11 Diastatic Malt Powder Substitutes | Secret of Bakers

Being a home chef it’s not easy to make the perfect dish at all-time due to running out of some key ingredients. That’s why you need subs just like Diastatic Malt Powder substitutes to make a loaf of excellent bread.

Thanks to these alternatives include Honey, Bread Flour, Sugar, Molasses, Maca Powder, Coconut milk, Soy Milk Powder, Milk Powder and malt syrup all can use as substitutes for Diastatic Malt Powder.

While most of these substitutes have similar nutritional content as Diastatic Malt Powder and are a more reasonable possibility without renouncing flavor than one of these substitutes might just do the trick!

See At A Glance

What Is Diastatic Malt Powder?

Diastatic malt powder is a natural enzyme powder. That means it’s formulated with enzymes that are 100% pure protein by weight. 

These active enzymes digest carbohydrates into sugars to be used as food for the yeast during fermentation. 

Diastatic malt powder is made from sprouted barley, which contains the necessary enzymes to self–convert the starches in the barley kernel into fermentable sugar.

What is Diastatic malt made of?

Diastatic malt is created by drying sprouted barley in a kiln to prevent germinating.

It contains the enzyme diastase, which acts upon starch and turns it into simple sugars fermentable by yeast during the brewing process, resulting in a beer with lower final gravity, more attenuation, and better taste.

What does Diastatic malt powder do for Bread?

Diastatic malt contains enzymes that predigest the starches of the grain.

Because starch molecules are typically too large for yeast to use efficiently. So they must be broken down into smaller components that can become food for the yeast cells.

These enzymes break down starch into sugars (dextrins), which become food for the yeast.

Diastatic enzymes break down the larger starch molecules into smaller dextrins, maltose, and glucose, which are metabolized by the yeast cells. 

They also soften hard wheat kernels, producing more easily ground flour and better for bread-making.

These enzymes are highly active between 100°F and 140°F.

Diastatic malt should only be used by bakers who are using a natural sponge starter, not one that is commercially yeasted (that is why it does not contain leavening). 

Its starch-converting enzymes help ensure that the sponge will ferment successfully into the dough. The yeast in the sponge can then digest the sugars and produce CO2, which leavens the bread.

What can you substitute for diastatic malt powder? ( 11 Diastatic Malt Powder Substitutes)

1. Diastatic Malt Powder Substitute HONEY

Honey is an excellent substitute for diastatic malt powder in any recipe, with one exception: You need to be sure that the honey doesn’t contribute too much moisture. Otherwise, expect changes in your final product. 

Honey acts like sugar and absorbs water from the air (hygroscopic), leading to problems with the dough. I’ve experienced this when making bread with honey, sticky buns, and cinnamon rolls.

However, honey is sweeter than sugar; you need to reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe by up to one-quarter cup per 1 cup of honey.

2. Diastatic Malt Powder Replacement BREAD FLOUR 

Bread flour is another substitute for diastatic malt powder in baking is made easy. Bread Flour is a type of flour used to make yeasted loaves. 

bread flour is another substitute for diastatic malt powder.

Bread Flour is a gluten-rich flour used to make pizza dough, crusty bread, pretzels, bagels, and other chewy baked products. Because of the protein-rich flour (12-14 percent ), yeast loaves baked with bread flour tend to rise more.

3. Diastatic malt powder Alternate SUGAR

Diastatic malt powder is a carbohydrate source that can be used by bread yeast to increase the glucose-fructose ratio of wort, which favors the formation of ethanol. 

Bread yeast has three main properties: 1) it appreciates high glucose concentrations, 2) it tolerates high concentrations of ethanol, and 3) it tolerates the low pH of dough.

4. MOLASSES is a Good Replacement for Diastatic Malt Powder 

Bread is a staple food in many societies, and nutritionists consider it an essential energy source, complex carbohydrate, and dietary fiber. 

One way to optimize the cost of baking is by using Molasses instead of solid sugar in place of diastatic malt powder (an enzymatic preparation containing alpha-amylase, which converts starch into maltose). 

Since maltose syrup contains significant sugar concentrations, it will stimulate the yeast, allowing the bread to rise. 

Although the taste will be different because molasses has a distinct flavor. But You can use it as an alternative to diastatic malt. 

