“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)

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

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).

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.

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)

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

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Pictured here: me standing in a field of Spelt on a biodynamic farm in western Ontario.