Chocolate malt can give your cooking depth and additional flavor, plus you can use it in a number of different exciting ways.
For example, use malted milk powder in a traditional chocolate malt, or stir it into your cookies for a rich and nuanced taste that’s hard to beat.
Using chocolate malt isn’t rocket science, but it can give you a leg up on kitchen wizardry.
The key lies in understanding what makes this versatile ingredient so unique and how to make the most of malt chocolate.
Although you’ve tasted it during your life, understanding what chocolate malt is can help you emphasize its flavor and use it in new and exciting dishes.
Chocolate malt is a sweet, chocolatey version of traditional malt powder.
This type of powder comes from wheat, barley, and evaporated milk, but it turns into chocolate malt when you roast it until it gets sweet.
The result is a creamy, nutty mixture that adds a whole different dimension of flavor to sweets.
If you’re the type of person who finds chocolate a little too sweet for your blood, add a little bit of malt to the mix.
It’s also relatively inexpensive and available at plenty of larger grocery stores.
Since a little goes a long way, you should be able to have your chocolate malt for a while if you store it properly.
What is the difference between chocolate and chocolate malt?
Chocolate is a sweet substance that’s a mixture of cocoa beans, milk, and sugar.
Chocolate malt is malt powder that’s been roasted until it takes on a caramelly, rich flavor that tastes similar to robust chocolate.
It’s not as sweet as chocolate, and you don’t derive it from cocoa beans and sugar like traditional chocolate, but it still shares some of the same flavor profiles.
What does chocolate malt taste like?
Chocolate malt tastes a bit like unsweetened cocoa powder.
It’s got a touch of bitterness and plenty of caramel and malt notes in the mix.
Some people say that it tastes like very rich coffee or has a bit of a mocha feel to it.
Does chocolate malt have caffeine in it?
Chocolate malt does not have caffeine, making it a somewhat healthier choice than chocolate.
Chocolate malt remains naturally caffeine-free because its primary ingredients, wheat, and barley, don’t contain any.
On the other hand, cocoa beans have caffeine, and chocolate’s natural sugar composition means that it will almost certainly give you a bit of a buzz.
How to use chocolate malt
There are so many different ways that you can use chocolate malt.
The most popular method is to mix it into malted milk.
To do this, you just need to combine milk, chocolate malt powder, and a squirt of chocolate syrup to taste.
Chocolate malts were extremely popular about a century ago, and you can still find them at some higher-end ice cream counters.
You can also add chocolate malt to your baking, especially in recipes that call for chocolate or cocoa powder.
If you’re unsure how much malt to use, err on the side of caution and add just a tiny bit to the frosting or the batter.
You’ll get that luxe, delicious, malty flavor without overpowering your senses.
Although less common, some home cooks swear that malt gives their homemade sauces a little bit of a kick.
For example, add a touch of malt to barbecue sauce or chili for a rich, slightly-sweet tang that will never overpower the savory notes of the dish.
How to make a chocolate malt
Chocolate malts are almost like upgraded versions of your favorite milkshake, and they are super simple to make if you have chocolate malt powder on hand.
Essentially, all that you need to do to make a chocolate malt is start with a vanilla milkshake and add chocolate malt to taste.
Then, you can incorporate a little bit of chocolate into the shake for extra flavor and sweetness.
Alternately, you can switch things up by stirring a little bit of chocolate malt powder into whipped cream and then using that to crown your shake.
Since chocolate malt is a bit of an acquired taste, it helps to start off smaller and work your way up.
Chocolate malt recipes
In addition to the classic chocolate malt, there are plenty of things that you can do with this particular ingredient.
Since it plays really well with baked goods, chocolate malt is an exceptional ingredient that adds a lot of depth to your existing dishes.
Just a tiny sprinkle of chocolate malt flavor can elevate any cookies, cakes, or even bread pudding.
For exceptional flavor and depth, don’t just make standard chocolate chip cookies.
Chocolate Malted Cookies are a great alternative that isn’t too sweet and will surely be a massive hit at your next bake sale.
All you need for this recipe are common cookie ingredients plus a bit of traditional malted milk powder or chocolate malt powder.
These chocolate malted cookies come together in a flash.
First, mix up butter, sugar, and egg, then add in your cocoa powder, vanilla, and malted milk powder.
If you’re using chocolate malt instead of malted milk powder, add a little bit less cocoa powder, so the cookies aren’t overpowering.
Next, add your dry ingredients and chocolate chips.
Once you’ve done the prep work, pop them in the oven and prepare to savor delicious cookies in about 15 minutes.
Chocolate malt lovers will swoon over this Triple Malt Chocolate Cake.
This cake is packed with malt, from the batter to the frosting, and crumbles on the top.
If you love chocolate but find it slightly too sweet for your tastes, try triple male chocolate cake on for size.
You will not regret it.
This recipe is based on a regular chocolate cake but just has a bit of a twist.
The malt isn’t too overpowering, but it’s definitely there, and it cuts through the sweetness of the cake and lends it a very caramelly flavor.
