Spelt Sourdough Bread with Spelt Flakes

A pure spelt bread this time with a soaker made from spelt flakes. I only make wheat sourdough starter since spelt sourdoughs are rare so my version has a tiny bit of wheat flour. I do like the distinct taste of spelt bread, it's a little more interesting than pure wheat. The flour is more than twice as expensive, but definitely worth it to change things up.

Sourdough

• 100g (3 1/2oz) whole grain spelt flour
• 100ml (3 1/2oz) water
• 12g (3/8oz) wheat or spelt sourdough starter 

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, stir until smooth, cover with lid or plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature for 16-20 hours.

Soaker

• 100g (3 1/2oz) spelt flakes
• 100ml (3 1/2oz) lukewarm water
• 12g (3/8oz) salt 

Put spelt flakes into a bowl and pour over water. Add salt and stir well. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 16-20 hours as well.

Main Dough

• Sourdough
• Soaker
• 275g (9 3/4oz) white spelt flour
• 175g (6 1/8oz) whole grain spelt flour
• 230ml (1 cup) water
• 10g (3/8oz) fresh yeast  - or 1 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast, 3/4 tsp of sugar and 40ml (1 3/8oz) of water, mixed and let stand for about 10 minutes
• 1 tsp barley malt powder (optional, helps yeast rise)

If using fresh yeast, dissolve in the water together with the malt powder first, then combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead with a dough hook on low speed for 12 minutes. Let rest for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, grease rectangular baking pan well with butter and sprinkle spelt flakes onto the bottom. Form the dough first into a ball, then into elongated shape and place it seam down into baking pan. Brush the top of the dough with cold water and sprinkle more spelt flakes on top of it. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof until the dough almost reaches the top of the pan, which was around 90 minutes for me.

Preheat oven to 430°F (220°C).

Place the pan on the middle rack and spray oven wall with lots of water. Bake for 15 minutes. Then open the oven door to let out steam, reduce temperature to 360 °F (180°C) and bake with falling temperature for another 45 minutes.

Take bread out of the baking pan and let cool on a cooling rack.

Original recipe (German language) on ketex.de.