Is it the salt or is it perhaps the lack of salt that you are tasting?

[sfdavis918]

It seems like no matter what I try to bake, it doesn't come out nice. It's definitely edible, but not really nice.

My latest try was with oatmeal cookies. I followed the recipe and the only thing I did differently was leave out the small amount of salt that it called for. Would that really make a difference? Also, after thinking about it, since I never really bake, my baking soda and powder are probably a bit old. Would that be the problem? The cookies came out nice, but the flavor wasn't that great and after they cooled they ended up getting a bit hard. Definitely not the nice chewy ones that my mom makes. We use the same recipe too, from the Betty Crocker cookbook.

I seem to have problems with my banana bread too. Again, the only things that I can think of is leaving out the salt and the baking soda and powder being old.

Can anyone give me any general tips? (I know that is a bit of a general question, but I'm starting to feel really inadequate!!!)

 

[Shawnna]

If they were hard when they cooled, maybe you need to cook them less...your oven may not be the correct temperature. You can get a temperature gauge and put it in your oven. Set it for 350 and when your oven says it has reached the correct temp. check the gauge to see if it matches. My oven is off slightly. I don't know what to say about the flavor. Salt wouldn't change the flavor much and the baking soda/powder in recipes is basically to make your all-purpose flour into self-rising...sort of.

 

[minersmix]

Did you melt the butter? I have learned with baking to never melt the butter. It makes cookies flat. Hope this helps.

 

[AJPratt]

Hi, Sarah... In a short answer, Yes... all of the variables you suggested make a difference. Baking is more of an exact science. Some may argue this because the PC recipes are so flexible but traditional baking is not as flexible. If you don't use exactly the right ingredients it can make a huge difference, even the salt. You could maybe reduce the amount if you are concerned about too much salt, but don't discount it. And, get new baking powder and baking soda. They don't last as long as we would like.

My advice: Measure everything out ahead of time. Seriously. Use the prep bowls or some other cups. Also, pay careful attention to how the recipe tells you to combine the ingredients and how long and which method to use (beat, whip, wooden spoon) mix the ingredients. It makes a difference. Good luck!

And, practice. And be patient. Here's a good quote: "When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste." ~Laiko Bahrs

 

[lkprescott]

Salt can make a difference in baking... it helps with taste and believe it or not, can help make things sweeter. We used to put salt on cantaloupe when I was a kid for that reason. You definitely need to watch the age of baking powder. The expiration date is usually on the bottom of the can... also things like overbeating and such can lead to disasters in baking. Get to know your oven too... use a thermometer to make sure what you dial is what you get and pay attention to 'hot spots'... you can learn when to turn certain things so you don't get burned on one side and barely cooked on the other. As noted, baking is a science. Measuring is required as is following directions. It can take some patience and experimentation but it's well worth the effort. I know I stayed away from some things I thought were too complicated until I just did them... yeasted bread was like that for me... I finally just had to do it and learn from it and get over that 'fear'...

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Hi, Sarah... In a short answer, Yes... all of the variables you suggested make a difference. Baking is more of an exact science. Some may argue this because the PC recipes are so flexible but traditional baking is not as flexible. If you don't use exactly the right ingredients it can make a huge difference, even the salt. You could maybe reduce the amount if you are concerned about too much salt, but don't discount it. And, get new baking powder and baking soda. They don't last as long as we would like.

My advice: Measure everything out ahead of time. Seriously. Use the prep bowls or some other cups. Also, pay careful attention to how the recipe tells you to combine the ingredients and how long and which method to use (beat, whip, wooden spoon) mix the ingredients. It makes a difference. Good luck!

And, practice. And be patient. Here's a good quote: "When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste." ~Laiko Bahrs

Ann's advice is sound! And the quote at the end is so true - it's actually why I like cooking better than baking. When baking, in order to get the end result you want - you MUST follow the recipe exactly.....but when cooking, I can use whatever I have on hand.....

Salt is very important to your recipe - if you are concerned about the sodium, buy some sea salt and use that.

 

[PChefPEI]

Sarah, as others have stated, yes, salt would make a difference. If you don't like the idea of using salt, try using sea salt, it's actually good for you, compared to iodized salt.

Keep trying and don't give up. Practice makes perfect!

 

[PChefPEI]

Okay, just noticed that Becky suggested the sea salt as well.....

