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White Spelt Bread (No Sugar, No Mixer)

White Spelt Bread (No Sugar, No Mixer)

An airy spelt loaf with a delicate crust and soft crumb. No sugar, no mixer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf
Course: Breads & Rolls
Cuisine: Israeli
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • About 3¼ cups (400 g) white spelt flour (weighing is best)
  • 1¼ cups minus 1 tablespoon (280 ml) lukewarm water
  • About 1½ teaspoons (5.5 g) instant yeast
  • 1 level teaspoon (8 g) salt
  • About 1½ tablespoons (24 ml) olive oil

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the yeast.
  2. Add the salt and oil and stir.
  3. Add the water gradually and start kneading. Knead for 10–15 minutes, until the dough is smooth, soft, and elastic. If it's dry, add a little water. If it's sticky, add a little flour.
  4. Cover the bowl and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, press the air out of the dough. Flatten it into a rectangle the width of your loaf pan, roll it up, and shape it into a loaf.
  6. Place it in a parchment-lined loaf pan, cover, and let rise another 40–50 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) on the conventional setting (not convection). For a crisp crust, place a metal pan on the bottom of the oven.
  8. Score the dough with a sharp knife, one long slit down the length of the loaf.
  9. Put the bread in the oven and immediately pour ½ cup of boiling water into the metal pan.
  10. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

Tips for the airiest loaf
  • Knead thoroughly, at least 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. This develops what little gluten spelt has.
  • Expect a slower rise. Without sugar the yeast works more slowly. You can extend the first rise to 1¼ hours.
  • Steam in the oven matters. Boiling water in a pan on the oven floor creates a crisp crust and helps the bread rise.
  • Score with confidence. A sharp, clean cut lets the bread expand where you want it instead of tearing randomly.
Substitutions
  • Olive oil → any neutral oil.
  • Instant yeast → active dry yeast (same amount); dissolve it in the lukewarm water first.