If you really want to make it super-special, consider garnishing it with malted milk balls for a spectacular presentation that looks and is good enough to eat.
The other thing that really sets triple malt chocolate cake apart is the buttermilk.
Buttermilk is slightly more tangy than fresh milk, and it lends another layer of nuance and sophistication to the overall dessert.
If you don’t have buttermilk, simply make it yourself by combining milk with lemon juice.
Chocolate Malt Bread Pudding is an excellent alternative to your traditional bread pudding, and malt plays very well with all of its flavors.
This particular recipe is unexpected, decadent, and totally tasty.
It’s also heavy on both chocolate and chocolate malt, with a generous drizzle of syrup on top.
You can also stir in some crushed malted milk balls and chocolate chips for additional goodness.
Bread pudding is a very easy-to-make dessert with a smooth, custard interior.
It’s also an excellent way to use up any bread that you might have, and it makes in just about half an hour.
If you’ve made traditional bread pudding in the past and want to try something new, this malty version is a great way to introduce yourself to a unique flavor profile.
These Chocolate-Malt Sandwiches by Martha Stewart are a chic twist on the chocolate sandwiches of your childhood, thanks to chocolate malt powder or regular malted milk powder.
The recipe calls for malt infused throughout the cookie, so you’ll get that tremendous caramelly flavor in both the cookie itself and the decadent filling.
Plus, although they are packed with flavor, they’re not too sweet.
You can customize the sweetness of the recipe by adding in more or less chocolate or vanilla extract.
You can also add in a little bit of raspberry or cherry flavor for a fruity twist on this classic dessert.
First, the cookies call for the essentials: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, butter, sugar, and egg.
Then, you can add in either chocolate or regular malted milk powder and some salt to balance off the flavor.
Instead, you’ll get a beautiful blend of semisweet chocolate, malt, vanilla, and cream cheese.
Although these cookies taste like a million dollars, they’re relatively easy to put together, and even amateur cooks can make them.
This rich Dark Chocolate Malt is a tasty deviation from the original malt recipe that relies heavily on cayenne pepper and warm spices to give it a very adult twist.
If you love the heady flavor of malted milk and chocolate malts but want something slightly spicier and grown-up, this dark chocolate malt might be precisely what you’ve been looking for.
It gets its kick from cayenne, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
You can add the cayenne to taste.
The base is delicious vanilla ice cream and cocoa powder, plus plenty of whole milk.
Although this dark chocolate malt certainly tastes very indulgent, it’s not too heavy.
Instead, it gets all of its kick from an inspired mix of spices and the robust, caramelly malt flavor itself.
Top the whole thing off with a swirl of whipped cream, some chocolate sprinkles, and a cherry, and you have a malt for the ages.
Also, it’s easy to put together in a flash.
If you’re looking for a dessert that is seriously yummy, this double chocolate malt cake packs quite a punch.
It’s also an excellent cake for people who aren’t sure if they like malt but still want to try it.
The cake’s base is a moist, delicious, traditional chocolate cake that’s feather-light but still packed with tons of tasty flavor.
The frosting itself is where you can find the malt.
It’s a pudding-based frosting, so it’s very thick, and it works well with the airy, spongy cake.
Let it sit on your counter for a few minutes to allow the frosting to work its way into the nooks and crannies of your cake before serving.
Each bite is rich, full of dark and light chocolate, and has the perfect end-note of malt.
Although you can add as much or as little malt into the frosting as you would like, it’s a good idea to start small.
Although chocolate malt is delicious, the flavor can still be slightly overpowering for some.
If you’re making the cake for a big group, lace the pudding frosting with just the slightest amount of malt and possibly garnish the cake with crushed malted balls or halved Whoppers.
Doing this will give your guests a great idea about what’s inside.
How to work with chocolate malt
As with any other premium ingredient, there are some dos and don’ts for working with chocolate malt.
Although it’s an intense, malty, nutty flavor that adds a lot to each dish, it can also be too overpowering if you use too much.
Also, it’s an excellent substitute for cocoa powder or darker chocolate, but it’s not as sweet as milk chocolate.
Remember, chocolate malt will lend an earthy, caramelly, slightly bitter note to your dishes.
It’s a secret weapon, but you have to know how to wield it.
- Less is more – remember that you can always add more
- Don’t swap out milk chocolate for chocolate malt
- If you’re not sure that you like chocolate malt, use it in one area of the recipe
- Use chocolate malt in savory dishes sparingly
- Cut back on the cocoa powder if you’re using chocolate malt
The bottom line
Once you understand how to properly work with chocolate malt, you can make tons of different baking masterpieces right in your own kitchen.
Once you have the basics down, you can start experimenting with your own recipes and working with other flavor profiles.
Best of all, you can get chocolate malt and malted milk powder just about anywhere, and it’s relatively inexpensive.
This means that you can experiment guilt-free and come up with some great dishes.
Martins
Wednesday 19th of April 2023
Very educative, thanks slot. How doI make chocolate powder.