5. MACA POWDER Similar to Diastatic Malt Powder

I am looking for an equivalent to diastatic malt powder that I could use instead of actual malt powder. 

I’ve found some references to a similar product called “maca powder” (which is supposed to be used in the same way as diastatic malt). 

In most recipes, Maca powder, derived from grinding maca root, is a nutritious and nutrient-dense alternative to diastatic malt powder.

It also has a similar color, texture, and flavor to malt powder, making it a good substitute. The best part is that maca powder has great absorption nature, which can quickly soak any liquid, from baking cream to beverages.

6. Use COCONUT MILK POWDER instead Of Diastatic Malt Powder

Coconut milk powder is a great way to add flavor, creaminess, and protein to your diet. 

Coconut milk powder is derived from coconut meat in the same process as evaporated milk is made with just one little difference! 

use coconut milk powder instead of diastatic malt powder.

Coconut Milk Powder has a fantastic rich sweet taste that will make you want it in everything from smoothies or curries, all while providing energy-boosting nutrients to boot thanks to its high-powered blend of fats called medium-chain triglycerides (or MCTs). 

You can also enjoy different desserts in baking, seasoning food, and making drinks to add coconut milk powder to replace malt powder. 

As coconut milk powder has no particular limit, you may add the same ratio of Diastatic malt powder into the recipe.

Read More- Ideal Coconut Soda Substitutes

7. SOY MILK POWDER – A Decent Substitute for Diastatic Malt Powder

Soy milk powder is made from soybeans and has a creamy taste. It can be used to make low-fat, high-protein drinks and foods. 

The dry beverage mixes readily with water to make a hot or cold soy beverage. It is the main ingredient of our recipe…

There are many ways how you can use soy milk powder products: 

· Mix 1 part of powder with 5 parts of water, add sugar to taste if you want a sweet soy milk drink.

· You can use Soy milk powder in multiple Asian-style recipes such as curries, soups and vegetable dishes, or baked goods. 

· You can use it for making vegetarian burger patties, bolognese sauce, or macaroni & cheese. 

· You can actually bake, boil or fry with the powder.

In every recipe where you would use malt powder, you can use soy milk powder instead. 

8. Simple MILK POWDER Also Use Place of Diastatic Malt Powder 

Milk powder is the by-product obtained when milk is processed to make butter, cheese, or condensed milk. 

Milk powder can be made from almost all types of dried milk ranging from whole milk to skimmed milk. 

Milk powders are used in several food products such as energy bars, cookies, cakes, protein shakes, etc. Mix them with water to make delicious recipes with rich proteins. 

Milk powder is considered highly versatile in the pastry industry due to its ability to be easily combined with water, fat, sugar, and many other ingredients.

Milk Powder is lactose-free. It provides the body without adding carbs or sugars to your diet, making it an excellent choice for lactose-intolerant people.

1. Energy Bars

2. Cookies

3. Protein Shakes

4. Biscuits

5. Milkshake Mixes

6. Muffin Mixes, etc…

9. MALT SYRUP Easy Alternative for Diastatic Malt Powder

Malt syrup is available as granules and as a syrup. It can be found in the baking section of grocery stores and can substitute for malt powder and as well as molasses or honey in recipes. 

Malt syrup adds malt flavor to foods; it isn’t sweet like table sugar or as strong as molasses but instead has a complex flavor that combines sweetness with a malt or dark caramel tone. 

Malt syrup works well in small quantities for this reason, and you typically need less of it than the other two sweeteners.

You can use Malt syrup as an ingredient in sauces for savory dishes. When replacing sugar with malt syrup in recipes, you typically need about 1/3 of the amount of malt syrup as sugar. 

If a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, you will use 1/3 cup of malt syrup instead.

Malt syrup is sometimes used in place of brown sugar when baking to add a richer flavor. 

10. CORN SYRUP 

Corn syrup is a colorless sweetener, a thick liquid that consists of glucose. It is prepared from the enzymatic hydrolysis of cornstarch and then refined to get high purity dextrose equivalent.

The sweetness level of corn syrup varied depending on the countries and manufacturers.

It is widely used in cooking and baking to soften the texture and add moisture to fruit cake, gingerbread, and chocolate cake.

It is easy to add to baked goods such as cookies, bread, cakes, and pies. Corn syrup has a mild sweet taste with no characteristic flavor of its own.

