Spelt Sourdough Loaf
If you’re on the hunt for a hearty, nutritious bread, look no further than spelt sourdough. With its slightly nutty flavor and tender crumb, this loaf is a fantastic alternative to traditional wheat bread. Plus, spelt has a rich history and offers several health benefits, making it a worthy addition to your baking repertoire. Let’s dive into the world of spelt sourdough!
What is Spelt?
Spelt is an ancient grain that has been cultivated for thousands of years. It is a cousin of modern wheat but is often easier to digest due to its lower gluten content and higher soluble fiber. This makes it a great option for those who may have mild sensitivities to wheat. Spelt also contains a wealth of nutrients, including protein, vitamins, and minerals.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients:
Active Sourdough Starter: 100g
Bread Flour: 300g
Whole Spelt Flour: 200g
Water: 350g
Salt: 10g
Equipment:
Kitchen Scale
Mixing Bowl
Bowl Cover - reusable, plastic wrap, or tea towel
Mixing Utensils
Dough Scraper
Proofing Basket
Scoring Knife
Parchment Paper
Dutch Oven/Loaf Pan/Bread Stone
Cooling Rack
Step-by-Step Instructions
Feed your Starter
Depending on your schedule you can either feed your starter in the morning or the night before you plan to bake.
The key is to create enough starter to use for the recipe and to have some left over.
When I plan to bake I feed a 1:2:2 early in the morning or 1:3:3 ratio the night before I bake. You can feed a 1:1:1 if you are in a pinch and need your starter to rise quickly. Read my Understanding Starter Feed blog for more information on this!
Your starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and there are lots of bubbles on the sides of the jar and big bubbles on the surface.
Here’s a feeding example: 15g starter + 45g flour + 45g water = 105g starter. You’ll have roughly 5g left over after making this recipe.
Mix the Dough
In a large bowl, add active starter and water. Use a Dough Whisk to mix until starter is dissolved.
Add bread flour and salt. I use a silicone baking spatula to mix at this point. You can use the Dutch whisk, I don’t like how the dough sticks to it.
You will want your dough to look like a shaggy mass at this point. It has not taken on the shape of a dough ball and some of the flour will look like it still needs incorporated.
Autolyse
Cover the bowl with a reusable cover, wet tea towel, or plastic wrap for 30-60 minutes. I usually try to let it rest for an hour but this step can be a little flexible based on your schedule.
Forming-Up the Dough
Uncover your shaggy mass and begin to work it into a ball in the bowl by stretching and folding the dough over itself.
Start on one side, pull the dough up gently so it stretches and fold it over itself.
Rotate your bowl a quarter turn or 90° and repeat the same process.
Do about 18-20 stretches
Pro Tip: slightly wet your hands to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands
Cover & Rest
Once you have finished forming the dough cover it and let it rest for 30 minutes
Stretch & Folds
Repeat the stretch and fold process above but only do 4 stretches. You will end up rotating your bowl in a complete circle or 360° for one complete set. Repeat this every 30 minutes for 2 hours.
I prefer to preform coil folds for this step instead of the same stretch and folds.
Pro Tip: slightly wet your hands to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands
Bulk Fermentation
The timing of this step largely depends on the temperature of your kitchen and dough. Warm temperatures, your dough will ferment/rise faster. Cooler temperatures, your dough will ferment/rise slower. Timing can range from 5.5 hours to 16 hours.
My kitchen and dough typically stay around 73°F and I bulk ferment my doughs for 5.5 to 7 hours.
Please read my A Guide to Bulk Fermentation for a complete explanation on this step.
Shaping & Cold Fermentation
Once dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently stretch the dough into a small rectangle. Fold the left side to the center, fold the right side over the left, then roll the dough up starting at the bottom. Work the dough into a ball by pushing and tucking the dough.
Let the dough bench rest for 20-30 minutes, then perform a final shape, tightening the surface of the dough by pushing and tucking again.
Place the dough, seam side up, into your floured proofing basket. Stitch the seam together to help the dough hold its shape. If you don't like stitching the seam you can gently pinch it together before placing it in the proofing basket.
Cover and place in your refrigerator for 8-36 hours. The longer you let your dough cold ferment the more complex the flavor will become. (I typically do 12 hours).
Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven
Place your dutch oven with lid in your oven and preheat them at 500°F for 30-45 minutes.
Scoring
Place parchment paper down on your work surface and turn your dough out onto it. Lightly brush away excess flour. With a sharp scoring lame or sharp knife, cut in your desired design, this will allow steam to escape and your loaf to expand.
Pro Tip: For intricate scoring designs, place your proofing basket and dough into the freezer for 15 minutes. This will stiffen the dough slightly so it will not pull as you cut your intricate designs.
Baking
Carefully remove your hot dutch oven, using your parchment paper lift the loaf into the baking vessel. Cover with the lid and place in the oven to bake at 450°F for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid after 30 minutes, bake at 410°F for 15 minutes without the lid.
