Hi Jayne! We wouldn't recommend using diastatic malt powder in place of the vital wheat gluten called for in this recipe. The vital wheat gluten provides a boost of gluten to help create a strong structure whereas the diastatic malt helps with yeast growth. If you don't have vital wheat gluten on hand, you might try using bread flour in place of the all-purpose flour called for here and leaving out the vital wheat gluten. It has a slightly higher gluten forming protein content. If you give this a go, you may find that you need a tablespoon or so of additional water to acheive the proper consistency. We hope this helps and happy baking! 

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