Playing with Spelt

I spent about 2-3 months last year trying to work out how I could get the best results that I could out of my 50% Wheat Loaf, am nothing if not determined at times. Now at the prompting of one of my permaculture group I am playing with Spelt. Before last Saturday I hadn't even considered attempting this grain but the person involved managed to catch me just when I was starting to play with bread again in general but hadn't quite got back into my daily back rut.

To be honest I really hoped I would have a few disasters to pass onto you. The learning phase of anything is generally worth at least a couple of serious laugh out loud situations but my favourite sourdough forum had just tackled Spelt in a big way recently so I got to read about what worked .. and what didn't without actually having to produce a brick or a gluggy mess myself.

Now compared to most of the bakers out there my loaf is not worth bragging about. That said the reality is the first two times I have cooked with Spelt I have produced a loaf that although on a little on the heavy side is reasonably equivalent in texture and simplicity to my standard wheat loaf.

In my estimation substancial bread isn't actually a fault although I know many out there are looking for light and fluffy with mammoth holes. If that happens to be your family you probably don't want this recipe. There are a few that you will find in the forum's "Spelt bakeoff" that might be closer to your liking.




50% Whole Grain Spelt Sourdough Loaf (Very Large)

I generally use 2/3 to make an approx 800 g Loaf and use the balance for a Pizza Base


2 c 100% starter active starter

339 g White Spelt flour

330 g Wholemeal Spelt Flour

340 g Water

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 ½ tsp Salt


Mix starter, flours and water until you have a ragged dough only partially incorportated dough. At this point to bakers experienced with conventional wheat doughs it will seem way too dry. Try your Hardest to cope with every baking instinct you own saying "this is gunna be a brick" and DON'T add water. Let sit for 45min to allow rest.

Once the dough has rested add your oil and salt. Mix on a slow speed for around 2 min, around 10-15 if you are hand kneeding. Move to a large container and set in the fridge overnight, 4-16 hrs.

Next day remove from the fridge. Kneed in the mixer for about another 1min, aprox 10 min hand kneeding, then return to the bowl. Every 2 hours or so give a short 2 min hand kneed culminating in about 5 hours (shorter if it is a hot day, ie you know your heat and you know your starter this is your standard bulk fermentation).

Shape & proof in a warm draft free area for around 2-2.5 hrs preheat the oven so that at the end of the time it will be 250C.

Turn out onto baking paddle, slash into preferred pattern mist well with spray bottle, put bread in oven. Continue to intermittently mist your loaf as evenly as possible for the first 10-15 min. Turn the heat gauge on the oven to 170C and set the timer for 45 min.
(Again, if you have more success getting oven lift with a differing technique when cooking loafs go for it and simply make sure you test that your loaf is cooked through)