Spelt Bread: How to Make Spelt Bread (Recipe)

Spelt is now commonly found in flour form, in baking, or even in pasta for home cooking. Today, we’ll focus on the most common way to find and consume this grain: I’ll show you how to make your own spelt bread at home in a very simple way.

If you’ve never heard the word spelt before, that’s okay—I’ll give you a brief introduction. Although it’s now more “trendy” and we’re starting to see it more, this grain is ancient. It originated nearly 7,000 years ago. Its properties are noteworthy and are likely the main reason it’s gaining prominence today.

For your interest, this flour has fewer calories, is richer in fiber, and is easier to digest than traditional wheat flour. Additionally, it has a high protein value and contains amino acids like tryptophan, which is crucial for our mental and emotional well-being. Spelt is also rich in B vitamins and vitamin E. Moreover, its high B2 vitamin content helps all its amino acids be better tolerated and absorbed by our body. You might also be interested in the recipe for paleo bread and the paleo diet

That said, let’s get started with the recipe!

Recipe: Homemade Whole Spelt Bread

Ingredients for Whole Spelt Bread

• 600 grams of whole spelt flour
• 10 grams of fresh yeast or 1/3 of baking powder (3.3 grams)
• 350 grams of warm water
• 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 teaspoon of salt (10 grams)
• A pinch of sugar (optional)

Making Spelt Bread

Mixing, Kneading, and Fermenting

• First, use a large bowl to mix the flour evenly with the yeast, a pinch of salt, and the sugar.
• Next, dissolve and activate the fresh yeast in the warm water. Crumble the yeast to make it easier. To activate properly, the water temperature should be between 32-38ºC. If the water is too cold, the yeast won’t activate, and if it’s too hot, it will die. Stir until it dissolves properly and forms a thick mixture. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to activate the yeast and start bubbling.
• Get your mixer and add the dry ingredients. Then, add the mixture of water and activated yeast and mix for 8-10 minutes. (If you’re doing it by hand, you’ll need to spend a few more minutes kneading.)
• Once all the ingredients are combined and the dough is ready, let it ferment. For this, use a clean bowl lightly greased with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and place the dough in a ball shape. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 45-60 minutes in a warm place.

:!: Unlike wheat flour gluten, spelt flour gluten has a much more delicate structure. What does this mean? It means you’ll need to knead this bread dough much more gently than you would for a classic bread.

Therefore, be careful not to over-knead as this can ruin the final texture and result in a spelt bread that crumbles easily and is uncomfortable to eat.

Preparing and Baking

• After the resting time, turn the dough out onto a smooth work surface, dusted with some of the spelt flour. On the surface, knead the dough a bit more and shape it as you wish: round, a loaf, or any shape you need. (If you want, sprinkle a little flour on top and make some cuts on the dough with a blade.)
• Let the dough rest for another 30 minutes in a warm place, covered with a clean cloth. You’ll see it increase in size.
• Shortly before this resting time is over, preheat the oven. When the dough has rested and the oven is hot, bake it at 200ºC for about 30 minutes. To optimize the final result, splash some water inside the oven to create steam. Repeat this step halfway through baking. This will make the crust of your bread crunchier.
• A trick to check if the bread is done is to tap it with your knuckles; it should sound hollow. When it does, remove your spelt bread from the oven and let it cool on a rack to cool down.

…et voilà! You now have your own freshly baked spelt bread, ready to eat.

The Versatility of Spelt

The flavor of spelt is quite mild and pleasant, so if it’s your first time trying it, you’ll find it easy to incorporate into your diet (in any form). In this case, I’ve provided the steps to make your own bread, but you can use spelt flour for any recipes you like. Whether it’s for muffins, cakes, cookies, pizza dough, or pastries, you can substitute regular wheat flour with spelt flour.

To adapt your usual recipes (that use wheat flour) to spelt flour, know that spelt has greater solubility in liquids. Therefore, start by mixing it with 3/4 of the liquid amount specified in the recipe you want to adapt. From there, adjust as needed. Of course, the texture won’t be 100% identical, but it will taste just as good (or even better).

Where to Buy Spelt Bread and Ingredients?