Corn syrup is commonly used to improve the viscosity of sauces and salad dressings or as a sweetener for tea/coffee beverages.

  1. Do I need diastatic malt powder?

Simply skip it and add egg or yeast if you don’t get any diastatic malt powder substitute.

12. EVAPORATED WHOLE MILK POWDER 

Evaporated milk is our last Diastatic Malt Powder Substitute. It is a shelf-stable canned milk product with approximately 60% less water than fresh milk.

Evaporated milk powder differs from sweetened condensed milk, which contains added sugar.

Although it is available in both fat-reduced and nonfat varieties, You can add in recipes, use in baking, cookies, etc.

How to make Diastatic Malt Powder at Home?

There is something magical about diastatic malt. It can turn ordinary flour into bread-baking gold by removing the phytic acid and tannins that inhibit enzymes in regular flour. 

Allowing the enzymes to convert sugar into carbon dioxide (which makes bread rise), glutenin, and gliadin into the stretchy protein strands that make bread chewy rather than crumbly, and starches easily digested sugars.

You can use Diastatic malt in the production of alcoholic beverages or in the preparation of a sourdough starter which has its own built-in diastatic malt to make it less acidic. 

In essence, diastatic malt is a powder that can be added to flour or water to allow the fermentation of carbohydrates into sugars, proteins into amino acids, and starches into maltose. 

It is made from sprouted barley seeds which are then dried at very high temperatures to not denature the enzymes.

How to use diastatic malt powder?

Diastatic malt powder is an essential ingredient in making bread. It is vital to yeast development and fermentation, as it provides food for the yeast cells. 

It also helps break down starches (complex sugars) in flour into simpler fermentable sugars. 

Diastatic malt powder is used to speed up the initial fermentation process in yeast-leavened baked goods such as bread and rolls.

And if you don’t want to make your own bread, I recommend King Arthur Flour’s line of bread machine mixes.

As a by-product of this process, diastatic malt enhances flavor development during baking. 

The enzymes present in diastatic malt will continue to act after the baked good has gone through baking, thus prolonging shelf-life.

How do you use Diastatic malt powder in sourdough?

Diastatic malt powder can be used to increase the activity of enzymes during sourdough fermentation. 

These enzymes break down long-chained starch molecules during ripening, thus making them more accessible for the sourdough bacteria and yeast. 

This will result in a quicker and stronger fermentation process, leading to increased production of byproducts such as alcohol or acetic acid and turn, the sourness of the bread and contributes to a complex flavor profile.

Diastatic malt powder is available for purchase online, but it’s also possible to make your own at home using sprouted barley. Simply take raw barley kernels (try for organic) and soak them overnight.

How much diastatic malt powder to use in sourdough bread

Diastatic malt powder to use in sourdough bread – depends on the type of flour. 

If you’re using a high extraction rate flour, then about 4% is good by weight (0.5-1 tsp for a typical dough). 

Some people like a little more malt flavor and opt for 5%. If you’re using 50% whole wheat, then 2-3%.

Is diastatic malt powder necessary?

In a word, NO. However, diastatic malt powder is a valuable addition to your kitchen. 

It will not magically turn starch into sugar, and it won’t change the taste of something sweetened with regular corn products. 

Its only purpose is to provide beta-amylase and other amylases that break down starches into dextrins and then into fermentable sugars. An enzyme that does exactly the name suggests it makes things “diastatic.” 

This is important because regular corn products contain nothing but starch, which is not fermentable. 

So without an enzyme-like diastatic malt powder to break down the starches into sugars, your beer will be sweet and sticky with reduced alcohol levels.

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Diastatic malt powder substitute for bagels

You could use active dry yeast and white sugar as a substitute for the liquid versions of these ingredients. 

You should also know that regular malt (non-diastatic) will not work in this instance; you need something with an increasing amount of gluten to provide elasticity when kneading bread or other forms into shape before they rise again after proving…

We hope our little guide helped clear things up!

What’s the difference between diastatic and non-diastatic malt powder?

Non-diastatic malt powder does not contain any of these enzymes. It’s made from sprouted barley but lacks all three enzymes needed to break down carbohydrates into sugar. 

Non-diastatic malt powder is used in extract brewing to add color and flavor but will not affect the fermentability of your wort.

Diastatic malt powder is prepared from sprouted grains that have been killed process (dried) after the initial malting. It contains all three enzymes: alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, and limit dextrinase. 

