Do I need to add salt to that?

In today’s post, I will share an answer that I got from my granny to a question that was bothering me for quite some time when I was starting my baking journey.

As a beginner, I was asking myself “Why do I need to add salt in baking?”

Like those stuff are supposed to be sweet, right?

The answer is: salt in baking is added to improve the texture of your baked goods, enhance the color and the flavors.

Rising: Salt plays a very important role when making, for example, bread. Salt helps control the rate of the yeast’s fermentation which means that it slows the rise of yeasted baked goods, leading to an even and stable texture. It allows the dough to rise straight up into a fluffy round pillow instead of spilling on the sides.

Color: Salt also improves the overall appearance of dough and pastry. Have you ever heard of brushing egg wash on top of your pastries to give them golden color? You can deepen the color by simply adding a pinch of salt in the wash you use to brush over the yummy dough or pastry before you put it in the oven.

Texture: When it comes to gluten-free flours, they have lower protein content than wheat flour. Salt in this case helps to strengthen the proteins in the gluten-free flours so that air pockets can form and your dough can rise. This way your baked goods will not be dense but light and fluffy.

Favor: On top of all that salt can enhance flavors. When added to the right dessert, the citrus will taste fresher, render spices will be more aromatic, and dark chocolate, as well as cocoa, will taste less bitter.

Interesting fact: When salt and butter (in general all fats) are combined, the salt make the oily taste in your mouth less perceptible.

Of course, you should be careful with the amount of salt you add, you don’t want your sweets to be salty.

I hope you found out something new today! ❤