The Unexpected Salt Swap That's Perfect For Sweet Recipes
There's no denying that sweet and salty is a match made in heaven. Without this combination, we couldn't have fantastic treats like salted caramel or peanut butter and chocolate. There's science behind why salt and sweet go together and why it makes the palate so happy: According to Business Insider, salt is a flavor enhancer and makes the way your mouth experiences sweet things a more dynamic experience.
Whenever you're baking or working with sweet recipes, you'll need a bit of salt to enhance the flavors, but what happens if you're out of salt or looking to mix it up a bit with the flavor profiles of your favorite sweet recipes? It turns out there's another ingredient you may have in your pantry or refrigerator that you can swap for table salt and it's not one you might organically think of.
Here's a hint: You might have some lying around if you recently enjoyed sushi.
Soy sauce is your friend
According to Bon Appétit, if you are low on your favorite salt and you need some for baked goods, you can substitute soy sauce: The trick is that 1 teaspoon of salt is equal to 2 teaspoons of soy sauce (per Bon Appétit).
The appeal to using soy sauce instead of salt is that soy sauce naturally has a more complex umami flavor — and a bit of a sweet aftertaste (per AllRecipes). You can be sure that your resulting baked goods or sweet treats will have a more complex flavor than if you were using salt as a flavor enhancer.
According to Kikkoman, soy sauce pairs especially well with caramel, chocolate, or vanilla as they have similar flavor profiles. Next time you feel like experimenting with baking, try swapping salt for soy sauce and you can experience a whole new kind of flavor that will leave you coming back for more.