Barley malt syrup

Barley malt syrup, also called malt extract, is a viscous concentrate of the water extract of germinated barley grain. The barley is sprouted, dried and sometimes roasted, then steeped in water, and the sugary liquid is filtered and boiled down to a syrup.

The syrup is largely unrefined, with a dark brown color, a texture like molasses and a strong, malty taste. It is about half as sweet as sugar, so recipes usually use a larger amount.

Bakers add it to bread dough to feed the yeast and deepen the crust color. It also flavors cookies, gingerbread and granola, and it gives a rich, malted taste to milk drinks and ice cream.