Spelt gives bread a nutty flavour, but the flour behaves a little differently from ordinary wheat. Its gluten is weaker, so the dough needs a shorter knead. Here is a good basic recipe for two loaves.
Ingredients for two loaves
- 25 g fresh yeast
- 700 ml lukewarm water
- 3 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp honey
- 500 g wholemeal spelt flour
- 500 g white spelt flour
How to bake spelt bread
- 1Mix everything
Stir the yeast into the water. Add salt, honey and flour, and mix to an even dough.
- 2Knead briefly
Knead for just 5 minutes. Spelt dough gets sticky if kneaded too much. It should be soft and cling a little to the bowl.
- 3Let it rise twice
Let it rise, covered, for about 45 minutes. Divide the dough in two, put it in greased tins and let it rise for about 25 minutes. Spelt rises quickly, so keep an eye on it.
- 4Bake
Bake at 200 °C for 40 to 45 minutes. Let the loaves cool completely on a rack before slicing.
How to store spelt bread
Spelt bread can dry out a little faster than ordinary wholegrain bread. Put the cold loaf in a bread bag, and keep the bag in the fridge. If it needs to last longer, slice it and freeze the slices, which can go straight in the toaster. See also how long bread can stay in the freezer.
Frequently asked questions
Is spelt bread gluten-free?
Why did the bread spread out?
Can I switch to ordinary plain flour?
For your bread
Bivoks™ bread bag299 NOKFridge, freezer or counter: it can take all three. The bag can be reused for 12 months or more, and closes with a clip.