I'm a pretty experienced baker, but I've never given much thought to egg wash. After all, it's mostly for aesthetics. But "Great British Bake Off" judge and bread expert Paul Hollywood has given it plenty of thought. Hollywood let viewers in on a secret when he shared his scone recipe with the BBC.

"Now, this is egg with a little bit of salt," he explained. "Salt breaks the egg down to allow it sort of a proper consistency of egg wash." Other experts agree: salt, the most important ingredient in your kitchen, makes for an easier application, helps with browning, and enhances flavor. It's also the secret for the creamiest scrambled eggs.

While Hollywood brushed on his egg wash straight away, many bakers recommend letting the mixture sit for a few minutes. The wait gives the salt plenty of time to do its magic. Don't be alarmed if it starts to turn orange: It's just the egg reacting to the salt, and the wash is perfectly safe to use. You can even save it if you're planning to bake again soon -- if covered, it'll keep for up to two days in the fridge.

Hollywood recommends beating one egg with a pinch of salt, though some recipes call for more. Since pure egg can be gooey and hard to spread, that pinch of salt is especially important in egg-heavy washes.