Kamut can make beautiful enriched bread when it is given enough moisture and handled gently. This loaf uses 70% fresh-milled Kamut with 30% bread flour for ancient-grain flavor without asking Kamut’s more delicate gluten to do all the heavy lifting.
Prep30 min
Rise1½–2 hr
Bake35–40 min
Pan9×5 in
Ingredients
Dough
- 350 g fresh-milled Kamut flour
- 150 g bread flour
- 285 g whole milk, lukewarm (start with 270 g and hold back 15 g)
- 50 g egg (1 large)
- 30 g honey
- 45 g unsalted butter, softened
- 7 g instant yeast
- 9 g fine salt
Cinnamon swirl
- 55 g dark or light brown sugar
- 8 g ground cinnamon
- 20 g softened butter
- 45 g finely chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
Fresh-milled note: Mill the Kamut finely. Mix the flours with the milk and egg and rest 15–20 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients. That short rest lets fresh bran hydrate and usually makes the dough noticeably easier to handle.
Method
- Combine both flours, 270 g milk, and the egg until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest 15–20 minutes.
- Add honey, yeast, salt, and softened butter. Mix on low to medium-low until cohesive and elastic, about 6–8 minutes. Add the reserved milk a little at a time only if the dough feels firm. Kamut dough should be soft but not soupy.
- Cover and let rise until about 60–75% larger, generally 60–75 minutes. Do not wait for a dramatic doubling.
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll into roughly a 9×14-inch rectangle. Spread with 20 g butter, leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar and nuts if using.
- Roll tightly from the short side, pinch the seam, and place seam-side down in the pan.
- Proof until the center crowns about ¾–1 inch above the rim, about 35–60 minutes depending on room temperature.
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 35–40 minutes. Tent loosely with foil if it browns too quickly. The center should reach about 195–200°F.
- Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out and cool at least 1 hour before slicing.
Grainiac notes
For a stronger Kamut flavor, you can increase fresh-milled Kamut to 80%, but expect a slightly more tender crumb and a little less height. For the lightest loaf, keep the 70/30 blend. Avoid aggressive kneading after the dough has become smooth—Kamut can weaken when overmixed.
Storage: Keep tightly wrapped at room temperature for 2–3 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze. Toast slices directly from frozen.
Learn more
New to working with freshly milled flour? Read Fresh-Milled vs. Store-Bought Flour and Why Is My Fresh-Milled Bread Dense?.
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