Can confirm. I use 3% as well. It adds a bit of flavor, but most importantly it makes the interior super soft while maintaining the crispy exterior. I use this one off amazon.
Flour - King Author Bread Flour. Best i've seen locally with a high protein. I think I'll consider ordering something soon thats a bit better.
Here are a few ideas:
Lower hydration. Somewhere in the 60-64% is a good starting point, but it's up to you.
Consider adding some diastatic malt power (here's the one I use). This helps give a little more browning and crunch if that's what you'd like. You can get somewhat similar results by adding olive oil to the dough or brushing it on top afterwards, but I prefer to use the malt power. I personally find ~3g of malt per 500g flour to be about right, but you can experiment. This isn't used for traditional Neopolitan, but I'm usually aiming for a middle ground between NY and Neopolitan styles and like having it in my dough.
You can also play around with temperature, but you don't want to turn the flame down too much so that the bottom burns before the top crust is cooked. There's a balance here, but I'm sure you'll figure it out with practice.
I use gold medal or King Aurthor bread flour. I didn't know some flours added malt already. I will have to check the label!!
Ifor my baguettes I start with a 190g/190g poolish (100% hydration) for 24 hours. then for the dough add 220g water/380g flour/10g malt/8-10g salt/2g yeast
This is the amazon link to the malt I use. (disclaimer: I have NOTHING to do with this company...just a happy buyer)
Rather than par baking your crust, just add a little diastatic malt powder when mixing your dough. Home ovens struggle to get hot enough to add good charring/leoparding or color to the dough. A malt powder will help you achieve that “done-ness” to your dough without the cheese being over cooked. This is the malt powder I use with great results. Malt Powder
I use this stuff
It helps it raise a little bit faster, but mostly it makes the interior softer and adds a little flavor. 10/10 would recommend.
I've been tweaking this recipe for a few weeks. I did a 24 hour cold ferment, with the last few hours at room temp. I baked this using a screen and a steel on the lower rack ~550 for 5m then moved to the top for a couple minutes to brown the top. It was the first time using malt powder https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008T9LX3C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Flour (100%): 271.09 g | 9.56 oz | 0.6 lbs
Water (63%): 170.78 g | 6.02 oz | 0.38 lbs
IDY (.5%): 1.36 g | 0.05 oz | 0 lbs | 0.45 tsp | 0.15 tbsp
Salt (1.5%): 4.07 g | 0.14 oz | 0.01 lbs | 0.85 tsp | 0.28 tbsp
Oil (1.5%): 4.07 g | 0.14 oz | 0.01 lbs | 0.9 tsp | 0.3 tbsp
Sugar (2%): 5.42 g | 0.19 oz | 0.01 lbs | 1.36 tsp | 0.45 tbsp
DMP (.5%): 1.36 g | 0.05 oz | 0 lbs | 0.54 tsp | 0.18 tbsp
Total (169%): 458.14 g | 16.16 oz | 1.01 lbs | TF = N/A
I've never seen it locally. Try giving a friendly bakery (or maybe Atelier) a call and ask if they can tell you where to get some. If not, Amazon's probably the way to go ~~(only a buck or two more than ordering direct from Hoosier Hill, and you'll likely get it faster)~~.
(strikethrough edit, forgot Hoosier Hill ships from the US and oof, our dollar)
Makes a ~750g loaf when done
Ingredients
Starting at noon the day before
The next morning.
No problem at all, I use it in dry powder form. Here is the one I currently use: Diastatic malt powder
I’ve tested 6 different waffle recipes and the one from ChefSteps was the clear winner, likely from their use of Diastatic Malt Powder. The one waffle recipe I have yet to try is this Liege one which goes into great detail to match flours used traditionally. I have also yet to try to make pearl sugar.