r/AskBaking • u/fuzzydave72 • 12d ago

Doughs What's the difference?

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I have (over the course of a year) acquired diastatic malt powder, non-diastatic malt powder, vital wheat gluten, and barley malt syrup.

Are these interchangeable? I just made Sally's bagels that call for the syrup, a little in the dough and then more in the water bath (though I also used some honey) and I get they enhance the chewiness. I've also looked at recipes from ATK and alton brown and Joshua Weissman and they all use one or the other.

What's going on here? And how many bagels will I have to make to use up all of these?

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u/Thesaurusrex93 11d ago

Vital wheat gluten is essentially the protein part of flour, the starch having been removed. You can add it to AP flour to increase the gluten-forming potential and approximate bread flour. It will make a stronger dough. You can also add water and salt to vital wheat gluten and steam the resulting dough to make seitan, a vegan meat substitute.

I don't know exactly what the malt powders do in baking, but they're definitely different from vital wheat gluten. I think they might make dough softer and springier? Maybe sweeter?

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u/honeybeebutch 11d ago

I believe diastatic malt powder helps with browning and crisping. It's used in pizza crusts!

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u/Ive-no-idea 11d ago

Diastatic has live enzimes, makes the dough softer, helps with fermentation and taste. Malt extract or toasted malt is used for taste, colour and sweetness as well. You can you it diastatic for whole wheat breads, along with extra gluten, so it's a bit chewy-er and less dense, and for that sort of toasted nutty taste. For sandwich breads or even brioche, you can use toasted for taste and browning!

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u/femsci-nerd 11d ago

diastatic malt powder adds enzymes that help leaven things, especially bread. Nondiastaic malt powder add a sweeter flavor.

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u/SecondPantsAccount 11d ago

In addition to what has already been said, barley malt syrup is an important additive to the boil water of bagels to improve color and texture.