I've been making this whole spelt bread recipe for a very long time, ever since we decided at home that we would stop buying store-bought bread.
The task of baking homemade bread fell, naturally, on me—and choosing whole spelt flour felt almost instinctive.
Why?
Because whole spelt flour (don't confuse it with buckwheat, that's something else entirely), unlike other whole flours (such as rye or regular whole wheat), is very easy to work with, doesn't require much kneading, and still remains airy rather than dense.
Nutritionally, it's wonderful. Since it contains a high amount of protein (14g per 100g of uncooked grain), dietary fiber, B vitamins, and minerals like iron and calcium.
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How to eat it?
I like to eat a slice of whole spelt bread with a light spread of jam or date syrup an hour before my morning workout, as it helps me maintain energy levels throughout the session.
Additionally, 2-3 slices of bread with tofu cubes or homemade hummus combined with a large salad can be a satisfying dinner option for me or a great post-workout meal.
I added one tablespoon of pumpkin seeds to this recipe for an extra boost of magnesium and iron, but you can add any toppings you like.
It's very easy to prepare this bread even without a professional mixer. To get a fresh and delicious loaf, all you need is a deep bowl, an oven, and a pair of hands.
It is possible and recommended to freeze the bread and defrost it in a toaster oven before use.
For a softer version, replace half a cup of whole spelt flour with white flour. It will still be considered whole bread and its glycemic index (absorption speed) will remain low.
Each slice contains:
120 kcal, 19.5g carbohydrates, 2.5g fat, 0.5mg iron, 2.3g dietary fiber
Whole Spelt Bread Recipe
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 3 hours
Servings: 20 slices
Ingredients
3 cups whole spelt flour (500g)
1.25 cups unsweetened soy milk or water (300 ml)
1 tbsp sugar or date syrup (Silan)
4 tbsp olive oil
25g fresh yeast or 10g (1 tbsp) dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Instructions
Sift the flour (don't skip this step).
In a deep bowl, add the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and half of the pumpkin seeds, and mix well.
Add the wet ingredients: the soy milk and olive oil, and knead well until you get a uniform, slightly sticky dough, about three minutes. You can release all your aggression while kneading the dough! 🙂
Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise for about an hour and a half. * Note that the dough might not double in volume at this stage like white flour and may remain relatively small. That's fine.
Transfer the dough to a baking pan (a loaf pan/English cake tin works well). Cover with a towel and let it rise for another hour. This time it should really puff up.
Preheat oven to medium heat (180°C).
Sprinkle the remaining half tablespoon of pumpkin seeds over the dough and bake for about 55-60 minutes until it turns golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Slice only once the bread has cooled completely.
