LOVE LIKE SALT
A BASIC COOKING INGREDIENT, SALT LENDS A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION WHEN ADDED TO DESSERTS
Ilove you father,” said the princess, adding, “As much as I love a pinch of salt.” Sadly, after her confession, the princess from a famous fable was banished from the kingdom. But before the most loved daughter of the King left, she made sure that no salt would be added to her father’s food. It was only after he tasted food without salt that he realised how deep his daughter’s love for him was.
I read this story several years ago when I was still in school, and connected with the Princess instantly. Can you not see how much she loved her father? Can you live without salt? No doubt, too much salt can be detrimental to your health but so can an excess of sugary treats. But imagine a balance of both the flavours delicately coating your mouth... that’s what it feels like to have a dessert with salt in it.
I’ve been a little skeptical about mixing salt in desserts until chocolate with salt changed the way I looked at things. I went on to taste the salted banoffee pie which happens to be one of my favourites, and was gently surprised. The salt added texture and brought out a side of the banoffee pie that would otherwise be lost.
During a chance conversation with Francis Fernandes, Sous Chef — Pastry, from ITC Kakatiya, Hyderabad, recently, he said, “Salt and desserts sound like a mismatched couple, but they are anything but that. We need to get away from the misconception that when salt is added to a dessert, it makes it salty. Salt adds another dimension to food. For instance, caramel leaves a very heavy, buttery feeling in your mouth, but when you add salt to it, that feeling is not there. Salt simply changes the taste profile of the food.”
But don’t go around sprinkling salt on everything you see. “The best things to pair salt with are caramel, chocolate, peanut butter or any of the berries when you’re making a jam or compote for a topping. The salt cuts through the sweetness and is what you really need,” explained Francis. So if you’re a salt-dessert virgin, here are two delightful recipes to prepare. While you take life with a pinch of salt, you could perhaps add a little into your dessert too!