Spelt Bread
I love Spelt Bread, however the store purchased ones are expensive and a little heavy. This is great for sandwiches etc and cost half the price to make
I love Spelt Bread, however the store purchased ones are expensive and a little heavy. This is great for sandwiches etc and cost half the price to make
- Carbohydrate 258.174112500004 g
- Cholesterol 30.503125013081 mg
- Fat 20.6746812549349 g
- Fiber 40.4179993057251 g
- Protein 55.8363937500517 g
- Saturated Fat 8.80732500312533 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (754g)
- Sodium 5360.89001065061 mg
- Sugar 217.756113194279 g
- Trans Fat 2.07431625034546 g
- Calories 1353 calories
Step-by-step
- In large mixer bowl, combine 3 1/2 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt Mix well.
- Add warm water (125 degrees or so) and shortening to flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened, beat 3 minutes at med. speed.
- By hand, gradually stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Cover and allow to rise in warm place until double. About 30 mins. Stir down batter.
- Spread in greased 9x5 or 8x4 bread pans. Cover and allow to rise until batter reaches tops of pans, (about 20-30 mins)
- Bake at 190 degrees celsius for about 35-40 mins til golden brown.
- Remove from the pans and brush with butter. Allow to cool.
A simple declaration of flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt, and butter reveals very little about how ancient grains behave under manipulation. Spelt, an ancient subspecies of wheat cultivated for millennia, contains a fragile gluten matrix that requires distinct handling compared to modern hard wheats. Overworking modern bread dough creates elasticity, but pushing spelt too hard breaks down its delicate protein strands entirely, resulting in a dense, crumbly loaf rather than an airy sandwich bread. Managing hydration is the primary factor determining success or failure here. Water temperature must be monitored closely at 125 degrees Fahrenheit to activate the instant dry yeast without shocking the living organisms, while leaving enough thermal energy for the initial 30-minute rise in a warm environment. Incorporating the first 3 1/2 cups of flour at a low mixer speed builds an initial wet batter before the remaining grain is stirred in by hand to prevent structural collapse. Bakers must observe the batter closely during the second proofing phase, watching for the dough to reach the exact lip of the 9x5 or 8x4 bread pans before transferring the vessels to the oven. Baking at 190 degrees Celsius for 35 to 40 minutes requires visual confirmation of doneness rather than internal probing; tapping the bottom of the baked loaf should produce a hollow acoustic resonance indicating a fully set crumb. Brushing the exterior crust immediately with softened butter adds localized fat that softens the exterior shell while the bread cools completely on a wire rack.
