Bread baking questions

C

cindy-k-mi

Well-known member
I would like to try to recreate my favorite bread from a bakery "back home." The ingredients listed on the wrapper are: flour, water, sugar, yeast, buttermilk, shortening, malt, and salt. I have found a recipe that includes all those ingredients except the malt. Does anyone know what the malt does, what kind of malt I should use, and an approximate amount I should add? I have malted milk powder in the house. Can I use that, and how much? I know it won't be the same, but I plan to use my bread machine to mix it and then bake it in the oven. Thanks for any help you can provide.

 
Hi Cindy....just taking a stab here, but look at this link at King Arthur

The malt in your "back home" bread may just be a product to extend the shelf-life of bread...and not really required for taste.

They also have a non-diastatic malt, but it seems to be critical for bagels, not bread.

Not sure what adding powdered malted milk would do...I've added dry milk powder to my bread mixes and it works out fine.

Good luck...let us know what happens.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/detail.jsp?select=C78&byCategory=C120&id=3413

 
Malt is used for two reasons.

First, it's a great browing agent, giving a loaf that 'store quality' perfect color. Second, it's also for flavor and is mildly sweet.

It's more of a flour, not like malted milk powder. (Drink wise, compare it to beer...)

You don't want much, usually just a couple of tablespoons per loaf of bread. Check your health food stores and upscale grocery stores.

 
Cindy, you don't want to use the malted milk powder

you get at the store for baking. There is very little malt in it. Get a light malt powder at a beer brewing supply store.

And do you want to talk about to die for Belgian Waffles? Put the malt in. Out of this world!

 
use brewer's malt. it's pure malt and you will have a very wonderful

flavor. The carnation malted milk powder is that. Powdered milk with a sprinkle of malt in it. Malt's expensive.

As I mentioned above, home brewer supply stores are nearly everywhere these days, and you can get a small pack of light malt powder to use in baking. It's pure malt with no additives.

 
Many bakeries no longer use malt which gives bagels a special flavor and kaiser rolls a wonderful

crunch. Why--because it somehow inhibites successful freezing of those doughs; and too many bakeries are using this shortcut.

 
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