Malt in Bagels?

[Jock]

I made some bagels recently with a recipe that called for high gluten flour (14%+) with a quantity of barley malt. I notice on the ingerdient list on the bag of flour that it already contains malt. Is it necessary to add more?
I didn't with this recipe (mostly because I was too lazy to go and buy some!) The bagels were very tasty but a little flat - I mean not much rise after boiling.

Jock

[Suzanne]

I think the malt is more for flavor than for rise. The REAL NY bagels I grew up on were smallish, quite dense and moist, but shiny/crusty outside, and on the sweet side (not sugar-sweet, but sweetish).

[thebighat]

I have a hunch that malt syrup added to a dough goes in the percentage of 1.5 to 2% or something around there. It's an additional sugar to feed the yeast and also lends a characteristic flavor. If figured out on a percentage basis, I would guess that amount of malted flour in a 50 lb bag would work out to a small small amount.

[Kimmie]

Reinhart's formula: .94%

The malt is for flavour. You can also add some to the boiling water (for water bagels). Some use a small amount of baking soda to alkalize the water. That's for the typical shine of water bagels.

[kokopuffs]

Based on what I've read about malt powder, it's used for two things:

1. Provide food for yeast;
2. Hasten the fermantation and therefore dough rise. Many bakers will adjust their rising times by adjusting malt content. Generally 1 tsp per 3 or 4 cups of flour are all that's necessary.

The information was gleaned from cereal chemists, the King Arthur catalog as well as several books on bread baking. The organic flour milled locally that I purchase contains neither vitamins nor any malt. Many other flours do, including some KA flours.

[Jock]

Thanks for the feedback guys. it's a big help. I knew that the malt provided extra yeast food but wondered if more is needed in flour that already has it.
And off the subject for a moment, I see a lot of posts that reference KA flour. I can get that at my local Trader Joe's but Gold Medal is much more common here. Is there that much difference? (Stupid question really. Next time I buy some I'll get the KA and try it!)

Jock

[KyleW]

KA prides themselves on the fact that there flour is "Never bleached, never bromated." Their flour also tends to be higher protien than most supermarket brands. I've used Arrowhead Mills and Hodgson's with success and you can find these more readily than KA. Look in your local health food store as well.

[Jock]

Thanks again

Jock