A Baker's Guide to Best Salt for Baking
Written by: Indiana Sugars
When people think about all the delicious ingredients that go into baking, salt isn't necessarily one of them - at least not right away.
Flour. Sugar. Butter. These are the elements that bring our sweet treats to life. But baking salt is also essential when it comes to determining not only the texture of the finished product but the flavor and even the overall quality as well.
Having said all that, it's essential to acknowledge that not all salt is created equally. If you truly want to make sure you're using the best baking salt to accomplish your own needs, there are a few pivotal things to keep in mind.
The Importance of Salt in Baking
In the world of traditional cooking, many people look at salt as just another seasoning. In baking, however, it plays a much larger role in the quality of the finished product. Salt is used to balance sweetness, to help with yeast activity, and more - all proportional to the amount you use depending on whatever concoction you're trying to bring to life.
What Does Salt Do in Baking?
One of the biggest things that salt does in baking involves acting as a flavor enhancer. It can significantly alter the taste profile of your baked goods, making them sweeter or even more complex, depending on the total amount you use and what the recipe calls for.
Salt also acts as an essential preservative. It can help extend the shelf life of your baked goods and prevent bacteria growth, which is ideal if you're serving products that are eventually intended for public consumption.
In a larger sense, baking salt also helps to regulate yeast activity. It slows down the yeast formation and prevents it from growing too quickly, which can give you more control over the eventual texture of the finished product as well.
The Best Types of Salt for Baking
Again - not all baking salt options are created in quite the same way. If you're going to be using salt for baking, you need to know the differences between the various types so that you can make the most informed decisions possible given the items you're working on.
Table Salt
Tablet salt is the most common type found in both private and professional kitchens nearly everywhere. It's highly refined and often has anti-caking agents that can significantly impact both the flavor and the texture of your sweet treats in the long run.
Kosher Salt
Kosher salt is a type of salt that is known for its large, coarse grains - especially when compared to table salt. Because of these differences, it dissolves more slowly - making it great for doughs and batters in particular.
Sea Salt
The grains of sea salt typically vary in size, on the other hand, which is great for more complex baking projects. It also has a bit of a briny flavor when compared to other types of salt, with table salt being a notable example.
Flakey Sea Salt
Flaky sea salt, as the name implies, offers larger, irregular salt crystals and a more delicate texture when compared to other varieties. Many people use it as the finishing touch on a lot of baked goods, with cookies being a prominent example.
Pretzel Salt
Anyone who has ever enjoyed a delicious soft pretzel at a baseball game is no doubt familiar with pretzel salt. It offers large grains and is satisfyingly crunchy, thus making it used mostly for texture-related purposes rather than strictly flavor.
What is the Best Salt for Baking?
The answer to the question "What is the best salt for baking?" is a resounding "it depends."
Truly, the correct salt will vary depending on exactly what it is you're trying to accomplish. Is your goal to make the dough rise more evenly? Are you trying to put the finishing touches on a tasty item you've been working on all afternoon? Do you just need a pinch of flavor? Depending on how you answer those questions, the type of salt you will use will vary.
You should always start with what you're looking for in a finished product and work your way back to the salt needed to bring that vision to life. Don't start with the salt and hope for the best - you will typically walk away disappointed.
Does the Type of Salt Really Matter in Baking?
Yes, the type of salt used in baking matters a great deal - especially when it comes to texture and flavor. Choose salt based on the desired properties as outlined above.
Iodized vs Non-Iodized Salt: Which is Better?
Iodized salt is more commonly used in cooking because some say that it has a slightly metallic taste. Non-iodized salt is typically used for baking, largely for the same reason. But as always, this is a decision that will likely come down to a matter of personal preference once all factors are considered.
We're Your Source for Food-Grade Baker's Salt
At Indiana Sugars, everything we do is with a sense of purpose. We commit ourselves to meeting the needs and exceeding the expectations of customers daily. We know exactly how important top-tier ingredients are to your ongoing success as a baker - rest assured they're important to us, too.
Know that everything we ship out goes through a rigorous testing process in our own laboratory so that we can get you the freshest items, no matter what. We take the time to get to know your business so that you can rest easy knowing you've found a true partner. We'll also deliver to you within 24 hours in most cases if you're within a 300-mile radius of our location - all so that you can make the impression you're after with your customers every day.
If you'd like to find out more information about the best baking salt to use while you work your way around the kitchen, or if you have any additional questions about our unbeatable items that you'd like to discuss with someone in a bit more detail, please don't hesitate to
contact the Indiana Sugars team today.
