May 8, 2017 - 8:24am
adding malt to dough
Hi everyone
Looking for the best way to get Au levain bread so no acidity at all wanted I have seen some people adds malt to final dough which cuts the acidity. I also wonder if it will also cut the acidity retarding the dough in the fridge.. Anyone that uses it could please let me know his experience with it and what kind of malt.
All best
Martz
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Do you want to cut the sour flavor or lower the actual pH for some reason?
In my reading on this website, retarding the dough does cut the production of the lactic-acid bacteria, but of the acid that is still produced, a higher portion of acetic acid will be produced, which tastes more sour. Generally, people retard dough when they want more, not less, tang.
Read this: https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/10375/lactic-acid-fermentation-sourdough
will reduce acidity, it will neutralise acid and raise pH. Too much will taste soapy so go easy on the amount.
First time I hear that malt reduces acidity. Are you sure? Normal wheat flour would raise pH more.
If lowering the pH, acid will lower it. Low on the pH scale is acid. As dough ferments, the acidity increases and pH numbers get smaller, "drop" or "go down" the scale.
Pain Au levain bread is sourdough bread but levains and bread dough, eventually bread, can be made milder by using builds to concentrate on yeast growth in the levain as fresh flour is continuously added raising pH, and thus reducing acid, baking before too much rebound of bacterial growth. It's all part of the fun.
Talking about acids and lowering pH can get confusing... I think BreadBabies meant "raise..." instead of "lower the actual pH" in her question. (Or I misunderstood her.) But the rest of her reply is how I understand things too. Good link and has been recently updated and lengthened.