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Okay, just noticed that Becky suggested the sea salt as well.....

That's okay Marie-France - great minds think alike!

 

[StacieB]

I agree not using the salt could have changed your cookies!!

 

[ChefLisa]

Kosher salt is also very good to use. I switched to it for my cooking and baking after watching so many cooks use it on the Food Network.

 

[chefann]

Kosher salt isn't recommended for baking, as the large size of the crystals makes it harder for it to be distributed evenly throughout the baked item.Flat cookies are probably caused by: expired leaveners (baking soda and baking powder), butter that's too soft or even melted, overmixing the dough (which can melt the butter from the heat of mixing).

 

[baychef]

One of the courses I took in college dealt with the science of food. (The only science I was interested in, I might add!!)
Buy some new baking soda, baking powder and salt. All of those create a needed chemical reaction for successful cookies. The fresher the ingredients, the better results you will have. Under bake them and use care in getting them off your stone.

If you are using stones, do not put cookie dough on a hot stone. Use our parchment paper to drop the cookies on and then slide the cookies, paper and all onto the hot stone. Put in the oven immediately!
The salt not only acts as a leavening agent (poofing them up nice!) but also adds taste which is why they may not have tasted that great.

 

[sfdavis918]

Thanks everyone! I am going to the store today to get fresh ingredients and try again!

 

[ChefLisa]

Kosher salt isn't recommended for baking, as the large size of the crystals makes it harder for it to be distributed evenly throughout the baked item.

Flat cookies are probably caused by: expired leaveners (baking soda and baking powder), butter that's too soft or even melted, overmixing the dough (which can melt the butter from the heat of mixing).

Hmmm...Maybe not for all baking. However, Alton Brown's Chew Chocolate Chip recipe calls for Kosher salt. They are the absolute best cookies I ever made.

 

[KellyTheChef]

The first thing that came to my mind was that you are probably over baking your cookies and bread. Honestly, I think most people overbake their stuff. If you are making a cake and bake it "till a toothpick comes out clean" I feel that it is already overbaked! You still need to see a BIT of moisture/crumbs/batter on the toothpick. Cookies are the same. If you bake them till they are "done" they are overbaked. Remember that they continue to cook even after you take them out of the oven. The carryover heat can do that, even if you remove them from the hot cookie sheet or stone. Follow directions on cookies. Some say to remove them and then allow them to sit for 1-2 minutes before trying to get them off the sheet. If that's the case, bake just till "set" because they will really cook from the heat of the sheet. This is especially important for chewy cookies! They will "set up" more as they cool. This will come with practice. It's hard for me to tell you what a cookie or quick bread will look like and feel like without SHOWING you...so it will come with trial and error!

All of the other suggestions are good!

Don't take this wrong....do you know how to measure dry and liquids properly? If you are scooping up your flour you are using too much. Stir it first (to airate it..."fluff it up") and then spoon it lightly into the cup. Once full, use the flat edge of a knife to scrape off the excess. You must level off teaspoons of stuff (salt, baking powder, etc.) with the back of a knife as well. If it is over mounded, or underfilled you are not getting the proper amount.

**Note: sorry if I am duplicating anything said...I started this reply at 9:30 this morning and I am just now getting back to finish it!

 

[baychef]

Kelly, you did a good job at explaining something I ran into last night but didn't know how to describe. That is you will get to know how things should "look". I was making chocolate chip cookies last night and left the last 1/2 cup of flour out because the dough was starting to look as if it had too much flour in it already. I had brown sugar that had some major lumps in it and beat the crap out of the butter and shortening...so it changes the batter.

If you have to take notes, that is fine. It will only help you get the product you want.

I grew up on a dairy farm. My grandparents were less than a mile away and my grandmother was an awesome baker. Homemade doughnuts, date filled cookies, homemade pie crusts, apple pies (just to name a few!)....just about everything she made was from scratch. She grew up in a time where farm hands had less machinery and more manual labor was required. The men burned calories like crazy. So even back then, my "eye" for what things should look like was being trained. I can eat like those hired hands, but I sure can't do manual labor like them!!! So I am as big as the Goodyear Blimp!:cry:

 

[chefshelley59]

Just a thought...I was taught that baking soda and baking powder do not work without salt...the salt causes the two to react.
Shelley

 

[Kitchen Diva]

It seems like no matter what I try to bake, it doesn't come out nice. It's definitely edible, but not really nice.

