Baking Spelt Bread: Healthy, Light and Full of Flavor

Spelt is one of the oldest grains in the world; it has been cultivated for more than 7,000 years. And you can taste it. Spelt bread has something nutty, something soft, a warmth you do not find in ordinary wheat bread. Many home bakers who bake spelt bread for the first time never go back.

But spelt is also stubborn. It has a weaker gluten network than wheat, which means you have to handle it differently. Too much water, kneading too long, and you end up holding a brick. Or as one experienced home baker put it: "My first spelt bread was so hard that the dog gave it a sniff and then walked away disappointed." The trick? Less water, shorter kneading, and a little patience.

In this article we take you through the whole process, from choosing the right spelt flour to a perfectly baked loaf from your bread maker. With tips we have gathered from dozens of experienced home bakers and professional baking advice.

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What you need

Ingredients (for 1 loaf of approx. 750g)

Important: Spelt needs less water than wheat. Where you might use 325-350 gram of water for wheat bread, with spelt you start at 300 gram. You can always add a little more, but too much water is hard to correct.

Equipment

• Bread maker (any brand, see program table below)
• Kitchen scale (precise weighing makes the difference)
• Measuring cup or scale for liquids

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Step by step: baking spelt bread

1. Liquids first

Put 300 gram lukewarm water in the baking pan. Add the 15 gram honey and the 20 gram butter in small cubes. The water always goes in first; this protects the yeast from direct contact with salt and gives the butter a chance to soften.

2. Add the dry ingredients

Add in this order:

• 500 gram spelt flour, spread evenly over the water
• 8 gram salt, spread over the flour (not in the middle where the yeast will go)

3. Yeast last

Make a small well in the middle of the flour. Put 5 gram dry yeast in it. The yeast must not come into contact with the water or the salt; that inhibits its action.

Check your dough

After 10 minutes of kneading: take a look at whether your dough has the right consistency.

• Too wet? Add flour, 10 gram at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the wall
• Perfect? The dough forms a smooth, supple ball, firm but elastic
• Too dry? Add water, 10 ml at a time, until the dough is supple and smooth

Note for spelt: spelt dough naturally feels a little stickier than wheat dough. Do not add extra flour too quickly; a little stickiness is normal. The dough dries out during rising.

4. Start the program

Select the wholegrain program on your machine (see the table below for your brand). Choose the weight closest to your recipe and set the crust color to medium.

Why the wholegrain program? Spelt flour, like wholegrain flour, needs a longer rising time to give the best result. The basic program is too short.

5. Do not open during baking

During the first 10-15 minutes of kneading you may briefly open the lid to check the dough consistency. But as soon as rising begins: hands off. Every time you open it, heat escapes and the bread can collapse.

6. Take it out of the pan right away

As soon as the program is done, take the bread straight out of the pan. Let it cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes. Patience is a virtue, they say. They were clearly talking about letting bread cool. This is extra important with spelt bread; spelt has a more delicate crumb that needs more time to set.

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With your bread maker

Every bread maker brand has its own program number for wholegrain bread. Because spelt needs a longer rising time, you use the wholegrain program, not the basic program.

Times may vary per model variant. Always check your own manual. Note for the Fornello Supremo: program 5 supports the automatic dispenser. Want to add seeds, kernels or caraway? Put them in the dispenser and the machine adds them at the right moment. The Essenza has no dispenser; add extras manually when the machine beeps.

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Why spelt works differently than wheat

This is the most important lesson when baking spelt bread, and the reason why many first attempts fail: spelt is not wheat.

Spelt contains gluten, but the gluten network is weaker and more fragile than in wheat. That means three things:

1. Less water. Spelt absorbs water differently. Always start with less water than you would use for wheat, and add more drop by drop if needed.

2. Shorter kneading. Kneading too long breaks the gluten network down instead of building it up. The bread maker handles this automatically on the wholegrain program, but if you knead by hand: 6-8 minutes at most.

3. Gentler rising. Spelt dough can over-rise more easily. The dough rises nicely, but if it rises too long, it collapses. The wholegrain program gives the right timing.

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Common mistakes

1. Adding too much water

This is the number one mistake with spelt bread. Bakers used to wheat bread automatically use the same amount of water. With spelt, 300 gram for 500 gram of flour is a good starting point; that is considerably less than the 325-350 gram you would use for wheat.

2. Adding extra flour because it sticks

Spelt dough is naturally stickier than wheat dough. Many bakers then add extra flour, which makes the bread dry and dense. Wait a moment; after rising the consistency is often just right.

3. Using the basic program

The basic program (program 1) is too short for spelt. The dough does not get enough time to rise, and the result is a dense, heavy loaf. Always use the wholegrain program.

4. Using old spelt flour

Spelt flour goes rancid faster than wheat flour because of its higher fat content. Flour does not last forever. After a few months on the shelf it turns a bit musty, just like that bag of chips at the back of the cupboard. Store it cool and dry, and use it within 2-3 months of purchase. Freshly milled spelt from a mill gives the very best result.

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Variations to try

Once the basic recipe works well, try one of these variations:

• Spelt bread with caraway and cumin: Add 2 teaspoons of caraway seeds and 1 teaspoon of ground cumin to the dough. This gives a wonderfully aromatic bread that pairs perfectly with soup or cheese. With the Supremo you can put the caraway in the dispenser.

• Spelt-wheat mix: Use 300 gram spelt flour and 200 gram wheat flour. This gives a lighter bread with more structure, ideal when you are just starting out with spelt.

• Sesame spelt bread: Add 40 gram sesame seeds to the dough. Sprinkle the top with extra sesame seeds for a crunchy crust. A classic you will find in many professional baking books.

• Spelt bread with walnuts and honey: Increase the honey to 25 gram and add 60 gram of coarse walnut pieces at the beep. The combination of nutty spelt with real walnuts and a touch of honey is irresistible.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I use wholegrain spelt flour?

Yes, and it is tasty and nutritious. Wholegrain spelt gives a firmer, darker bread with more flavor. It absorbs a little more water, so add 10-15 gram extra water if needed. Start with a mix of half wholegrain spelt and half light spelt flour if you are trying it for the first time.

Is spelt bread gluten-free?

No. Spelt contains gluten, though less than wheat. People with celiac disease must not eat spelt bread. Some people with a mild gluten sensitivity do tolerate spelt better than wheat, but that is individual. In doubt? Talk to your doctor.

Why did my spelt bread collapse?

Usually too much water or risen too long. Spelt gluten is weaker than wheat gluten, so the dough loses its structure faster. Check that you used 300 gram of water (no more) and that you selected the wholegrain program.

How long does spelt bread stay fresh?

Spelt bread dries out a little faster than wheat bread. Store it in a cotton bread bag and eat it within 2 days. Freezing in slices is a fine option, straight from the freezer into the toaster.

Can I mill spelt flour myself?

Absolutely, and that is when it tastes best. With a grain mill or a powerful blender you can mill spelt grains (spelt berries) yourself. Let the flour rest for 30 minutes after milling before you use it.

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Read also

• Baking wholegrain bread, the perfect recipe, step by step to wholegrain bread
• Bread collapsing? These are the causes and solutions, troubleshooting for every loaf
• Baking multigrain bread, full of seeds and flavor

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Got questions about baking spelt bread, or want to share your result? We are happy to help.

Or email support@fornello.eu, we reply within 24 hours.

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Ready to get started? Check out the Antico spelt bread mix.