Malt Powder vs. Malted Milk Powder - Pastry Arts Magazine (2024)

FAQs

Malt Powder vs. Malted Milk Powder - Pastry Arts Magazine? ›

Malt powder is made from wheat flour and another grain, usually barley. On the other hand, malted milk powder is malt powder with milk solids added to it. To take things a step further, malt powder comes in two forms: diastatic and non-diastatic.

Ovaltine, a powdered chocolate drink created in 1904, is another type of malted milk powder, though it has other ingredients in it so can't be used exactly the same way.

The mixture of wheat flour, malted barley extracts, and milk adds a layer of nutty, rich, butterscotch-like flavor to all sorts of sweets. And because of the lactose it contains, malted milk powder helps baked goods brown evenly.

If you're out of both diastatic and non-diastatic malt powder, you can use malted milk powder as a substitute even though that was not its original purpose. It will promote browning, add flavor, and add more sweetness. It can also add hints of roasted, toasted, earthiness.

When mixed into dough, diastatic malt powder feeds the yeast in the mixture, causing the dough to rise quickly and the resulting bread to spring well. In addition, malt powder is used in some processed foods to create caramel color and malt-like flavor.

Powdered milk can be substituted for malted milk powder as long as you add sugar or a sweetener, since powdered milk is unsweetened. However, malted milk powder does not make a good substitute for powdered milk because it contains additional ingredients and has a much sweeter taste.

Diastatic malt is commercially available as a syrup, powder or flour, and extract. When used in baking it increases the enzymatic activity of dough, which means starch converts to sugar more quickly. As a result, the sugars caramelize more intensely, making a darker crust and a sweeter dough.

Canada has banned the sale of a string of iconic British foods such as Marmite, Ovaltine and Irn-Bru because they contain illegal additives, it was claimed.

Malt powder is made from wheat flour and another grain, usually barley. On the other hand, malted milk powder is malt powder with milk solids added to it. To take things a step further, malt powder comes in two forms: diastatic and non-diastatic.

That is why products with malted milk powder taste so scrumptious! They've got a lot of good stuff going on. In addition to the flavor that malted milk powder imparts, the extra flour thickens baked goods further and creates a chewier product.

What to use instead of Ovaltine? ›

You could also use a chocolate flavoured milkshake powder (such as Nesquick) or a regular hot chocolate powder (the type where you add milk) as alternatives. You are likely to need to use these in quantities closer to the Ovaltine but it is worth adding 2 teaspoons first and then adding more to taste.

Many malt products also contain wheat flour, so those with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity should avoid malt.

Powdered milk changes things

So how should you use these two ingredients and where will you find them? Malted milk powder is the easier to find of the two ingredients, available in most grocery stores from nostalgic brands like Ovaltine, Nesquik, Milo, and Nestlé Carnation.

Too much diastatic barley malt powder can result in an overly extensible dough, gummy crumb, and a reddish crust.

Our malted milk powder is fine in texture and quite aromatic. It takes single-note baked goods and makes them complex, especially anything that contains chocolate.

For both vegans and celiacs, a good alternative to malted milk powder is kinako, a type of roasted soy flour found in Japanese markets. While it's not a 1:1 substitution, a spoonful can add a similar nutty toastiness to many desserts.

Boost the flavor of your cakes.

Malted milk powder amplifies the flavor of chocolate (much like espresso powder) and adds an added layer of flavor that takes classic chocolate cake from good to great. Add a few tablespoons to your flour mixture the next time you make a cake and taste the difference for yourself.

For anyone using King Arthur bread flour, you should know that the company now adds to it a lab-processed enzyme called fungal alpha-amylase. If you suffer from an autoimmune condition or are like me, a sort of "canary in the coal mine" who reacts negatively to food additives, you might want to avoid using it.

There are two different types of malt powder, known as diastatic and non-diastatic malt powder. In diastatic malt powder, the enzymes stimulated during germination are still active, and can be added to dough to break starches down into sugars.

Ovaltine (also known by its original name Ovomaltine) is a brand of milk flavoring product made with malt extract (blue packaging in the United States), sugar (except in Switzerland), and whey. Some flavors also have cocoa.

Does Ovaltine taste like malted milk? ›

The unique Ovaltine recipe contains barley, malt, milk and cocoa with essential vitamins and minerals. It's the fabulous 'chocolatey' malt taste you can enjoy at any time of the day.

Horlicks and Ovaltine are two brand names of malted milk powder and can be used interchangeably. We understand that Horlicks may contain slightly less sugar but as the quantities used in recipes are fairly small we do not believe it will make much difference when used in baking, it is added for the malt flavour.

This easy, step-by-step recipe uses a non-diastatic maize malt, for added flavour and an attractive, glossy crust. If you need a substitute for non-diastatic milk powder, you could use the same amount of Ovaltine, although this will, of course, also add a chocolate flavour.

Ovaltine is an excellent source of several B vitamins, including Vitamin B6, niacin, and thiamin. The nutrition value of Ovaltine can vary slightly depending on the flavor you choose and the beverage you mix it with. For example, adding the powder to milk will result in more calories, protein, vitamin D, and calcium.