Salt, 50 g

Salt 50 g

Leavening salt is a leavening agent for various flat baked goods such as Biberli, Magenbrot or gingerbread. It is particularly popular for sugary doughs such as honey cake. Raising salt is also known as deer horn salt. Like yeast or sourdough, this leavening agent ensures that even heavy doughs rise well. In contrast to other leavening agents, however, the dough rises in width rather than height. This is exactly what gingerbread is known for: It remains flat and yet becomes beautifully airy. As with cornflour, you should dissolve leavening salt in water, milk, egg white or cream before use. This ensures even distribution in the dough. What happens in gingerbread with salt? You can achieve an airy, light and fine gingerbread dough with table salt. Three different gases are produced during baking, which ensure wide, flat pores. This ensures that the gingerbread is neither tough nor too hard. If you leave out the leavening salt, the dough does not rise during baking and remains compact. One of the gases produced is ammonia, which gives the cookies the characteristic, slightly salty taste typical of flat cookies. Stag's horn salt and potash: Potash and stag's horn salt essentially have a similar effect. In the past, deer horn salt was obtained by heating finely grated deer horn - which consists mainly of bone. Today, deer horn salt is produced chemically and is an ammonium salt of carbonic acid. In old recipes, the combination of both leavening agents is often recommended. If you also want to do this, make sure you dissolve both substances separately in liquid and then add them to the dough. Potash is potassium carbonate and is obtained from ash. The name comes from the original method of production from plant and seaweed ash. Despite their similarity, the direct mixing of the two substances can reduce the leavening effect. When using potash, it is essential to observe the resting period, as it is only activated by the acid that is produced during this time. Baking instructions: Make sure that the cut-out motifs are as similar in size as possible or bake the same motifs together on one tray so that they cook evenly. As the salt causes the dough to expand, you should leave enough space between the gingerbread or cookies and between them and the edge of the baking tray. Brush the surface of the gingerbread with milk and bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes. Please note: After the baking time, the gingerbread is still very soft, but will become much firmer as it cools.