April 28, 2010 - 7:37pm
Substituting malt syrup for diastatic malt
There's a SD bread recipe I want to try that has diastatic malt amongst its ingredients. Just wondering, could I substitute malt extract ('malt syrup', I believe it's called in the States)?
If so, does anyone have any idea of an appropriate conversion quantity calculation, please? (ie: I need to work out how much malt syrup I should use in place of the diastatic malt).
Cheers
Ross
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http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/16426/substituting-malt-powder-syrup
Thanks Mr Frost - doesn't seem that there's anything in that thread that confirms that malt syrup can be substituted for diastatic malt, though...
If it can, I have the conversion calculation now, though - so thanks for the link.
I suppose, technically, when a formula calls for diastatic malt, it is for the dough conditioning(yeast food, enzymes, etc) properties of the malt. In this case, non diastatic malt would not be (technically) suitable.
Malt syrup, although usually non diastatic, is also available as diastatic. If the syrup is diastatic, it can be substituted as explained in the referenced link.
Another key point was also made in the referenced link by member Elagins, who happens to be in the business of selling bread ingredients, including malt syrup and powder. That point is, most (US)flours used for breadmaking already have diastatic malt added. So any additional diastatic malt(usually a very small quantity) called for in the recipe is not really going to have any (additional)discernable enzymatic, dough conditioning effect. If such is the case, then it really wouldn't matter whether the syrup/powder were diastatic or not.
At least that's what I make of it. Good luck.
I don't think most Australian flours have diastatic malt added - it doesn't appear on the packaging ingredients list, anyway. Whatever, I have gone with the malt syrup and the dough sits waiting...looks good, but we shall see.
Cheers
R