April 17, 2015 - 1:35pm
Are sprouted flours diastatic?
Aren't sprouted flours essentially diastatic malt (grain sprouted, dried under 110F and ground)?
I've always heard you should use diastatic malt in very small percentages (0.1 - 0.5) due to the effects of the enzymes on gluten structure (or have I held on to bad information?).
If sprouted flours are not diastatic malt, how so? Are they dried at higher temperatures that would kill the enzymes? I have heard some claim that they are not. Or is something else at play?
All insights welcome.
dobie
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if it dried at low enough temperatures that won't deactivate the enzymes. I use 150 F even though temperatures of 140-150 F will work too - like mashing beer at 105 F to let the enzymes get all the starch converted to sugar.
Diastaic malt is made with barley that has a much greater diastatic power than other grains It is also sprouted for 5 days until the shoot (not the initial 3 rootlets) is at least as long as the seed itself.
Sprouted grains used for flour are only sprouted for about 18-24 hours until the initial rootlets just break the seed skin - called 'Chitting'. The grains used have less diastatic power than barley and the short sprouting time reduces the power as well. So you can use the resulting sprouted flour like you do regular flour but autolysing time is much less and ferment and proofing times will also be much quicker too because of the extra diastaic power created in the sprouted flour,
Thanks dabrownman,
So that's what chitting means. I thought people were just cleaning up their language for a family friendly space.
Most of what I know (or mis-remember) about diastatic malt is from lurking brewing forums and as big a fan as I am of the product, I have never engaged in the process.
I recall one saying (for malting) that after the three rootlets sprout, open a berry with your fingernails to expose the true sprout and when it is one half to three quarters the length of the berry, it is done enough.
You are saying (for malt) to measure when the sprout is actually external to the berry. This is what I've been doing when sprouting for whole berry additives to dough. They are mighty tasty this way.
They also suggest seiving out the rootlets once dried (claiming poor taste). They generally suggest no more than 135F as enzymes would die. Lower is better they say(100-115F). I know nothing for certain but will follow your advice and stay around 105F just to be safe.
It doesn't surprise me that barley sprouted, dried and ground that way would be more enzymically powerful than other grains. It seems to be a magical grain. Do you know of any sources that compare the 'diastatic' qualities of various malted grains (rye, wheat, etc)? I ask because for some strange reason, barley is the one berry I don't seem to be able to access locally.
I am familiar with the stage where the initial rootlets just break out. Thank you for letting me know this is where I start dehydrating for sprouted flour. I'm going to start a batch right now. And I will watch my times accordingly.
That was a very informative response - thank you.
dobie
There's no easy way to compare those. It's not like all barley have the same diastatic power, or, all things being equal, barley will 20° more power compared to wheat. It all depends on the variety and quality of grain as well as malting process. There're some some fairly weak barley malts and some incredibly strong wheat malts.
I'll keep that in my baking information folder.
Thanks, DBM
Karin
OK, so 10 days later - (sometimes life gets in the way of bread), I did like you said.
Germinated 8 oz of Hard Red Winter Wheat and 8 oz of Kamut. Took about 30 hours as room temp was closer to 60 than 70F. Dried at 105F as you suggested. Been in Mason jars in the fridge for the last week.
So I'm getting ready to grind and bake tomorrow or the next and my question is this - Understanding that it will react quicker than AP from diastatic qualities, do you suggest that I use it mixed with AP flour (as I normally would at about 15%, or use it at 100%)?
Your insight would be much appreciated.
dobie
is done at 150 F is because that is the temperature that the enzymes created by malting the barley for 5 days work best to convert every bit if starch to sugar that the yeast can eat to make the most alcohol possible. For bread, we aren't trying to convert every last bit if starch to sugar but enough to keep the wee beasties happy and leaving enough residual sugar to brown the loaf properly.
Every bread I have made here is AZ, where the kitchen temps are hotter than normal, using 100% sprouted flour, seems to over proof in the fridge as i sleep. I like to do a 12 hour shaped proof in the cold and that is too long. So I cut the the multi grain sprouted flour (20% barley by the way - that I get a Whole Foods in the bins) down to 80% or so and cut down the prefermented flour down to 10% ( I have a very active rye sour starter) and skip the bulk ferment entirely. Then I can get a shaped retard of 12 hours. IF I go with 25-30% sprouted flour I can get a hour bulk ferment on the counter and get the prefermented flour up to 15% for the levain
Others can get a 100% sprouted loaf in cooler climates and shortening the cold retard to 8 hours. Anything is possible, you just have to experiment with the method to get it to work with all sprouted grains It is just a balancing act.
One thing is for sure the flavor of sprouted grains is distinct and quite powerful. Hard to get off of them once you start. I'm going to try a and do sprouted,rye dark pumpernickel this week and then some bagels. It seems the last 10 bakes have all been sprouted grain breads:-) Yo can read through the last few weeks of blogs and get an idea of what i have tried out with sprouted grains
Happy Sprouted baking
http://wholegrainscouncil.org/node/6001/print
Thanks MO
Very interesting link. I like that it was from many different sources and yet they all seem to agree fundamentally.
dobie
passed on to me by a former Loafer while having fun with German words. I may not ever use the word to describe caffeine free mocha made from roasted barley. It is pronounced using long "u" sounds like "you" or "moon" (perhaps that is why it didn't ring bells in my ears sooner) but I bet they will have a hard time hanging on to their road signs.
Anyway... I'm sure to have uttered something milder sipping a bad cup of coffee with my mouth full. Just shows ya how words can take on opposite meanings. Uttered in the wrong place at the wrong time... I've done that. (If you see shock while reading faces, time for a reality check.)
http://www.dw.com/en/muckefuck/a-6615948