Spelt can make remarkably light bread, but its dough moves quickly and weakens when overmixed or overproofed. These five recipes teach where that speed helps.
Yield1 large 9×5-inch loaf
GrainFresh-milled Spelt
Fresh-milled note: Hold back a small portion of liquid until the flour has rested. Grain, mill setting, and flour temperature all change absorption.
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh-milled spelt flour
- 330 g water, divided
- 30 g honey
- 35 g soft butter
- 10 g salt
- 6 g instant yeast
Method
- Mix flour with 310 g water and rest 20 minutes.
- Add honey, butter, salt, and yeast. Mix 5–7 minutes; spelt needs less mixing than modern wheat.
- Bulk ferment until 60–70% larger, about 50–75 minutes.
- Shape tightly and place in a greased 9×5-inch pan.
- Proof until the center crowns ¾–1 inch over the rim.
- Bake at 375°F for 35–40 minutes. Cool fully.
Grain-specific notes
Spelt ferments quickly; watch the dough rather than the clock.
If the surface begins to slacken, shape or bake immediately.
Spelt: One Grain, Five Ways
Recommended tools
OXO Digital Food Scale
Accurate gram weights matter with fresh-milled flour.
View on Amazon ↗Affiliate link · commission may be earnedFine-Mesh Flour Sifter
Optional for removing a measured portion of coarse bran.
View on Amazon ↗Affiliate link · commission may be earnedSee the complete baking tools guide →
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Learn the grain
Read the Spelt grain hub and its grain guide. For bread dough, keep the hydration chart, dense-bread guide, and sticky-dough guide nearby.