Pro Tip: Put the lid or a baking sheet on the rack below the dutch oven to prevent the bottom of the loaf from becoming too hard
Cool & Enjoy
Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing. This cooling time helps the crumb set and enhances the flavor.
Notes & Tips
You can use all Whole Spelt Flour for this recipe, you may need to increase the amount of water by roughly 10g.
Conclusion
Baking spelt sourdough is a rewarding experience that not only fills your kitchen with delightful aromas but also provides a wholesome, nutritious bread to enjoy. Whether you're a seasoned baker or just starting, this recipe offers a wonderful introduction to the world of sourdough. Happy baking!
Spelt Sourdough Loaf
Ingredients
- Active Sourdough Starter: 100g
- Bread Flour: 300g
- Whole Spelt Flour: 200g
- Water: 350g
- Salt: 10g
Instructions
- Depending on your schedule you can either feed your starter in the morning or the night before you plan to bake.
- The key is to create enough starter to use for the recipe and to have some left over.
- When I plan to bake I feed a 1:2:2 early in the morning or 1:3:3 ratio the night before I bake. You can feed a 1:1:1 if you are in a pinch and need your starter to rise quickly. Read my Understanding Starter Feed blog for more information on this!
- Your starter is ready to use when it has doubled in size and there are lots of bubbles on the sides of the jar and big bubbles on the surface.
- Here’s a feeding example: 15g starter + 45g flour + 45g water = 105g starter. You’ll have roughly 5g left over after making this recipe.
- In a large bowl, add active starter and water. Use a Dough Whisk to mix until starter is dissolved.
- Add bread flour and salt. I use a silicone baking spatula to mix at this point. You can use the dough whisk, I don’t like how the dough sticks to it.
- You will want your dough to look like a shaggy mass at this point. It has not taken on the shape of a dough ball and some of the flour will look like it still needs incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with a reusable cover, wet tea towel, or plastic wrap for 30-60 minutes. I usually try to let it rest for an hour but this step can be a little flexible based on your schedule.
- Uncover your shaggy mass and begin to work it into a ball in the bowl by stretching and folding the dough over itself.
- Start on one side, pull the dough up gently so it stretches and fold it over itself.
- Rotate your bowl a quarter turn or 90° and repeat the same process.
- Do about 18-20 stretches
- Once you have finished forming the dough cover it and let it rest for 30 minutes
- Repeat the stretch and fold process above but only do 4 stretches. You will end up rotating your bowl in a complete circle or 360° for one complete set. Repeat this every 30 minutes for 2 hours.
- I prefer to preform coil folds for this step instead of the same stretch and folds. See video below on the coil fold process.
- The timing of this step largely depends on the temperature of your kitchen and dough. Warm temperatures, your dough will ferment/rise faster. Cooler temperatures, your dough will ferment/rise slower. Timing can range from 5.5 hours to 16 hours.
- My kitchen and dough typically stay around 73°F and I bulk ferment my doughs for 5.5 to 7 hours.
- Please read my A Guide to Bulk Fermentation for a complete explanation on this step.
- Once dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently stretch the dough into a small rectangle. Fold the left side to the center, fold the right side over the left, then roll the dough up starting at the bottom. Work the dough into a ball by pushing and tucking the dough.
- Let the dough bench rest for 20-30 minutes, then perform a final shape, tightening the surface of the dough by pushing and tucking again.
- Place the dough, seam side up, into your floured proofing basket. Stitch the seam together to help the dough hold its shape. If you don't like stitching the seam you can gently pinch it together before placing it in the proofing basket.
- Cover and place in your refrigerator for 8-36 hours. The longer you let your dough cold ferment the more complex the flavor will become. (I typically do 12 hours).
- Place your dutch oven with lid, in your oven and preheat them at 500°F for 30-45 minutes.
- Place parchment paper down on your work surface and turn your dough out onto it. Lightly brush away excess flour. With a sharp scoring lame or sharp knife, cut in your desired design, this will allow steam to escape and your loaf to expand.
- Carefully remove your hot dutch oven, using your parchment paper lift the loaf into the baking vessel. Cover with the lid and place in the oven to bake at 450°F for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid after 30 minutes, bake at 410°F for 15 minutes without the lid.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing. This cooling time helps the crumb set and enhances the flavor.
Notes
- Slightly wet your hands to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands during the stretch and fold process.
- For intricate scoring designs, place your proofing basket and dough into the freezer for 15 minutes. This will stiffen the dough slightly so it will not pull as you cut your intricate designs.
- Put the lid or a baking sheet on the rack below the dutch oven to prevent the bottom of the loaf from becoming too hard.
- You can use all Whole Spelt Flour for this recipe, you may need to increase the amount of water by roughly 10g.
