Malted milk
Malted milk is a powdered gruel made from a mixture of malted barley, wheat flour, and whole milk, which is evaporated until it forms a powder.
Malt powder comes in two forms: diastatic and nondiastatic. Diastatic malt contains enzymes that break down starch into sugar; this is the form bakers add to bread dough to help the dough rise and create a good crust. Nondiastatic malt has no active enzymes and is used primarily for flavor, mostly in beverages. It sometimes contains sugar, coloring agents, and other additives.
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History [edit]
London pharmacist James Horlick developed ideas for an improved, wheat and malt-based nutritional supplement for infants. Despairing of his opportunities in England, James joined his brother William, who had gone to Racine, Wisconsin, to work at a relative's quarry. In 1873, James and William formed J & W Horlicks to manufacture their brand of infant food in nearby Chicago.[1] Ten years later, they earned a patent[2] for a new formula enhanced with dried milk. The company originally marketed its new product as "Diastoid", but trademarked the name "malted milk" in 1887.[3][4]
Despite its origins as a health food for infants and invalids, malted milk found unexpected markets. Explorers appreciated its lightweight, nonperishable, nourishing qualities, and took malted milk on treks worldwide. William Horlick became a patron of Antarctic exploration, and Admiral Richard E. Byrd named a mountain range in Antarctica after him. Back at home, people began drinking Horlick's new beverage for enjoyment. James Horlick returned to England to import his American-made product back home and was eventually created a baronet.[1] Malted milk became a standard offering at soda fountains, and found greater popularity when mixed with ice cream in a "malt". "Malt shops" owe their very name to the Horlick brothers.[3]
There is a disagreement as to whether malted milk drinks assist sleep; no scientific studies exist which either support or reject this claim.[5]
Uses [edit]
- Malted milk biscuits
- Malted milkshakes
- Malted hot drinks, such as Horlicks
- Malted milk balls: malted milk is used in the popular candy confections Whoppers (manufactured by Hershey Co.), Mighty Malts (manufactured by Necco), and Maltesers (manufactured by Mars, Inc).
- Ice cream: malted milk is used as a topping for some types of sundaes.
- Malted milk can be an ingredient in homemade bagels.
- Mariusz Pudzianowski cited malted milk as being the key supplement in his successful strongman career.
- Pancakes (malted milk is used in place of sugar in some recipes)
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ a b Kitchen Lore: The History of Malted Milk Powder
- ^ U.S. Patent 278,967
- ^ a b listing at Wisconsin history library
- ^ Image of the Horlick brothers' factory
- ^ RACHEL KAUFMAN (08 January 2008). "Is your bedtime drink bad for you?". Daily Mail Online.
