Sugar free Bread

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You can bake flavorful loaves without using refined commercial sweeteners!

by NANCY M. HOCH

Although many North American cooks have never even heard of diastatic malt ... this healthful sweetener is one of the most important ingredients in just about every loaf of bread baked in Europe. Despite its imposing name, the substance is simply sprouted wheat or barley ... and it would be hard to imagine a better substitute for sugar or honey!

As you probably know, "sweets" do a lot more than just add flavor to breads ... such ingredients provide a necessary feeding medium for the yeast and act as browning agents, as well.

Diastatic malt handles these chores efficiently and is economical (and easy to make! ) in the bargain. In fact, the flavorful grain even increases the nutritional value of bread (by adding enzymes and vitamins) and helps loaves retain their freshness. When malt is used i n proper amounts, it improves both the taste and texture of "the staff of life" . . . while providing another means of cutting down on the use of heavily refined white sugar.

MALT MIXIN'

Non-pearled barley (the grain used in "traditional" diastatic malt) is difficult—if not impossible—for the home baker to obtain, so you'll probably want to make your sprouted sweetener from wheat.

Simply place one cup of the grain In a sprouting jar (any container with a capacity of five cups or more—topped with nylon net—will do) and cover the kernels with four cups of tepid water. After the wheat has soaked for 12 hours, drain It. (And as always, save this nutritious water for use in soups or in your bread.)

The sprouting process will take a day and a half to two days. During this time, make sure to rinse the tiny shoots three times a day to prevent molding. (If you set the jar by the kitchen sink, you won't forget to perform this chore when preparing or cleaning up afteryour meals.)

When your sprouts reach the " rootlet" stage (they'll be about as long as the wheat kernel itself), it's time to dehydrate 'em. Just spread the little plants out on a cookie sheet and put 'em in a 150 deg F oven for eight hours ... or until they're completely dry. Then grind the sweetener-to-be in a grain mill (or in a powerful blender): The end result will be inexpensive diastatic malt. (You can, of course, purchase ready-made malt commercially ... but why pay someone else to perform such an easy task?)

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