Salt In Baking: Its Function and How to Use It Well

When you think of baking, your mind probably jumps straight to sugar, flour, or butter. But there’s one ingredient that doesn’t get as much attention, even though it’s just as important: salt. Yes, that little pinch of salt in baking you don’t even think twice about makes a huge difference in baking. Whether you’re baking cookies, cakes, bread, or even pastries, salt does more than just make things salty. 

So, how does salt work in baking? How do you use it to your advantage? What are the different types of salt? This guide will cover what salt is, why it’s important in baking, and how it works its magic. We’ll also give you practical tips for using salt in baking and share which baked goods get better with salt.

What Is Salt?

Salt is one of the most basic substances in our daily lives. Chemically speaking, salt is composed of two elements: sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl). Sodium and chloride combine to form salt. While sodium plays a key role in maintaining proper body functions like fluid balance and nerve function, salt’s primary role in baking is to enhance flavor. 

For example, adding salt to a batch of chocolate chip cookies helps balance its sweetness and helps the flavors stand out more. Without a pinch of salt, the cookies might taste flat, no matter how much sugar you use. It might not take much, but a small amount of salt makes a huge difference in making baked products taste better.

Types of Salt

Salt comes in many forms, each with its unique texture, flavor, and use. Here are the types of salt you can use to balance a dessert’s sweetness, enhance its flavor, or even use as a preservative: 

1. Table Salt

Table salt is the most common type of salt. It’s what most of us have in our kitchens, making it fit for general baking. You can use it to enhance the flavor of cookies, cakes, bread, and pastries, especially if chocolate is involved. The fine grains dissolve easily, so you can incorporate them into doughs and batters. In addition, table salt is usually iodized, making it a good all-around salt for everyday use.

Best Baking Use: Use table salt in cake batter, cookie dough, or any recipe that needs a fine, easily dissolvable salt.

2. Kosher Salt

Kosher salt is coarser than table salt. However, it’s popular for sprinkling on top of baked goods before they go into the oven. The larger crystals have a pleasant crunch that doesn’t overpower the flavor. It’s also a great choice for making bread dough since its texture helps develop the dough.

Best Baking Use: Sprinkle on top of focaccia or pretzels before baking for a delicious, salty crust.

3. Sea Salt

Sea salt can add both texture and flavor to your baked treats. It’s commonly used as a finishing salt that provides a hint of crunch and a more complex flavor. You can use it in desserts for that sweet-salty contrast.

Best Baking Use: Sprinkle sea salt on double chocolate cookies or use it to make salted caramel for a gourmet touch.

4. Himalayan Pink Salt

Himalayan pink salt has a milder flavor and pink color. It’s a great finishing salt for those who want that distinctive look. While not as common as table or sea salt, Himalayan pink salt stands out because of its look and subtle flavor. 

Best Baking Use: Use as a finishing touch on sugar cookies or caramels for a pop of color and a light salty kick.

5. Flakey Salt

Flakey salts like Maldon add a light crunch and make baked goods more appealing. It’s used to finish off a dish right before serving, making it ideal for gourmet presentations. Flakey also salt dissolves quickly in the mouth, giving that salty kick without overpowering the dish.

Best Baking Use: Use flakey salt to garnish chocolate desserts, like brownies and butterscotch bars.

6. Seasoned Salt

Seasoned salts are less common in baking. But they could be fun for savory baked goods like cheese biscuits, focaccia, and scones. The pre-mixed herbs and spices add amazing flavors to the dish without the need for extra seasoning. 

Best Baking Use: Use seasoned salt in savory baked recipes to enhance the dough’s flavor profile. 

7. Pickling Salt

Pickling salt is rarely used in baking because it’s mainly used to preserve foods. However, it’s a good alternative to other types of salt mentioned in this list. It also dissolves quickly and has no additives.

Best Baking Use: Substitute for other types of salt when making dough if you don’t have the right salt. 

8. Black Salt 

Black salt is also not commonly used in baking because of its strong eggy flavor. However, you can use it in vegan baking to replicate the taste of eggs, especially in savory baked goods.

Best Baking Use: Try using black salt in vegan quiches or savory bread for that eggy taste. 

9. Smoked Salt

Smoked salt is used in niche baking, but it can add an interesting depth to savory bread or certain desserts. Its smoky flavor works best when you want to add an unexpected hint of flavor to your baked goods.

Best Baking Use: Use smoked salt in savory bread recipes or sprinkle it on top of chocolate brownies or dark chocolate tarts for that smoky, salty, and sweet contrast.

10. Rock Salt

Rock salt is rarely used in baking because of its large, coarse crystals that don’t dissolve well. However, you can use it to make ice cream, where it helps with freezing.

Best Baking Use: Use rock salt in ice cream machines to help freeze your homemade ice cream. 

What Is the Function of Salt in Baking?

