malted milk

Jar of Horlicks with a small mug of same made with hot milk and a couple of teaspoons of same in a small bowl

Malted milk is a powdered food product 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 non-diastatic. 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. Non-diastatic malt has no active enzymes and is used primarily for flavor, mostly in beverages. It sometimes contains sugar, coloring agents, and other additives.

History

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 Horlick, who had gone to Racine, Wisconsin, to work at a relative’s quarry. In 1873, James and William formed a company to manufacture their brand of infant food. Ten years later they earned a patent 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.^[1][2]

Despite its origins as a health food for infants and invalids, malted milk found unexpected markets. Explorers appreciated its lightweight, non-perishable, high-calorie 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 product for the taste. 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.^[1]

William Horlick received a patent for malted milk in 1883.^[3]

Claims are often made about malted milk drinks that they assist sleep, but these claims are unfounded. At most, they help to stave off hunger overnight, which can lead to sounder sleep.^[4]

Uses

• 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's) 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 cites malted milk as being the key supplement in his successful strongman career.

References

See also

• Flavored milk
• Horlicks
• Maltesers
• Milkshake
• Nesquik
• Nestlé Milo
• Ovaltine
• Whoppers