“Life belongs to the living, and he who lives must be prepared for changes” ~ Goethe
I have been baking with spelt for 20 years. Spelt Flour is an easily digestible, high protein (17%) grain and an excellent source of fibre (9.2%). Spelt is a wholesome and ancient grain with many wonderful benefits and its a welcome break from wheat! Spelt usually comes in two varieties: whole ground and light Spelt (sometimes labeled All Purpose). Spelt is not a gluten free flour but the structure of the gluten is different from traditional wheat. Wheat gluten is a fat based gluten while Spelt has a water based gluten structure. Because of this when baking with Spelt, it is more water soluble than many other types of flour. It is often necessary to reduce the amount of liquid (slightly) in your traditional white flour recipes when adapting them for Spelt.
MY FAVORITE SPELT RECIPES
Enjoy these recipes and feel free to Contact me if you have any questions!
Spelt Bannock (baked not fried)
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Ingredients:
2.5 cups Organic Whole Spelt Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder (aluminum free) .5 tsp Himalayan or Sea Salt 2 Tbsp Butter (or shortening) 1 Egg (slightly beaten) 2 tbsps Organic Blackstrap Molasses 1.5 cups Water - add enough water to make a sticky dough. |
Directions:
Combine flour, baking powder & salt and stir. Cut in butter. Mix egg, mlasses and water and add to the dry ingredients. Mix with a fork. Do not over mix. If the dough is too dry the bannock will be crumbly, make sure the dough is sticky (at least 1.5 cups). With a spatchula (or your hands), turn batter into a lightly buttered glass baking dish (8x10 or other) and shape into a loaf.. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve with butter, honey, molasses, jam or ginger marmalade.
Spelt Ginger Snaps
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Ingredients:
2 cups Cane Sugar 2 cups Butter (soft) 2 Eggs 1.5 cups Molasses 6 cups Organic Whole Spelt Flour 2 Tbsps Organic Ginger 2 Tbsps Baking Soda |
Note: These are best prepared the night before and stored in the fridge for several hours. This makes a large batch!
Directions:
Blend sugar and butter together, add eggs, then molasses and mix. Mix flour, ginger and baking soda and add to first mixture. Blend, Note that the dough will be stiff. Put in the fridge overnight. Next morning roll into a ball (about the size of a large walnut). Set aside a plate of cane sugar and roll the ball into the sugar. Place the ball onto a cookie sheet ( I prefer to use parchment paper).. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
Spelt Banana Bread
Ingredients:
.5 cup Soft Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
2 Eggs (beaten)
1 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Organic Whole Spelt Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
.5 tsp Salt
5 Whole ripe mashed bananas
.5 cup Walnuts
Directions:
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and finally bananas and nuts Mix well.
Bake at 350 in a parchment lined 5x9 loaf pan. Test after 1 hour or until toothpick or knife comes out clean (from the centre).
.5 cup Soft Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
2 Eggs (beaten)
1 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Organic Whole Spelt Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
.5 tsp Salt
5 Whole ripe mashed bananas
.5 cup Walnuts
Directions:
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and finally bananas and nuts Mix well.
Bake at 350 in a parchment lined 5x9 loaf pan. Test after 1 hour or until toothpick or knife comes out clean (from the centre).
Spelt Pie Pastry
1.5 cups Organic Whole Spelt Flour
.5 cup Organic Light Spelt Flour
.5 tsp Sea Salt
2 Tbsps Cane Sugar
1.5 sticks Butter cubed
5 Tbsps Chilled Spring Water
Directions:
Combine dry ingredients, then cut in butter. Add water and mix. Be sure not to over mix the dough. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Dough will then be ready for pie crust.
.5 cup Organic Light Spelt Flour
.5 tsp Sea Salt
2 Tbsps Cane Sugar
1.5 sticks Butter cubed
5 Tbsps Chilled Spring Water
Directions:
Combine dry ingredients, then cut in butter. Add water and mix. Be sure not to over mix the dough. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Dough will then be ready for pie crust.
Spelt Drop Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cups Brown Sugar
.5 cup Cane Sugar
3/4 cup Butter
2 Eggs
1 cup Raisins (rinsed in warm water)
1 cup Choco Chips
1 cup Chopped Walnuts
2 cups Organic Light Spelt Flour
1 cup Organic Whole Spelt Flour
2 tsp Ground Ginger Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
.5 tsp Mace
1 tsp Baking Soda in .25 cup of hot water
Directions:
Cream eggs, butter and sugar. In a separate bowl mix Dry Ingredients and stir with a fork. Add raisins and walnuts and the hot water mixed with soda to the butter mixture. Pour in dry ingredients and add choco chips. Mix thoroughly. Spoon onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for between 10 & 12 minutes. Makes approx. 2.5 dozen cookies (depending on cookie size)
1 cups Brown Sugar
.5 cup Cane Sugar
3/4 cup Butter
2 Eggs
1 cup Raisins (rinsed in warm water)
1 cup Choco Chips
1 cup Chopped Walnuts
2 cups Organic Light Spelt Flour
1 cup Organic Whole Spelt Flour
2 tsp Ground Ginger Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
.5 tsp Mace
1 tsp Baking Soda in .25 cup of hot water
Directions:
Cream eggs, butter and sugar. In a separate bowl mix Dry Ingredients and stir with a fork. Add raisins and walnuts and the hot water mixed with soda to the butter mixture. Pour in dry ingredients and add choco chips. Mix thoroughly. Spoon onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for between 10 & 12 minutes. Makes approx. 2.5 dozen cookies (depending on cookie size)
Spelt Pancakes (double batch)
Ingredients:
1.5 cup Organic Light Spelt Flour
.5 cup Organic Whole Spelt Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder (aluminum free)
Pinch Himalayan rock salt (fine ground)
2 Eggs
6 tbs Sunflower Oil
2 cups Milk
Directions:
Place dry ingredients in a medium size glass bowl. Combine eggs and oil in a glass measuring cup and beat well. Add to dry ingredients. Fill the glass measuring cup with milk and stir, then add to bowl. Stir gently with a fork being careful not to over mix. Let stand for 5 minutes before cooking, giving the baking powder a chance to activate. Cook on a hot cast iron skillet
1.5 cup Organic Light Spelt Flour
.5 cup Organic Whole Spelt Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder (aluminum free)
Pinch Himalayan rock salt (fine ground)
2 Eggs
6 tbs Sunflower Oil
2 cups Milk
Directions:
Place dry ingredients in a medium size glass bowl. Combine eggs and oil in a glass measuring cup and beat well. Add to dry ingredients. Fill the glass measuring cup with milk and stir, then add to bowl. Stir gently with a fork being careful not to over mix. Let stand for 5 minutes before cooking, giving the baking powder a chance to activate. Cook on a hot cast iron skillet
Pictured here: me standing in a field of Spelt on a biodynamic farm in western Ontario.