No-Knead Spelt Bread

A homemade loaf of bread in a vintage bread pan on a wooden bench

4.72 from 7 votes

A tried and tested white spelt bread recipe with tips to ensure successful bread baking. I've made all the mistakes so you don't have to. Main ingredients: white spelt flour, instant yeast, olive oil, water, maple syrup, salt

Course: bread making, Savoury Baking

Cuisine: Vegan Baking, Vegan Bread

Diet: Vegan

Servings: slices

Calories: 287kcal

Author: Amanda Logan

Equipment

1 large bowl
1 large spoon

Ingredients

335 g lukewarm water 335mL (64% hydration)
1 teaspoon instant active yeast 5g
1 teaspoon maple syrup or sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
525 grams white spelt flour 3½ cups + extra for dusting
1 teaspoon sea salt

Optional

½ cup kalamata olives chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped, add more to taste

AUS Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the water, yeast and maple syrup in a jug and set aside for 10 minutes to "bloom". The mixture should become frothy - if it doesn't froth, you need fresh yeast.
Whisk together the flour one salt in a large bowl. See note 1.
Add the yeast mixture to the flour and mix until the dough comes together. It will be sticky but able to hold it's shape, loosely. Stir in the chopped olives and rosemary and ensure that they are equally distributed throughout the batter.
Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Choose a bowl that will fit in your refrigerator.
Transfer the dough to the clean bowl and cover it with clingfilm before popping in the fridge overnight (or 8-10 hours).
After proofing the dough should have doubled in size. Remove it from the fridge to rest.
Place a dutch oven in your oven and bring the temperature up to 230°C/450°F. Leave for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove the clingfilm from the dough bowl. Using lightly floured or oiled hands, reach over to the edge of the dough furthest away from you and scoop your fingertips down and under that side of the dough all the way to the bottom. Pull up, and stretch the edge of the dough over towards the opposite side, towards you. Basically, we are folding the dough in half bringing the far side to meet the side nearest you. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the folding and turning, working in a circle around the dough until the dough starts to hold its shape, about 8 to 10 rotations. Pinch any seams or creases together at the center of the dough ball.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, placing it seam side down. Gently but firmly, shape into a round loaf. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper and sprinkle it with flour. Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel for 10 minutes.
Using a sharp knife or bread lame, cut a slit about ¼-inch deep across the top of the dough.
Carefully, wearing good oven mitts, remove the hot dutch oven from the oven and place it on a trivet or wooden board. Don't put it directly on your counter. Remove the lid.
Carefully, transfer the dough and the parchment paper into the Dutch oven and, wearing gloves, pop the lid back on. Pop it in the oven and bake for 30-minutes before removing the lid and baking the bread for another 12-minutes or until golden .
Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven using the parchment paper to help, and place it on a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Note 1. Salt inhibits yeast, so always make sure to mix your salt into the flour well before adding the yeast mixture.

Nutrition