Modernist Pantry Diastatic Barley Malt Powder Vegan OU Kosher Certified - 400g/14oz

I was using another brand of diastatic barley malt powder for my bagels. It was ok, but I wasn’t getting quite the results I was looking for. I ordered this brand because I could get it sooner and I was pleasantly surprised. My bagels are usually good, but this time they were GREAT. I will be using more of this brand’s products. I’m a former chef and a perfectionist in the kitchen.

Good product for bread making. I use it in some of my sourdough loaves, works great for semolina and basic loaves, which is all I needed it for. Helps with rising. There’s no flavor change imho but maybe others can tell? I dissolve into water before adding it to the starter, and then the flour. I bought the small bag first, then the larger one which is a much better price deal. A little hoes a long way, like 4 g of it will do for a very large loaf (up to 1 kg of flour), or two loaves. I’ll buy again.

I was skeptical at first, but this stuff makes a noticeable difference in my breads. The dough rises a little higher and browns more evenly, and the flavor is -- what can I say -- breadier. I put a scant teaspoon in to proof with the yeast (I know proofing isn't entirely necessary, but I'm old-fashioned and I think I get a better result), and another teaspoon in when I'm mixing the dough. Are you putting a shallow pan of boiling water in the oven with your bread to help the crust get brown and crisp? If not, why?

The recipe I make for sourdough pretzels (King Arthur site) uses diastatic malt powder—two to three tablespoons per batch so this 14 ounce pouch lasts quite a while. This particular brand is working well and imparts a pleasantly mild malt flavor. The powder should be kept below 90 degrees Fahrenheit, I keep it in the refrigerator. Locally I have to search for this product so finding it here is a real time saver. The pouch that holds the malt powder is re-sealable. To estimate shelf-life, the Best By date is 20 months in the future although the date will vary. Excellent.

Learned about this type of product on a youtube video and can clearly see the improvement to any bread I make. Helps with the rise, texture, and adds a bit of added nutrition and good flavor too.