I love spelt and have white and wholemeal at home. I usually use it mixed with rye or wholemeal when making bread but this week thought id make as spelt sourdough. I was going to use white 75% white bread flour and 25% white spelt but after much online surfing have found that alot of bakers love adding honey to spelt. Now i love honey but is this addition because people like sweet bread or is it intrinsically linked to spelt. I make a porridge and multiseed bread with honey and its lovely but am going to try it without the sugar and see whats nicer...has anyone any thought on the matter of sweetness. I understand a little extra sugar can help with the rise but it honey really there to sate sweet teeth?
On the subject of my upcoming spelt sourdough. four questions:
1. should i cut down autolyse time due to the extensibility of spelt?
2. should i mix the white and wholemeal spelt?
3. Should i up the percentages in the bread?
4. I love seeds - does spelt have a natural partner?
thanks alot
I make a honey & spelt loaf mostly because it's a traditional thing to make - also it does seem to take the edge of what can be a marginally "earthy" or bitter taste to a pure spelt loaf... Honey added at about 1.5% total flour weight.
1 - no idea. I don't autolyse - I let them ferment slowly overnight.
2 - I mix white (ish) and wholegrain spelt - about 40% whole to 60% white (starter is white spelt)
3 - 20% starter here.
4 - sunflower seems traditional with other bakers in my area.. (I don't add them - it's expensive enough as it is!)
-Gordon
thanks for that Gordon i had no idea it was traditional - i might do the mix of whole and white as i have both and yes seeds are expensive but im relatively new to bread so am enjoying playing around....
You could try this one I came up with.
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/51377/elsasquerinos-spelt-milled
As I mentioned though it may have been luck that it tastes so good. I keep meaning to make it again as I really enjoyed it. I added the yeast solely from impatience and fear but I'm sure with a longer ferment and rise it wouldn't have been necessary. Do let us know how you get on whatever recipe you end up going with.
thats great Elsasquerino - it looks good and ill give it a go...i have a long list of recipes to get through and even more processes to get the hang of but as long as im learning all is good. - ill report back on my spelt sourdough shortly - is your mixed spelt a mix of wholemeal and white?
50/50 mix it worked really well for me, forgive me if it flops though --
your photos look great - i can only hope to get a great loaf :)