual recipes for ideas for flavouring sauces in the next few chapters.

White Sauce using the roux method

For 600ml of sauce

40g butter

40g plain flour

600ml warm milk

1.Using a heavy- based pan melt the butter over a low heat and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Metal spoons don’t work so well at working on lumps.

2.Stir for about two minutes without allowing the mixture to colour, so keep over a low light.

3.Remove from the heat. Add the milk slowly and gradually, stirring constantly.

4.When all the milk has been incorporated and the sauce looks smooth, replace on to a medium heat and stir as the sauce comes to the boil.

5.Turn the heat down to low and cook gently for about 5 minutes until the flour is cooked. If this is not done the sauce will taste raw and floury.

6.If there are any lumps in the sauce, simply pass it through a sieve at the end of the cooking time into a warmed jug.

The Quicker Version

For 600ml of sauce

50g butter

40g flour

600ml cold milk

1.Place all the ingredients in a heavy based pan, it gives best results if you sift the flour into the milk.

2.Over a medium heat, stir the sauce with a balloon whisk.

3.Continue to whisk as the sauce comes to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes, still whisking gently though.

The Cornflour Method

For 600ml of sauce

600ml milk, skimmed, semi-skimmed or whole milk 

2 rounded tablespoons corn flour

1.Put about 5 tablespoons of the milk in a clean small jam jar and add the cornflour. Replace the lid tightly and shake the mixture until thoroughly combined. This is the easiest way of mixing flour and liquid.

2.Put the milk in a pan and heat until hot.

3.Stir in the cornflour and stir well with a whisk or a wooden spoon.

4.Bring to the boil stirring constantly then reduce the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Cornflour cooks more quickly than wheat flour.

For a creamy, rich flavour, especially good for sweet sauces, try using a large can of evaporated milk made up to 600ml with water.