good uses/recipes for whole spelt flour?

For beginners:

50% Spelt Loaves and buns

This is essentially an adaptation of Cook's Illustrated Basic American Loaf. It is very easy, but very good too, and somewhat foolproof(for me). And very adaptable. For reference here, a cup of either of the flours weighs 5 ounces. Credit also to cowgirl at the old KA Baking Circle.

1-3/4 cups bread flour (I use White Lily Bread Flour, Gold Medal Better for bread, or KA All Purpose. They all seem very similar)

1-3/4 cups spelt flour

2-1/4 tsp instant Yeast

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. honey(or sugar)

1-1/2 Tbsp. butter, softened

1 cup milk & 1/3 cup water, both warmed

Plus up to 1/2 cup flour(bread or 50/50 bread/spelt) for kneading

My picture below has 3/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds added. No additional adjustments needed for adding the seeds.

mix everything together with a mixer, knead about 6 minutes. Or mix in a mixing bowl, by hand for about 10 minutes(mixing and kneading).

Bake in preheated 350° oven on low rack for 40-50 min. cool one minute in pan and turn out onto racks.

I scaled the recipe to make a smaller 8.5 x 4.5 loaf(about 27.5 oz dough) and some buns. I also used a little less yeast(about 2 tsp), sometimes my doughs rise faster than expected around here.

Note that spelt when used on it's own may require special handling and hydration techniques. Recipes with mostly white, or no less than half white flour, like above, behave essentially like an typical wheat flour dough.

I have not tried this next one, but it may be a good place for a novice to start for an all spelt loaf. From Bob's Red Mill:

No-Knead Whole Grain Spelt Flour & Oat BreadIngredients

Contributed by Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods

• 2 Tb Active Dry Yeast
• 1/2 cup Warm Water (105°F)
• 1 1/2 cups Boiling Water
• 1 cup Regular Rolled Oats
• 1/2 cup Molasses
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 tsp Sea Salt
• 4-5 cups Spelt Flour
• 2 Eggs, beaten

Directions

Sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup warm water and allow to proof.

In a large bowl, mix boiling water, oats and molasses. When partially cooled, add 4 cups spelt flour, oil and salt. When dough is approximately 110 degrees add yeast/water and eggs. Beat well. Add additional spelt flour as needed for a sticky dough. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

About an hour and a half before you want fresh bread, take dough out of refrigerator and punch down dough. Split dough in two and form into loaves, and allow to rise in lightly sprayed loaf pans until doubled in size (approximately 30 minutes). While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350°F and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Cool before slicing. Makes 2 loaves (about 26 slices).

Hi Don

I have made a couple of 100% Spelt sourdough loaves, works especially well with a mix wholegrain with a white refined Spelt flour. I also add 50-100g or so of wholegrain Spelt to my regular Sourdough flour mix.

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/blog/steviehg

Cheers Steve

Thumbs up for the "50% Spelt Loaves and buns" recipe! I found myself with way more spelt flour than I needed and was trying to find diverse ways to use it; this loaf turned out splendidly!