This is the first of this season's batch - the marzipan is shop bought and rather yellow!

I was concerned that my success with the whole grain hearth bread that I posted about early last month was just a one-hit wonder. Thankfully, it seems I can repeat it. Here's a few loaves that have come out of the oven in the past weeks:

As many of you know, I've been questing for a tasty, open crumb, 100% whole grain hearth bread for a long, long time now.

This weekend, I finally achieved my goal.



Nice open crumb, creamy texture, tangy and flavorful crumb, appealing slashes, crunchy crust.

Here's how I made it, and, to be truthful, it was mostly on a whim. The day before, I'd made some whole wheat sourdough sandwich bread, and had about 80 grams of starter left over.

1st starter. So I've got a white flour starter (14 days old today) that I've been building for some time now. It smells good, with the occaional 'berry smell'. When I feed, I'll keep half old starter (stirred well) and half white flour, with spring water. Well, I will only see about 30 percent rise. But everytime I use pineapple juice instead of water to re-feed, it will double in volume at around the 7 hour mark. If I go back to plain spring water, it only raises 30%. Strangely enough, I don't get any 'houch' from this starter.

Hi,

I'm trying to "eat for my blood type", which is O. I miss my rye or sourdough toast in the morning. I can't use ww or oats or milk products or vinegar. Anyone know of any bread recipes using other flours? I don't think I can make an all-rye loaf because it wouldn't rise, and the bread bible says spelt has a funny taste. The recipes for essene bread have beans, which are also not allowed except for adzuki beans. Thanks!

Hi KipperCat

I said I would try out your method for the NYT loaf using 100% wholemeal spelt. I stuck to your instructions as closely as I could:

1lb 100% wholemeal spelt flour

1/4 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp salt

2 oz yoghurt

BUT

10 oz water NOT 12 oz as it just seemed too wet to me ...

Anyway mixed it all at 9pm last night.

At 9am today, turned it out and did the stretch and fold thing as best I could on a clean unfloured board - 10 times - 6 then 5 min rest then 4 more

Helend - DH is bringing home some wholemeal spelt flour tonight. I had planned to start a loaf of 100% WW tonight, but may try the spelt instead. I've read that it absorbs less water than whole wheat. Anything else I should know? I usually add an acid to my whole wheat bread. Should I do this with the spelt as well? And lastly, any thoughts on whether I should use all spelt or try a blend (about 50/50) of whole spelt and whole wheat?

I was pleased to read here that spelt breads are quite tasty (for some reason I thought they'd taste like cardboard - or worse). How does working with spelt compare with working with wheat? For that matter, is spelt actually a different form of wheat, or botanically a different grain? Is it usually tolerated by individuals who can't have wheat? Is there a treatise on baking with spelt somewhere? Have I asked enough questions yet? :D Do I really have to quit now and get some work done? Uh, yes. :(