Nonnevotten, the saga continues

I’ve written about Nonnevotten several times now on this blog, and this year is no exception. As tradition dictates, I made another batch of nonnevotten for this years New Years Eve.

In 2019 I translated by dad’s version of the recipe to weight-based measurements instead of volumetric measurements. Last year I compared all the recipes I could find online and already discussed the uncertainty I had for the amount of salt to use. Depending on the volume-to-mass conversion you used (basically what “standard spoon” to use), dictates somewhere between 15 g/tablespoon to 21 g/tablespoon of salt. This year, I wanted to actually make two batches with the amount of salt at the extremes of this range: one batch with 15 g of salt per 1 kg of flour, and one batch of 21 g of salt per 1 kg of flour.

Why change the amount of salt?

Salt is what imparts bread part of its flavor, but it also plays a crucial role in biochemistry of the dough. It inhibits fermentation and effectively slows down the yeast’s activity in the dough. With 15 g of salt per 1 kg of flour the salt still provides some flavor. As I said in one of the earlier posts: “according to Robert van Beckhoven, 1.5% of salt is the legal maximum limit for bread, and the minimum from a baking standpoint to make tasty bread.” In this case, 1.5% translates to the 15 g salt for 1 kg of flour. I have used 21 g per kg of flour in the past. All things being equal, less salt should lead to a blander taste, but slightly more aerated dough as the yeast can be more active.

The results

I should note that both batches resulted in softer, more aerated treats than I had in previous years. I suspect that my skills have improved and/or that I’ve used fresher yeast. Normally I use bulk packages that I store in the fridge, but this time I bought small satchets from the supermarket. Fresher, more active yeast will result in better aeration.

When we compare the results from the two recipes, we see that the lower amount of salt does indeed result in slightly better aeration, but not much. The nonnevotten from this dough are also slightly softer to the touch.

When it comes to taste though, I personally prefer the higher level of salt in the original recipe. I prefer the taste, and do not find the difference in texture so large to permanently change the recipe. However, I also made some nonnevotten that I coated in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon right after frying them. For these ones, the taste is largely determined by the sugar and the cinnamon, and the smaller amount of salt in the dough is not very noticable.