These enzymes allow the malt to change starches in the grain itself into sugars, which can then be used by yeast.

What can I use instead of Diastatic malt powder?

My Favourite Diastatic Malt Powder Replacements

  • · Corn Syrup
  • · Corn Starch
  • · Evaporated Milk Powder
  • · Coconut Milk Powder
  • · Soy Milk Powder

king Arthur diastatic malt powder

King Arthur diastatic malt powder is a unique blend of enzyme-rich malted barley. 

It’s the ultimate flour improver, adding easy-to-digest energy along with fantastic flavor and performance benefits to yeast bread, quick bread, cookies, muffins, biscuits – you name it! 

You can even use it in cakes, waffles, and pancakes.

King Arthur diastatic malt powder has several unique qualities:

· · It is enzymatically active, meaning it liberates energy from carbohydrates as your body digests them through a process known as “glycolysis.”

· · It is also full of flavor – you can taste it in every bite!

· · It can be mixed with cold or room-temperature water to make a dough – no need for warm water.

· · King Arthur diastatic malt powder is fully hydrated, so it’s easy to use in bread machine recipes or by itself.

Wrap Up On Substitutes For Diastatic Malt Powder

So what is your next replacement for diastatic malt powder? Comment me below.

How to store diastatic malt powder

Use an airtight container, place it in a dark place; your kitchen cabinet will be a good safest place to store it. Using the correct storage methods is very important in ensuring that it is used correctly and safely.

FAQs Related to Diastatic Malt Powder & Alternatives

Q1. Diastatic malt powder near me

Diastatic Malt Powder can find your nearby supermarket in the baking ingredients section.

Q2. Is Diastatic malt powder the same as dry malt extract?

No. Malt extract is made by removing the water from the grist – the mixture of barley malt, water, and other grains used to make beer or ale after they have been processed through a mashing process.

Diastatic malt powder has not undergone this dehydration process; it still contains sugars and active enzymes that will allow the yeast to eat the sugars. 

As a consequence, diastatic malt powder will raise the final alcohol content of beer or ale somewhat – not as much as dry malt extract, but enough that you should take it into consideration when formulating recipes.

Diastatic malt powder is often used in beers and ales where a little extra alcohol content is desired (for instance, doppelbock with), but the increase in alcohol content should still be considered when formulating recipes.

Q3. Is Diastatic Malt Powder The Same As Malt Powder?

Diastatic malt powder is nothing but a name for malt powder. The enzyme which has this property, amylase, can break down larger molecules into simpler ones. 

This process is called ‘saccharification.’ The larger molecules are also known as dextrins, which saccharify one molecule at a time. 

If you have more of these large molecules, it is possible to produce a lot of sugar. ‘diastatic’ derives from ‘diastasis,’ which means ‘separation.’ 

This enzyme divides smaller particles from larger ones, so therefore the powder itself possesses the power to separate. If amylase was not present in the malt, starch would never be broken down into sugar.

Q4. Can I use barley malt syrup instead of Diastatic malt powder?

Yes, You Can Use Barley malt syrup instead of Diastatic malt powder but make sure you adjust the amount taken for diastatic malt powder.

Q5. Is malted barley flour the same as Diastatic malt powder?

No. Diastatic malt powder is created by sprouting barley then drying it with hot air or kilning. 

During this process, enzymes are activated that will be used in the mashing process to convert starch into sugar for fermentation. 

This type of malt contains a lot of diastatic power and is often used in small amounts to improve the enzyme content of a malt that doesn’t have enough enzymes to support all the starch in the mash.

Malted barley flour is produced by grinding raw (unmalted) barley into a powder then sifting out the coarser pieces. 

This results in a fine light brown powder with no diastatic activity. This powder type is also known as “barley malt flour” or “enzymatic malt.”

Q6. How much diastatic malt powder to use in pizza dough?

Diastatic malt comes in two forms, powder, and syrup. The powder is very fine, like sugar. I use 1 tsp per loaf for bread, which equals 0.25oz or 7g of diastatic malt per loaf.

You can start with a little less to make it easier on yourself if you are not sure how it will work out. 

Q7. How much diastatic malt powder to use in bread?

The amount of malt powder is 2 teaspoons per 1/4 kilogram or 0.9ounce.

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