WHY SALT IS ADDED TO DESSERTS
When you think sweets, salt is probably the last word that comes to mind unless you once accidentally used salt in place of sugar! As contradictory as it may sound, salt truly changes a dessert from tasty to jaw dropping and can make your treats taste sweeter. It adds complexity to the entire dish.
Salt balances and elevates flavors and it conveys tones that you didn’t even know were in the dish. For example, salt makes spices more fragrant and citrus more vibrant.
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The major offense would be to use iodized table salt. First, off many times a form of sugar is added for a binding agent. Second, you want the salt to compliment the components in the dessert instead of making it taste chemical which table salt can. I love using crystalline sea salt like Redmond salt in desserts because it adds a slight crunchy profile. If you are making a creamy dessert and do not want any crunch to your delicatessen I suggest using a salt that dissolves well such as a flaked sea salt which is the fastest dissolving of the salt grains.
Many famous pastry chefs state that you should double the salt in any classic dessert recipe and cut back on the sugar. The takeaway lesson here is that salt is a flavor enhancer, not a flavor replacer.
Even fast food restaurants understand this! A small milkshake has more sodium than a small french fry!
Click HERE to find the salts I love!
TESTIMONY OF THE DAY
Maria: Sorry for putting this here as it is unrelated to your topic, but I wanted you to see this article that I believe is full of inaccurate information and it’s from a source that I think many believe reliable. How sad. Not even a mention of high fat intake, let alone any fat at all except from dairy!
http://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/nutrition/celebs-over-40-are-obsessed-with-the-keto-diet-here%e2%80%99s-everything-you-need-to-know-before-trying-it/ss-AAq3U9u?li=AAggV0S
Would love to know your response to this article! Thank you for all you do and the knowledge you share with all your readers!
Yes, it is sad that there is so much bad information out there.
Hi Maria!
Can your Sugar Free Butterscotch be made with coconut cream instead of whipping cream? I must be dairy free right now. Thank you!
That should work. 🙂
That’s interesting, I always wondered why salt in desserts and usually left it out.
Years ago, a friend who was a professional baker told me salt should always be added to pastries and other desserts to enhance the flavor. I have always remembered his advice and add a bit of sea salt to a dessert recipe that does not include it…with great results! 🙂