Salt

Central European bakers do not use salt as a flavor enhancer in batters and doughs, except in yeast dough, where the salt inhibits yeast activity so the dough won’t rise too fast. However, a small amount of salt brings out the flavors of the ingredients, so I include it in my versions of Austro-Hungarian recipes for the American kitchen. By a pinch, I mean about ⅛ teaspoon.

In my opinion, plain table salt is perfect for baking because its fine texture makes for easy dissolving. Kosher or fine-grained sea salt are coarser, so you get a different volume measurement and could need about fifty percent more than iodized or plain to get the same level of seasoning. Because Europeans rarely use salt in their desserts anyway, if I am in a kitchen with kosher or sea salt, I don’t bother with increasing the amounts, except for yeast doughs.