A lot of my recipes, mostly older ones but a few newer ones, call for malted milk powder. It can be rather confusing ingredient because there are different types including the type used by brewers and bakers called diastatic or non-diastatic malt. I use that every so often in bagels or pretzels, but usually when I refer to malted milk powder I mean this grocery store variety.
What is Malted Milk Powder?
Malted milk powder is an unsweetened powder, not to be confused with hot cocoa mix or sweetened drink mixes. It's made with barley flour, wheat flour and evaporated milk powder. As you can guess, it's the ingredient that turns milkshakes into malts, but it's also used in baked goods like Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies.
For anyone interested in which brand I use, the one I use for all my recipes is Carnation.
Carnation brand comes in both regular and chocolate. Most of my recipes use the regular type, which is often found on the hot cocoa aisle. Other brands include Horlick's and Ovaltine. If you find Ovaltine, make sure it's actually malted milk powder and not some other Ovaltine blend because they make other malt drink mixes. I've seen Horlick's at Fiesta and other stores with a good International section, but I've never tried it.
Anna says
Joe, I've never used the chocolate version. Do you have a lot of recipes calling for the chocolate version?Randi, we're more into smoothies than milkshakes. So I think we need to progress to milk shakes and then move to malts at a point when she'll be able to distinguish the taste subtleties between milkshakes and malts.
Randi says
ive never seen the chocolate version. I love this stuff, they dont sell it in canada so I get in it Michigan. I've introduced my neice to malts, she just loves them. Does your daughter like them?
Joe says
Hi Anna - that's the same stuff I use, although I typically end up with the chocolate version more than the original! Good stuff!