Pizza is perfect when the dough is perfect.
With this concept, for a pizza to have a strong rise, great texture, and a beautiful brown crust, diastatic malt powder is one of the tricks of the trade. Well, not all pizzas require activated diastatic malt powder; it’s typically used in Italian, Chicago-style deep-dish, and dessert pizzas.
Despite this, if you make Italian, dip-dish, or dessert pizza at home and use the wrong amount of diastatic malt, your pizza might end up being a total failure.
So, how much diastatic malt powder to use in the pizza dough?
Well, for the best texture, use half a teaspoon of diastatic malt for every 2 to 3 cups of flour. In other words, use 0.1-0.5% diastatic malt powder by weight of the flour. Remember, overdosing will result in a sticky, sweet crust, while underdosing will lead to a chewy, dense dough without flavor.
Does the confusion still persist? Then, without further ado, let’s read the entire article.
How Much Diastatic Malt Powder To Use In The Pizza Dough?
First, let’s clear up the confusion: What is the connection between diastatic malt powder and pizza dough?
Diastatic malt is the ground malted barley containing diastase – the secret ingredients of a perfect pizza.
Pizza dough contains starches that need to be converted into sugars for the dough to rise. The diastase enzymes in the brewing process convert starches into fermentable sugars, helping get perfect rise, texture, and crust.
Hence, diastatic malt powder helps break down the flour’s starch, making the dough more elastic and easier to work with. Furthermore, it will improve the pizza’s sweetness and color.
But how much diastatic malt powder should I use in pizza dough?
Well, you should use half a teaspoon of diastatic malt powder for two to three cups of flour, which is 1 to 2 % of the flour’s weight.
Why Should You Use Diastatic Malt Powder In Pizza Dough?
Diastatic malt serves incredibly in making your pizza delicious. How – let’s see.
1. Flavor
Amylase enzymes, which are present in diastatic malt, enhance pizza flavor. Therefore, be sure to have diastatic malt powder if you intend to make authentic Italian pizza.
2. Color
Sometimes food’s color can predict how it will taste. However, incorporating diastatic malt powder enhances the pizza dough’s color, resulting in a lovely brown crust.
3. Taste
Diastatic malt powder not only improves flavor and color but also enhances the taste with a slight sweetness. As a result, diastatic malt powder has a flavor combination that gives it a delicious taste.
4. Short Baking period
Diastatic malt ferments the sugars from starch to make a softer, more sticky dough, which browns faster in the oven and decreases baking time.
5. Shelf life
You can use diastatic malt powder for up to 1 year by keeping it between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the exact shelf life of diastatic malt powder varies by brand.
Pros and Cons of diastatic malt powder in pizza dough
Using diastatic malt powder in pizza dough has both pros and cons. Let’s get to know them in detail.
Pros
- It enhances both the color and flavor of pizza.
- Boost the dough’s texture.
- It aids in the dough’s rise and chewy texture.
Cons
- It makes the dough too sticky to work with.
- It might make it more difficult to chew pizza crust.
- Add a hint of sweetness, which not everyone will find appealing.
Tips For Using Diastatic Malt Powder In Pizza Dough
- Add diastatic malt powder gradually added in the flour.
- Start with a little portion, and adjust later if needed.
- To reap the full benefits, strike the ideal balance.
- Use warm water to mix the dough to activate the enzyme.
- Before baking, allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
4 Diastatic Malt Powder Substitutes
In the absence of diastatic malt powder, are you seeking substitutes? Here are 5 alternatives to diastatic malt powder for you:
1. Honey
You could, however, substitute honey for diastatic malt powder for a better flavor and more reliable texture. However, the presence of antimicrobial properties in honey keeps the pizza fresh.
2. Sugar
A better alternative to diastatic malt powder substitutes would be sugar, which improves the texture of your pizza dough and makes it more extensible by creating a fine crumb. Hence, if sugar is in your hand, you use it to make pizza dough.
3. Vanilla powder
The vanilla powder can make your pizza crust crispy and fluffy. However, unlike diastatic malt powder, vanilla powder might not raise your dough as much.
4. Coconut milk
As dairy-free milk, coconut milk is an excellent substitution for diastatic malt powder in pizza dough. Additionally, it will prevent the dough from spoiling.
Other Uses Of Diastatic Malt Powder
In addition to being used in pizza dough, diastatic malt powder is also used for other purposes. Including.
- To make beer or whiskey.
- To add sweetness to the cereal bar.
- Incorporating as a natural sweetener in the dish.
- To make a thick batter.
- To take as a nutritional supplement.
FAQ’s:
- What does diastatic malt do to pizza dough?
Diastatic malt promotes the fermentation of the dough. Additionally, it creates structure, promotes more even pizza dough rising, improves flavor and color, and imparts a slightly sweet taste.
- What if you use too much diastatic malt powder in pizza dough?
When you add too much diastatic malt powder to your pizza dough, you end up with a sticky, sweet crust, which makes the pizza taste awful.
- What if you use too little diastatic malt powder in pizza dough?
If you only use a small amount of diastatic malt powder, the pizza won’t rise. Furthermore, the pizza crust will be chewy and flavorless.
Sum Up
By now, I hope you are aware of the importance of adding the right dose of diastatic powder to pizza dough.
But how much diastatic malt powder to use in the pizza dough?
Well, it’s half or one teaspoon to 2 to 3 cups of flour. Or, to be more precise, add 0.1 to 0.5% of the diastatic malt of the flour’s weight.
But if you don’t have diastatic malt powder, don’t worry—there are substitutes you can use in making pizza dough.
To read more pizza-related articles, stay with Massoni.