Contrary to popular belief, salt has many functions in baking. It’s not just about enhancing flavor. Salt also affects the texture, structure, and even the chemistry of your baked goods. Here’s a closer look at the functions of salt in baking:

1. Enhances Flavor

This is the most common role of salt: enhancing the natural flavors of other ingredients in your recipe. Salt balances the sweetness of desserts and prevents them from tasting overly sweet. It also enhances the flavors of spices, fruits, chocolate, and even butter. Salt also brings out the complex flavors of savory baked goods like breads and biscuits. 

Have you ever tried a cookie or cake without salt? It likely tastes flat even when the other ingredients are there. Salt brightens up the flavors and helps create a more balanced treat. 

2. Strengthens Gluten

Gluten development is key to getting the right texture in baking. Gluten is a network of proteins that gives dough its structure and elasticity. Salt helps tighten and strengthen this gluten network, making the dough more elastic and easier to work with. As a result, the product has better texture, chewiness, and structure.

In addition, the gluten structure will be weaker without salt. This makes bread or pastries too soft or crumbly. If you’ve made bread and noticed it was too floppy or had a bad structure, it could be due to a lack of salt.

3. Helps With Fermentation

Salt helps regulate the fermentation process. Yeast feeds on sugar, which produces carbon dioxide gas. Salt slows down this process by drawing moisture out. As a result, it helps control the rate at which the dough rises. This gives the dough enough time to develop in flavor and structure before it rises.

The yeast might also work too quickly without salt. This leads to over-proofed dough with large air pockets and a weak texture. This is especially crucial in bread making, where slow fermentation is needed.

4. Improves Texture

Salt affects the texture of your baked goods, too. It helps regulate how the dough or batter absorbs and retains moisture. This results in a firmer, crisper texture in cookies or a soft, tender crumb in cakes. It also helps prevent baked goods from becoming too dry or too soggy. In addition, salt helps give bread a chewy texture by strengthening the gluten. 

5. Preserves Freshness

Salt has long been used as a preservative. While this is not its primary function in baking, it can help extend the shelf life of your baked goods. By controlling moisture levels and slowing the growth of bacteria and mold, salt can help keep bread, cookies, and cakes fresh for longer.

So, whether you’re baking a batch of muffins or a loaf of sourdough, salt is working behind the scenes for the success of your recipe.

Tips for Using Salt in Baking

Using salt in baking is easy, but there are a few things you need to do to get the best results. Here are some practical tips for using salt in baking:

1. Measure Carefully

Salt is one of those ingredients where too much or too little can make a big difference. Too much salt can overpower the sweetness of your baked goods, while too little can make them taste bland. 

Always measure your salt carefully. If you’re using a type of salt different from what the recipe calls for (e.g., switching from table salt to sea salt), take note that their grain size and salinity are different. Adjust the amount accordingly.

2. Add Salt at the Right Time

Add salt after the dough has come together but before the first rise if you’re working with yeast. Doing this evenly distributes the salt throughout the dough without messing with the yeast’s activity.

In addition, mix salt with dry ingredients when making cookies, cakes, and pastries. This evenly distributes it throughout the dough or batter, so every bite has the right balance of flavors. 

3. Experiment With Different Types of Salt

While table salt is the most common type used in baking, other salts like kosher salt, sea salt, or even flavored salts can add an extra layer of flavor to your dishes. For example, sprinkling flaky sea salt on top of cookies or brownies adds both flavor and texture.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of salt in your baking. Just remember that the type of salt you use can affect the overall flavor and texture, so adjust your measurements as needed.

4. Use Salt Sparingly in Sweet Treats

A little salt goes a long way in sweet recipes. You only need a small amount to balance the flavors and enhance the sweetness. In fact, many dessert recipes call for just a pinch of salt. Plus, a little bit more salt can cut through the richness in very sweet recipes, like fudge or caramel.

5. Finish It Off

Finishing salt adds a last touch of flavor and texture to your baked goods. For instance, flaky sea salt works well because it adds a light crunch and a burst of salty flavor. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Salt may not be the first ingredient you think of when you’re baking, but it’s one of the most important. It enhances the flavors, improves the texture, and helps create the perfect balance in your baked goods. Whether you’re making bread, cookies, cakes, or pastries, that little pinch of salt could mean the difference between a well-received product and one with bad reviews. 

By understanding how salt works in baking and learning how to use it properly, you can take your baking to the next level. So, the next time you’re whipping up a batch of cookies or kneading a loaf of bread, don’t forget to add that all-important pinch of salt. Happy baking!

About HICAPS

Over the years, HICAPS has helped bakers and businesses make delicious products by offering ingredients like ChiffonAide Cake Oil, Magic Whizk Whipping Cream, Red Velvet Flavor Emulco, and Instabake Brownie Mix. 

HICAPS also provides tools and resources to valued partners, such as the free “How to Increase Your Sales Amidst the Pandemic” E-book and free dealer locator that helps look for baking ingredients near me. 

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