To cook this Spelt bread recipe you will need a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and patience. Unlike white bread this recipe
for Spelt bread will take twice as long to leaven. From start to finish, it will take 2 - 3 hours.
To find out why Spelt is such a healthy whole grain food, click Spelt Nutrition.
Ingredients (Makes 1 Loaf)
1 1/2 cups warm water (just barely hot to the touch)
1 package active dry yeast (1/4 ounce)
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon whole flaxseed (optional)
2 1/2 cups whole spelt flour
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 3/4 cups whole spelt flour
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Directions
In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of flaxseed (optional).
Mix in 2 1/2 cups of spelt flour. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
Mix in 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and salt. Stir in 1 3/4 cups of spelt flour. Flour a flat
surface and knead with spelt flour until it pulls away from the counter but is still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 1 to 2
cups of spelt flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place
until doubled (about 30 minutes).
Punch down and place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Allow to rise until dough has topped the pan by
one inch. Depending on your yeast this will take between 1 - 2 hours.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not over bake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 1 tablespoon of melted
butter when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.
TIP: Place a loaf pan of the same size over the top of the loaf while baking to create a better crust.
Substitutions and Additions
Honey can be substituted for the brown sugar in this whole spelt bread recipe.
Substitute half the spelt flour for white spelt flour, or
hard white wheat flour, or bread flour to
create an even lighter and fluffier loaf of whole grain bread.
To give this recipe a crunch, consider adding walnuts.
In this whole grain bread recipe we included the option for flaxseed because here at versagrain.com we are big proponents of incorporating
flaxseed into your diet. Its high protein, fiber, and omega 3 fatty acids makes flaxseed a nutritional powerhouse your body can use to fight
depression, cancer, and heart disease.
