May we count your visit with Google Analytics? It uses cookies and sends visit data to Google. You can change this any time under Cookie choices. Privacy

The Oven Spring

Auf Deutsch · En français · En español

Diastatic malt powder in bread

Diastatic malt powder is sprouted, dried and ground barley whose enzymes are still active. In dough it turns some starch into sugars the yeast can eat, giving a better rise and a browner crust. Start small, at about 0.1 to 0.2% of the flour weight, and work up in small steps: too much gives a gummy crumb (King Arthur, quoting the baker Jeffrey Hamelman). Many US bread flours already contain malted barley flour.

How much: start at 0.1 to 0.2% of the flour (0.5 to 1 g per 500 g) and work up in small steps. Check first: if your flour lists malted barley flour, you probably do not need it. Non-diastatic malt adds colour and flavour only.

Bread flour vs all-purpose →Baker's percentage →

Diastatic or non-diastatic

Diastatic malt is active: its amylase enzymes break starch into sugar. Non-diastatic malt (malt syrup, barley malt powder labelled non-diastatic) has been heated so the enzymes are gone; it adds sweetness, colour and flavour, as in bagels. The amounts above are per baker's percentage.

When it helps

Long, cold fermentations that leave the dough short of sugar, pale crusts from unmalted flour (many European and some organic flours are unmalted), and fresh-milled flour that browns poorly. If your bread flour lists malted barley flour, adding more risks a sticky, gummy crumb.

How to use it

Weigh it with the flour (a 0.1 g scale helps: the amounts are tiny) and mix it in with the dry ingredients. Start at 0.1 to 0.2% and go up a little at a time only if the crust stays pale. If you measure by volume, King Arthur's product page gives 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per 3 cups of flour.

Questions bakers ask

How much diastatic malt per loaf?

Start at about 0.1 to 0.2% of the flour weight, 0.5 to 1 g for 500 g of flour, and work up in small steps (King Arthur). Too much makes the crumb gummy.

Can I use malt syrup instead?

Malt syrup is usually non-diastatic: it adds colour and flavour but not enzyme activity.

Equipment for this job

Keep what you own when it does the job. These are the other exact models we profile.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It never changes which equipment we recommend. How this site is funded. Amazon offers a free 30-day Prime trial, with free delivery on eligible items. Try Prime free .