After I ditched a conventional wedding ceremony cake for a DIY cookie buffet at my yard Vermont wedding ceremony, I didn’t count on to find a genius baking secret. I simply hoped to please each palate with the handfuls of cookies I baked, and throw in a few surprises: chocolate chip for the purists, gooey lemon bars for the citrus devotees (which turned out to be a foul concept on the recent and humid August afternoon), and delicate oatmeal lace cookies for a contact of class.
However the actual showstoppers got here courtesy of sugar queen Christina Tosi’s All About Cookies — particularly her chocolate malted brownie cookies. Their not-so-secret ingredient was a half-cup of malted milk powder within the dough, plus a glittery dusting on high. One batch in, I used to be enthralled with how this unassuming powder remodeled the flavour of the dense, brownie-like cookies with a mysterious tang and deep word of umami.
After that preliminary batch, I used the remainder of my malted milk in chocolate chip cookies, German almond crescents, and shortbread. The consequence? A constant heat, toasty richness that elevated even the only butter cookies to “what’s IN this?” territory.
I hadn’t baked with malted milk powder earlier than, so I regarded into why it really works. To not be confused with powdered milk or straight malt powder, malted milk powder is constructed from dried (malted) barley, wheat flour, and evaporated milk powder. It was initially developed within the Eighties as an toddler dietary complement and over time grew to become a staple of soda counters and Halloween sweet. As we speak, manufacturers like Carnation additionally embody baking soda, which provides baked items a contact of additional leavening.
Malted milk powder works properly in baking as a result of it provides an elusive je ne sais quoi — a caramelized, nutty depth of taste that balances sugar with umami. It additionally enhances browning, because the milk sugars caramelize superbly — however bear in mind to keep watch over the oven and be ready to tug your treats a minute or two early to keep away from extreme browning. The powder is constructed from wheat however doesn’t act like gluten-forming flour in baked items. As a substitute, it lends itself to a extra tender and delicate texture. I like to recommend beginning small — 2 to 4 tablespoons per batch is the candy spot for many recipes. Bear in mind it accommodates sodium, so dial again the salt in your recipe if obligatory. And for chocolate treats, strive chocolate-flavored Ovaltine for an additional nostalgic hit.
Since I made that preliminary pre-wedding discovery, I’ve stored a container of Carnation in my pantry for all the pieces from fast breads and brownies to nutty biscotti and even sandwich bread. It’s my cheap pantry hero that retains individuals guessing — and reaching for seconds.
