Diastatic Malt - How to adjust for different Lintner strengths?

[aawhite]

Does anyone know how to adjust from a 20L to a 60L or 100L diastatic malt powder? Is 60L just 3x stronger than 20?

I want to try a 2% 20L low diastatic malt powder in my dough as a browning agent, but some of the available products are high lintner...

[DoouBall]

I could be wrong but I believe that Litner Values are linear. The litner value is defined in Wikipedia as

A malt has a diastatic power of 100 °L if 0.1cc of a clear 5% infusion of the malt, acting on 100cc of a 2% starch solution at 20°C for one hour, produces sufficient reducing sugars to reduce completely 5cc of Fehling's solution.

So if you have a recipe for a 20L malt and your malt is 60L (which is very common), then you have to use 1/3 as much to get the same effect.

I have a 60L malt, and I have found that it works very well in the 0.5% range.

[The Dough Doctor]

Spot on!
Normally malted flour has approximately 0.25% 20 degree L dry malt powder. So if you have a 60 degree L malt powder you would use 1/3 as much 0.25 divided by 3 = 0.08333333% to achieve that level of malting. There is nothing chiseled in stone regarding how much malt to use but if you use too much the first thing you will notice is a sticky dough condition, then excessive crust color development during baking and if you really go for broke you might even experience a weakening of the dough accompanied by the stickiness.
Tom Lehmann

[DoouBall]

Thanks Tom that's very helpful.

[aawhite]

Spot on!
Normally malted flour has approximately 0.25% 20 degree L dry malt powder. So if you have a 60 degree L malt powder you would use 1/3 as much 0.25 divided by 3 = 0.08333333% to achieve that level of malting. There is nothing chiseled in stone regarding how much malt to use but if you use too much the first thing you will notice is a sticky dough condition, then excessive crust color development during baking and if you really go for broke you might even experience a weakening of the dough accompanied by the stickiness.
Tom Lehmann

Thanks Doc! Very helpful, as always. Having trouble finding this stuff locally, but have a few online places.

[aawhite]

I could be wrong but I believe that Litner Values are linear. The litner value is defined in Wikipedia as

A malt has a diastatic power of 100 °L if 0.1cc of a clear 5% infusion of the malt, acting on 100cc of a 2% starch solution at 20°C for one hour, produces sufficient reducing sugars to reduce completely 5cc of Fehling's solution.

So if you have a recipe for a 20L malt and your malt is 60L (which is very common), then you have to use 1/3 as much to get the same effect.

I have a 60L malt, and I have found that it works very well in the 0.5% range.

Thank you for this. Great explanation. Going to try bakeries and breweries today to try and find some locally. If not I’ll just buy the Gemignani bag online. Very interested to do a side by side sugar vs diastatic malt in my dough test!

[DoouBall]

Thank you for this. Great explanation. Going to try bakeries and breweries today to try and find some locally. If not I’ll just buy the Gemignani bag online. Very interested to do a side by side sugar vs diastatic malt in my dough test!

I am using this one - it works well.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0721KWQFG/?tag=pmak-20

[HansB]

This one is 20L:  https://nybakers.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=60

[aawhite]

This one is 20L:  https://nybakers.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=60

Thanks! I just got my bag of 20L from nybakers.com today!

Also have a batch of 60L proofing now for testing tomorrow (scored some from a local bakery supply house..) testing:

48hr 2% sugar vs 48hr .06% 60L diastatic malt

should be interesting!

sidenote: does anyone know the shelf life and best storage practice for this malt powder?

[The Dough Doctor]

Store it like you would brown sugar, remember it's extremely hygroscopic. Never refrigerate it, it won't hurt it but it will only promote condensation...not a good thing.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[aawhite]

Store it like you would brown sugar, remember it's extremely hygroscopic. Never refrigerate it, it won't hurt it but it will only promote condensation...not a good thing.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

Thanks Doc, testing the 48hr doughs now (2% sugar vs .06% 60L Diastatic Malt) neither dough is browning much more than it was before the addition of sugar/malt.. Cooking in a Waring WPO500 at 600º 8min bakes on a 1" california pizza stone.. Any help on what I can do to get a touch more browning on the crust would be very appreciated. Photo below showing good color on underside and good cook on toppings, just a little pale on crust...

Base Dough formulation is:
63% Krylo High-Gluten
.3 IDY
1.75% Salt
2% Olive Oil

[DoouBall]

Store it like you would brown sugar, remember it's extremely hygroscopic. Never refrigerate it, it won't hurt it but it will only promote condensation...not a good thing.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

Tom, I always stored my malt in the freezer, with the hope to extend it to a couple of years because I don't use it very often. Not a good strategy?

[Pizza_Not_War]

My malt package says to store in cool place or fridge if properly packaged. No issues for me.

[The Dough Doctor]

To achieve a stronger (darker) crust color just increase the amount of malt or sugar.
As for storage of the diastatic malt, like I said, condensation is the big issue. If the package is unopened there is no problem at all BUT you MUST be sure to allow the malt to THOROUGHLY warm to room temperature before opening or you will get condensation on the malt which over time, will lead to severe lumping. Because the stuff is so hygroscopic the condensation will quickly be absorbed into the malt powder, this will be repeated each time the package is opened for use. I have personally seen a near full bag turned into a single block of malt in just a few months, and this was with refrigerated storage (opened for use two to three times a week). The condensation issue is pretty well negated with room temperature storage but remember that each time the package is opened you are allowing more humid air to replace the desiccated air inside the package and the above process continues however at a much slower rate.
The key to effective storage of diastatic malt powder is to minimize the head space in the package, leave it in the original packaging and fold the package down tight to the contents after opening and after each use, secure well using a rubber band and hope for the best. It should go without saying that those living in a drier climate will experience fewer issues than those living in an area with high humidity. The same can be said for summer and winter, with fewer issues in the winter due to the drier air and more in the summer when the relative humidity is significantly higher.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor

[DoouBall]

Tom, how long do you think the diastatic malt will stay usable when properly stored at room temperature the way you described? Thanks!!!