Recently, I've had the pleasure of purchasing a few loaves from Acme
bakery in Berkeley. Home baker that I am, I was reading the ingridients
for the loaves on the sides of the bag they come in. Nearly all of the
breads include malted barley flour. Anybody know what it is used for? A
flavor enhancer? I've heard of it put into bagel dough before, but have
never really seen it called for in many s.d. recipes.

On 31 Jan 2005 14:48:06 -0800, wrote:

>Recently, I've had the pleasure of purchasing a few loaves from Acme
>bakery in Berkeley. Home baker that I am, I was reading the ingridients
>for the loaves on the sides of the bag they come in. Nearly all of the
>breads include malted barley flour. Anybody know what it is used for? A
>flavor enhancer? I've heard of it put into bagel dough before, but have
>never really seen it called for in many s.d. recipes.

Hi Yuk (May I call you "Yuk?"),

Though Acme may list it as a separate ingredient (probably
by CA law) many bread flours are sold with some malted
barley flour mixed in.

Some here who actually know something about chemistry may
correct me, but I believe that the addition of malted barley
contributes the enzyme diastase which accelerates the
conversion of the dough's starches to sugars.

All the best,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Kenneth wrote:

> On 31 Jan 2005 14:48:06 -0800, wrote:
>
>> Recently, I've had the pleasure of purchasing a few loaves from
>> Acme bakery in Berkeley.

Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

That one and Semifreddi's.... best in the area.

>> Home baker that I am, I was reading the ingridients for the loaves
>> on the sides of the bag they come in. Nearly all of the breads
>> include malted barley flour. Anybody know what it is used for? A
>> flavor enhancer? I've heard of it put into bagel dough before, but
>> have never really seen it called for in many s.d. recipes.

> Some here who actually know something about chemistry may correct me,
> but I believe that the addition of malted barley contributes the
> enzyme diastase which accelerates the conversion of the dough's
> starches to sugars.

There's diastatic malt and non-diastatic malt, and I can never remember
the differences. One is for crust color and the other is for crumb
texture. ANd which one "we" use for sourdough.

Doesn't matter, I can't seem to find it anywhere in San Francisco
anyway. Last health food store I asked they looked incredulous and said
"we don't carry any of that here."

B/

On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 17:46:09 -0800, Brian Mailman
> wrote:

>Doesn't matter, I can't seem to find it anywhere in San Francisco
>anyway. Last health food store I asked they looked incredulous and said
>"we don't carry any of that here."

Hi Brian,

You want to look in an anti-health food store <g>, that is a
brewing supply store.

They will have both.

Diastatic has the active enzyme.

All the best,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Kenneth wrote:

> On Mon, 31 Jan 2005 17:46:09 -0800, Brian Mailman
> > wrote:
>
>>Doesn't matter, I can't seem to find it anywhere in San Francisco
>>anyway. Last health food store I asked they looked incredulous and said
>>"we don't carry any of that here."
>
> Hi Brian,
>
> You want to look in an anti-health food store <g>, that is a
> brewing supply store.

Oh yeah, we've got those here. As well as a brew-your-own place; they
provide all the equipment, materials, bottles, and labels, and some
mentoring; you go in and brew up a case of the kind you want.

> They will have both.
> Diastatic has the active enzyme.

And which one is the one to use and what does it do?

B/

On Tue, 01 Feb 2005 09:21:20 -0800, Brian Mailman
> wrote:

>And which one is the one to use and what does it do?
>
>B/

Hi Brian,

As I understand this, the diastatic increases the activity
of the yeast. The non-diastatic is used as principally as a
flavoring.

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

I know it's "supposed" to work that way, but in practise I haven't
found any difference in in flavor, rise, nor crumb between
non-diastatic barley malt syrup and ground up diastatic barley powder.
Anyone else have the same experience?

jk

Jonathan Kandell wrote:
>
> Anyone else have the same experience?
>
The only time that I noticed much of any difference was when I
made a soaker of cracked grain to add to plain dough for a
"country loaf" I am remembering that cracked corn, in
particular, had a much sweeter taste when the diastalic powder or
my home made malted wheat was used.

