There is nothing like the smell of bread baking in a home. This Spelt and Whole Wheat Bread recipe does not require much preparation, just the waiting time for it to rise. A few years ago, we discovered Spelt flour in our favorite health food store and started adding it to our Whole Wheat Bread recipe. A bread made with only whole wheat flour is pretty dense. We’ve tried making bread with just whole wheat, but have not been able to produce a bread that is enjoyable to eat. We usually add 2 parts whole wheat to 1 part white whole wheat flour. Adding Spelt makes the bread lighter and gives it a nice texture.

Spelt is an ancient grain that has been grown in many parts of the world and cultivated for centuries, as far back as 5000 BC. According to Wikipedia, it was an important food staple in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times. It declined in popularity during the 19th century, but is now making a comeback as a health food.

A lot of people are afraid to make bread. So, let’s take some of the fear out of the process. Making bread is actually quite a simple process. Once you try it, you may never, ever, buy store-bought bread again! We’ve watched shows on bread-baking and some are so complicated that you just don’t want to be bothered. Well, here’s the recipe you’ve been waiting for – no kneading, no fuss. Just put all of the ingredients in a bowl, wait for it to rise, then bake

As mentioned above, this bread is quite simple to make, but the waiting time for the bread to double in size requires patience. However, we’ve found a solution to this long wait. If you have a microwave oven, heat it (empty) for about five minutes, then turn it off. Cover the bowl containing the dough with a kitchen towel and place it in the microwave – it will speed up the rising process. If you’re home and not in a rush, then let it rise on its own. Make sure the water you use for the yeast is warm and not hot; no more than 105 degrees Fahrenheit. It should be the same temperature of a baby’s bath, or you can test it out on your wrist. If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast. 

The original recipe we saw on Pinterest used white flour only and there was a variation with a mixture of both white and whole wheat, but we used Spelt and whole wheat and it turned out just fine. You can use any type of flour and the bread will still come out great.  If you want a crisp crust and a chewy texture in side, don’t forget to put a bowl of water at the bottom of the oven. We also use a spray bottle with water to spray lightly on the top  of the bread half-way through the baking process.

It takes just about half-hour to bake this bread and after you take it out of the oven, let it rest for a 15-20 minutes before you cut a slice. Resist, resist…. Slather on some good butter (we prefer butter from Ireland or New Zealand) or extra-fine, cold-pressed olive oil while still warm and you will have to try very hard to stop at one slice! You can make this Spelt Bread plain, but you can add other ingredients to make it savory, such as herbs, cheese, onions and whatever else you decide to add. Or, you can make it with nuts and dried fruit. The bread we made and shown in this photo was made with walnuts and dates – you just can’t beat this combination!

Here’s the recipe for Spelt Bread: