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(Ron) wrote in message . com>...
> Another good source of diastatic malt: Korean malt from Korean or
> other Asian groceries.
Korean malt may not be diastatic malt as its usually used for
flavoring purposes.
> My problem with diastatic is that it's hard to know how much to add.
> The right amount may give a good effect, but if you accidentally (or
> unknowingly) use too much, the bread turns out to be a sticky mess.

Diastatic malt is never a problem to use if you understand that
diastatic activity of flour is considered.You have the balance the
amylase activity of the flour with the added malt. Not too much or not
too little. You have to do your test yourself and see the baking
performance.
If you ferment and proof the dough properly with regards to timing;
If your bread displays poor crust colour and less oven spring it means
that you really need malt.
But if the bread exhibits normal bsking characteristics then there is
no need to fortify it with diastatic malt. Rather you can add
nondiastatic malt for improved flavor.
You just do not dump malt into your dough indiscriminately but rather
add it in controlled amounts to prevent the defects you mentioned.
Some flours may need more malt and other need less , the rest does not
need supplement at all.
> I've had good results with sprouting grains (e.g. rye) and then
> toasting them to destroy the diastatic enzymes. I.e. I use them for
> flavor, not enzymes.
Then what you really need is non diastatic malt, therefore you can be
perfectly happy with most asian malt.
Roy