I have a recipe to bake bagels – boiling them and all. What is malt powder?
Malt powder is really just malt flour. You can make malt powder by allowing whole grains to sprout briefly, drying them, and then grinding them into a powder. Most malt powders are usually made with barley, and used extensively by commercial bakers. There are two main types of malt powder: diastatic and non-diastatic. You would be talking about the Non Diastatc Malt. Non-diastatic malt doesn’t have active enzymes, but it gives baked goods better flavor and a shinier, browner crust. Look for malt powder in health food stores or baking supply stores.
Malt is a grain that’s allowed to germinate before being used. Diastatic malt powder, which is probably what your recipe is calling for and is generally made from malted barley, is added to your bagel recipes to give the bagels a finer crumb. In all of my bagel recipes, the malt is added both to the dough and to the boiling water. If you don’t have any, you can substitute an equal amount of barley malt syrup. I also found this website which gives further information about diastatic malt powder and even gives a technique for making your own. I haven’t tried this, but if you’re feeling adventurous… Whenever I need to buy a weird or unusual baking ingredient that isn’t carried by my regular grocery store, I shop here. They have both diastatic malt powder and barley malt
Some traditional bagel recipes call for diastatic malt powder, which is made from malted (that is, sprouted) wheat. It provides sugars that help give bread (especially highly glutinous breads, like bagels) a finer texture. Yeasts love it, and it imparts a distinctive flavor. But if you don’t have it, leave it out. Your recipe will work fine without it. It won’t have quite the same texture or flavor, but I’ve made bagels for years without using it. If you do decide to get some (and it’s not expensive) get the diastatic malt powder. There’s also a non-diastatic malt powder which has had its enzymes neutralized. It’s sweet, but the enzymes in the diastatic malt powder help provide the effect the recipe writer was looking for.
Malt Powder: Commercial malt powders are usually made with barley, and they’re used extensively by commercial bakers. There are two main types of malt powder: diastatic and non-diastatic. Diastatic malt contains active enzymes which help break starch down into sugar. The extra sugar feeds the yeast in the dough, helping the bread to rise, and also gives the bread a browner crust. It’s often used to make crusty breads. Non-diastatic malt doesn’t have active enzymes, but it gives baked goods better flavor and a shinier, browner crust. It’s used in everything from bagels to croissants to breakfast cereals. Don’t confuse malt powder with malted milk powder, which also contains powdered milk and wheat flour and is used to make beverages. Look for malt powder in health food stores or baking supply stores.
