Roux - The Sauce Thickens and Darkens
![White, medium and dark roux](http://www.kvalifood.com/kvalifood.files/image/large/99cfe4e5-4f7c-11e6-af5e-ec495403c08a.jpg)
Ingredients
For 1 litre (4 cups) of sauce.
- 5 tbsps clear fat (a little less than 1 dl (1/3 cup))
- 6 tbsp wheat flour. (1 dl (½ cup)) - substitute with fine sweet rice flour for gluten free version.
White roux
Roast the flour gently at medium heat for a few minutes. Is complete when the raw taste of flour is gone. It should not smell roasted.
![Roux - white](http://www.kvalifood.com/kvalifood.files/image/large/78676b16-8db3-1334-8d37-fedcbcfeaf2e.jpg)
Light roux
The same procedure as the dark. It just need a somewhat brighter color. Like milk chocolate. Smells like popcorn.
![Roux - light - medium](http://www.kvalifood.com/kvalifood.files/image/large/acfdef06-a60a-1a16-89b0-20324a779aad.jpg)
Dark roux
Roast at medium to high temperature. When it is finished it must have a clear hazel color. It should be smooth creamy and not muddy! It can take a while to get the right color. The fragrance is like slightly burned popcorn.
![Roux - dark](http://www.kvalifood.com/kvalifood.files/image/large/8a9dd52c-ead8-1884-a04a-e63b3910beba.jpg)
Notes
The clear fat can be either clarified butter, melted fat from cow, chicken or duck. It can also be an oil.
The rule of thumb is 2 parts fat to 3 parts flour. The relationship is not that important as the fat is usually skimmed from the sauce later.
My own personal rule of thumb for how much to use is, 2 tablespoons fat and 3 tablespoons flour/starch per ½ litre (2 cups) final sauce.
The fat can be skimmed off the sauce and can be reused.