How much Active Malt should I use?

This is the question we are most often asked—and it’s complicated to answer, because there is no fixed percentage. Malt extract is used in small amounts relative to the weight of flour, but the exact quantity must be calculated based on several specific factors, including:

• The product’s diastatic potency

• The flour’s strength (W value)

• The method used for the dough

• The desired end product

• Other parameters, such as season, hydration, resting times, and more

For this reason, any recommended percentage should always be considered indicative only.

To help you, we’ve created an Active Calculator that takes the most important variables into account. However, the result it gives should never be taken as “absolute truth,” since it cannot account for every variable involved in making dough, such as room temperature, dough temperature, the type of mixer used, etc. We therefore recommend considering the calculator’s suggestion only as a starting point, and adjusting the dosage slightly (by about 0.5% more or less) according to your needs and production conditions.

One last tip:
Always think of active malt as a medicine for your dough: it can cure, revitalize, or even save a “dying” dough. But as with all medicines, “one pill is good, two don’t make it better.” You don’t need to use it all the time.
Active malt is a natural product and has no contraindications, but it is still a sugar, so it should always be used in moderation—for your well-being and that of your yeast!