My latest try was with oatmeal cookies. I followed the recipe and the only thing I did differently was leave out the small amount of salt that it called for. Would that really make a difference? Also, after thinking about it, since I never really bake, my baking soda and powder are probably a bit old. Would that be the problem? The cookies came out nice, but the flavor wasn't that great and after they cooled they ended up getting a bit hard. Definitely not the nice chewy ones that my mom makes. We use the same recipe too, from the Betty Crocker cookbook.

I seem to have problems with my banana bread too. Again, the only things that I can think of is leaving out the salt and the baking soda and powder being old.

Can anyone give me any general tips? (I know that is a bit of a general question, but I'm starting to feel really inadequate!!!)

You need that salt to enhance the flavor. All baked goods have salt for that very reason. The miniscule amount you put in your baked goods is not unhealthy...you will lack flavor in a huge way if you don't add it!
The Effects of Salt in Baking
More than adding flavor, salt begins to affect your baked goods from the moment it's
added to the dough.

Here are some things you should know about what salt does in your baked goods.

Salt slows down all the chemical reactions that are happening in the dough, including calming fermentation activity to a steadier level.
Salt also makes the dough a little stronger and tighter.

Salt impacts the shelf life of baked goods, but its effects depend on weather conditions. Salt is hydroscopic, which means it absorbs water. Consequently, in humid climates, it will trap moisture from the air, making a crisp crust soggy, and therefore shortening shelf life. In dry climates, however, the salt helps hold water in the bread longer, inhibiting staling, and thus extending the bread's shelf life.

Salt, of course, adds flavor to baked goods. It also potentiates the flavor of other ingredients, including butter and flour.
Salt comes in several forms, including fine, course, sea salt and Kosher salt. All provide the same effect. In fact, in blind taste tests, people were not able to distinguish a difference in the bread's taste based on the type of salt used.



Hope this helps. best of luck to you with the next batch

 

[sfdavis918]

Thanks! I actually have some banana's that I can try to make bread with. I will definitely add the salt!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

You need that salt to enhance the flavor. All baked goods have salt for that very reason. The miniscule amount you put in your baked goods is not unhealthy...you will lack flavor in a huge way if you don't add it!
The Effects of Salt in Baking
More than adding flavor, salt begins to affect your baked goods from the moment it's
added to the dough.

Here are some things you should know about what salt does in your baked goods.

Salt slows down all the chemical reactions that are happening in the dough, including calming fermentation activity to a steadier level.
Salt also makes the dough a little stronger and tighter.

Salt impacts the shelf life of baked goods, but its effects depend on weather conditions. Salt is hydroscopic, which means it absorbs water. Consequently, in humid climates, it will trap moisture from the air, making a crisp crust soggy, and therefore shortening shelf life. In dry climates, however, the salt helps hold water in the bread longer, inhibiting staling, and thus extending the bread's shelf life.

Salt, of course, adds flavor to baked goods. It also potentiates the flavor of other ingredients, including butter and flour.
Salt comes in several forms, including fine, course, sea salt and Kosher salt. All provide the same effect. In fact, in blind taste tests, people were not able to distinguish a difference in the bread's taste based on the type of salt used.



Hope this helps. best of luck to you with the next batch

This was my attempt to be as smart and helpful as Chefann!

 

[PamperChefCarol]

Just to chime in with everyone else... baking is science. It's chemical reactions. When the recipe calls for salt, put it in. It's there because when heat is added to the mix, it does something in the reaction. I learned this in my baking classes. Never was much of baker before these, but learned to understand how things worked really had helped.

Don't know if someone said this, but make sure baking powder, baking soda, etc is fresh. Those things have a shelf life and if you don't bake alot, using last year's baking powder won't give you good results.

Now get back in the kitchen and bake us something!!!

 

[cmdtrgd]

Ditto to everyone's posts above. However, why would you leave out the salt? In most recipes it is very negligible. If you are looking at blood pressure, it has been proven (I'll see if I can find the studies and post the links) that about 90% of people with hypertension are not affected by reducing salt.On another note, I am not a salt lover. I dislike the salt taste (at least, the normal, iodized salt...which is why I use only Kosher salt now) so much that the first time I made mashed potatoes from scratch I did not salt the water. They tasted like glue.....ugh!