The method used was to scald the grits with boiling water and add
the malt after the slurry had cooled to room temperature and then
let soak overnight.

Regards,

Charles

--
Charles Perry
Reply to:

** A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand **

On 1 Feb 2005 17:42:43 -0800, "Jonathan Kandell"
> wrote:

>I know it's "supposed" to work that way, but in practise I haven't
>found any difference in in flavor, rise, nor crumb between
>non-diastatic barley malt syrup and ground up diastatic barley powder.
>Anyone else have the same experience?
>
>jk

Hi Jonathan,

With what kind of flour?

I ask because much commercial flour already has diastatic
malt in it when it is sold.

This may be similar to the situation with ascorbic acid
(vitamin C). Many folks learn that it is a good yeast food
and, as a result, add some to their doughs.

The problem is that they are often adding hundreds of times
the amount that is of any use in the name of "if some is
good more would be better..."

All the best,
--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

"Kenneth" > wrote in message =
...

> Many folks learn that (ascorbic acid) is a good yeast food
> and, as a result, add some to their doughs.

They learn wrong, then. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in dough
serves to strengthen gluten. It is one of several possibilities
for that purpose:

http://www.foodproductdesign.com/arc...99/1199cc.html

> The problem is that they are often adding hundreds of times
> the amount that is of any use in the name of "if some is
> good more would be better..."

Linus Pauling told them they would have fewer colds that way.

Kenneth wrote:

> On Tue, 01 Feb 2005 09:21:20 -0800, Brian Mailman
> > wrote:
>
>>And which one is the one to use and what does it do?

> Hi Brian,
>
> As I understand this, the diastatic increases the activity
> of the yeast.

OK.

> The non-diastatic is used as principally as a flavoring.

I certainly don't want sweet bread. Thanks.

B/

"Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
...
> Kenneth wrote:
snip the diastatic increases the activity
>> of the yeast.
>
> OK.
>
> > The non-diastatic is used as principally as a flavoring.
>
> I certainly don't want sweet bread. Thanks.
>
> B/

Think of non-diastatic malt syrup as an exchange for honey or molasses. In
such a recipe you are looking for some sweetness. You are probably choosing
your sweetener to provide a specific flavor. A recently posted(elsewhere)
recipe for English Malt loaf only called for a third cup of malt syrup.
Another place that malt syrup is used is in the boiling water for bagels,
but I think it is just a tablespoon or so to a whole pot of water. So, if
you were to add, say, one tablespoon of malt syrup to a bread recipe you
would be adding a hint of flavor more than any actual sweetness. Much like
a bread recipe that calls for a tablespoon of sugar, the ultimate loaf
doesn't taste sweet.

Diastatic malt is another thing. Most flour other than those that are sold
as organic or for commercial purposes already have the diastatic malt added
and probably some ascorbic acid as well. There probably isn't any reason to
add diastatic malt to regular store-bought flour although it is touted as
promoting added loft to bread. If you were to add diastatic malt to flour
that doesn't contain any, you would add no more than a teaspoon for every
3-4 cups of flour. If you add too much diastatic malt, the dough can become
gummy. I believe that the diastatic malt helps to break down the starches
that were damaged during milling to make these starches more readily
available as yeast food. Don't quote me on that part, I think I'm right but
there may be more to it.

Janet

Janet

Janet Bostwick wrote:

> Think of non-diastatic malt syrup as an exchange for honey or molasses. In
> such a recipe you are looking for some sweetness. You are probably choosing
> your sweetener to provide a specific flavor. A recently posted(elsewhere)
> recipe for English Malt loaf only called for a third cup of malt syrup.
> Another place that malt syrup is used is in the boiling water for bagels,

Yeah, my grandfather was a baker... although he used honey in Toronto.

Thanks, I'll file this for the next time I get adventurous in shopping.

B/