WHITE-CRUSTED BREAD: Leukemic Bread?

Recently, one of our customers, using a very "colorful" expression, referred to "leukemic bread," meaning bread with a thin crust and a pale, whitish color—unappealing to eat or serve at the table. She also mentioned the need to add malt.

She was right. In these cases, a bit of malt works wonders. Beyond enhancing the color, it gives the bread an inviting aroma reminiscent of freshly baked bread.

What is Malt? Many people, particularly online, ask about the difference between malt and malt flour. Others wonder about malted grain flour or malt extract. 

To clarify, malt is not a type of grain, fruit, or plant; it is the caryopsis—the kernel—of a cereal grain that has undergone germination. During germination, the starch within the kernel is broken down into simpler molecules, such as simple sugars (maltose and dextrins). This transformation, known as saccharification, is carried out by two specific enzymes in the kernel: alpha-amylase and beta-amylase, which increase in quantity and activity during germination (we’ve already discussed enzymes in the article on gluten networks—click here for more details).

Terms like "malt," "malt flour," "malted grain flour," and "malt extract" all essentially refer to the same substance but in different forms.
  • Malt and malt flour are often used interchangeably, commonly referring to barley malt. If other grains are used, either alone or with barley, the product is called "malted grain flour."
  • Malt extract is malt or malted grain flour diluted in hot water, filtered, and concentrated to produce a thick syrup-like paste or, through drying (typically spray-drying), a powdered form.

In malt (or malt flour/malted grain flour), there is a small amount of sugar and a high enzyme content (amylases). In contrast, malt extract (either in paste or powder form) has higher sugar content but fewer enzymes.


Both sugars and enzymes are essential for good bread-making:

  • Sugars feed the yeast, which is necessary for fermentation and proper leavening. They also contribute to the bread’s flavor, aroma, and golden crust (via the Maillard reaction).
  • Enzymes improve the gluten network, resulting in better texture, greater volume, crispness, and digestibility. They are particularly useful when working with weak flours that have low diastatic power.

It’s worth noting that there are non-diastatic malts and malt extracts (where the enzymes are deactivated) used in beer production. In brewing, the malt is fermented by yeast to produce alcohol.


USAGE GUIDELINES

Malt (or malt flour/malted grain flour)** is typically used at 1–3% of the flour weight in the dough.
Malt extract** is used in smaller amounts to avoid over-coloring the bread’s surface.
Malt is especially beneficial for doughs requiring long fermentation times or when using flours with low amylase activity.

For reference, instead of malt or malt extract, specific bread improvers (click here to see our product)containing malted grain flour and added enzymes can be used. These improve bread volume and leavening more efficiently than malt alone.


For purchasing malt flour, click here


A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF MALT PRODUCTION

Malt is not produced by mills but by specialized facilities called malt houses. The process is complex:

1. After harvesting barley (or other grains), the kernels are cleaned, sorted, and soaked in water tanks. This hydration triggers germination, increasing the kernel's moisture content to 45–50%. Oxygen and regular water changes maintain optimal conditions for enzyme activation, which converts starch into simple sugars. Small rootlets also begin to emerge, marking the start of germination.

2. After approximately five days (the length of the rootlets is a key indicator of germination progress), the grains are dried. If drying occurs at low temperatures, enzyme activity is preserved. At higher temperatures (above 80°C), the enzymes are deactivated, and the malt darkens—ideal for beer production.

3. After drying, a de-germinator removes the rootlets and germ. The remaining kernels are ground into malt flour or further processed into malt extract.


NOTES ON PRODUCING MALT EXTRACT

1. The malt flour is mixed with water, reactivating enzyme activity to continue breaking down starch into simple sugars and dextrins.

2. This produces a mash consisting of sugars, bran (spent grain), and water. Filtration separates the sugary liquid from the bran.

3. The sugary liquid is then concentrated by evaporating the water, creating a dense malt extract. This can be spray-dried into powder or sold as-is in liquid form.