Malt is used in a wide variety of products for many reasons, some obvious, some less so. It can be used for flavour in products such as chocolate malt balls, to add colour to carbonated soft drinks or add texture to breads and biscuits. But how about to work as a partial cocoa replacer? Now that needs a little exploring!
First, let us look at how Maltichoc is made. Maltichoc is a liquid barley and malt extract blended with other malted ingredients in a wet phase. The mixture is then pumped onto bands within a heated vacuum chamber. The vacuum lifts and aerates the bed of liquid mixture while heat removes moisture and sets the aerated extract into a crunchy honeycomb structure. The material is then milled into a powder.
We shall explore a few examples of how Maltichoc can be used in biscuits and cookies and the benefits it can bring. Maltichoc can be used as a partial replacement for cocoa powder at a 1:1 ratio. In hard chocolate biscuits it is possible to achieve 50% cocoa substitution, whilst in soft American style cookies we have an example of where it has been substituted at 20%. The following pictures show very similar colour hues, backed up by the Minolta LAB* analysis.
Sensory analysis via hedonic rating scales also highlighted that the product containing Maltichoc in the hard biscuits was preferred over the one without, tasters indicating it had more flavour. Via the use of triangle tests, we found there were no significant difference between the two.
Additionally, Maltichoc can be used to produce premium retail products with increased colour and improved flavour profile. Maltichoc provides bitter and roasted flavour notes which compliment cocoa and gives a richer chocolate flavour as well as flavour enhancement from naturally occurring glutamic acid.
Finished products benefit from improved product texture as the humectant effect of malt extract enables greater moisture retention (over cocoa powder) giving a better texture over shelf life.
Here we have looked at how Maltichoc could work for you and it is not limited to biscuits alone, Maltichoc works great in a wide range of bakery and food products. It is important to keep in mind that partially replacing cocoa powder allows for extended cocoa powder usage which reduces the risk of wide price fluctuations from the volatile cocoa market.
Finally, Maltichoc which is made from UK sourced malting barley has a significantly lower carbon footprint than cocoa powder and is a more ethical ingredient choice.