Eat The Food: Spelt Based Medium Rye Bread

So there are some out there that might be wondering why this one falls under "Eat the Food". Well, its an uninteresting little story that finishes with the punchline... "and I have had 25kg of Rye flour in my freezer for over 12 months".

Now there's nothing wrong with that under normal circumstances, it certainly should be used reasonably soon but it wouldn't be urgent. The problem is that since I recently had freezer space cut down by about a quarter about a month ago, when the fridge fatally met it's maker (Mr Mytag), I have found myself juggling that flour round the freezer. More importantly it has been forcing me into making hard decisions on whether I really have enough room to make and store stock.. Glory be!

People, stock shouldn't need to be a decision in the middle of winter. It's practically a food group of it's own for the next few months. It saves my life, it saves my sanity, can you see why this flour has got to go. Unlike wheat flour though I think this one is going to be an insanely hard sell to anyone but me so it's gotta be baked, it's gotta be made, it's gotta be given as bread to anyone that will stand still long enough for me to (con) talk into taking it off my hands.

Um..... Anyone want to pay postage on some bread ;-D




Sourdough Spelt Medium Rye
(2 med loaves)

228g Milk
50g Butter
1/8 C Backstrap Molasses with 1/8 C Water
4 tsp Salt
300g Active Starter
171g Water
282g Rye Flour
141g Wholegrain Spelt Flour
(141g +176g) White Spelt Flour

In a bowl add the Starter, water, and Flours holding back the last 171g of white spelt. Mix until partially incorporated and sit, covered, for 45 min to an hour.

Separately in a small saucepan bring the temperature of the milk up until it bubbles but doesn't boil. Take the milk off the heat and stir in room temperature butter, molasses, water and salt. Cover saucepan and allow mix to cool until tepid.

Combine both mixtures in the bowl and work until they are very well incorporated and the dough looks roapy.

Once that has occurred, slowly knead in the remaining amount of white spelt flour. Resist adding further flour or water at this stage as the two flour types will be absorbing moisture at a different rate to start with this will be a very stiff dough.

Let the dough rest, covered, for at least 15 minutes. Once the dough has relaxed you will notice a distinct change, it should be moist and sticky. Kneed either in the machine for 1 minute or by hand 2-3 minutes, if kneading by hand add as little extra flour as you can get away with, until you get a smooth moist dough.

Place in a clean oiled container and turn dough to ensure that the oil covers all sides. Ensure that the container is either airtight or cover with a damp tea towel and locate in a warm draft free spot.

Let your dough proof about 5-6 hours (shorter if it is a hot day, i.e. if you know your heat and you know your starter this is your standard bulk fermentation).

Shape & allow to rise 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 min. Turn the heat gauge on the oven to 170C and set the timer for 35 min. Again, if you have more success getting oven lift with a differing technique when cooking a loaf go for it.

This recipe is being entered in Yeastspotting over at Wild Yeast