For Find Out Friday - Why Am I Always Adding in Salt When Baking Something Sweet?

If you have ever read the words #dinneralaDonna then you know I have done a lot of cooking, particularly baking during the last couple of weeks. The recipe I have currently perfected is an apple crumb cake. In fact I have two requests to fill this week alone!

Ever time I cook, or bake, and get to the part of the recipe that requires a teaspoon of salt, I ask myself the same question: why? Why am I adding salt to something that I want to taste sweet? It boggles my mind every single time.

Whenever I ask any of my fellow cooks, I hear the same answer: salt enhances the taste.

It appears they were right.

According to what I have been reading, salt even in such small amounts, is used to reduce bitterness and allow the sweet flavors you are baking to come through at maximum concentration. However the opposite is also true. If you increase the amount of salt you use, your result will savory.

When salt is used in breads, salt plays an additional role by giving added strength to the dough. Without it the yeast can fail to rise properly. Such is also true for cakes. One thing no one wants is a heavy mass when they are expecting a fresh loaf of bread or fluffy cake.

This all makes perfect sense.

Salt is the tastiest ingredient I know of. Any food that has salt in it is my favorite, but it needs more than a teaspoon to qualify. This is the reason I eat so much pizza. Salt plus carb plus cheese makes live worth living.

Now I know why those of you are a big sweet eaters get addicted, because salt, no matter how much, makes everything better.

I will surely be thinking of this as I continue with my baking streak.

For More Information:

http://www.progressivebaker.com/tips_tools/salt_affecting_baking.html

https://www.weekendbakery.com/posts/salt-in-bread-baking-how-much-and-why/

http://www.homebaking.org/foreducators/askexperts/salt.html

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