Some things I found out about Spelt..

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TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 April 1
My computer has RIPed, so I'm using the girls'...this computer is so short on memory space, I can't see any of the pix on your site. I'm sure they are gorgeous. Points I gleaned from your experiments include:

1. Don't overknead.
2. Dough may end up not looking like the recipe's hydration levels
3. Part spelt tastes better than Full Spelt?

*pondering*

*and pondering*

Perhaps I'll make a baby loaf to try.




Danubian's picture
Danubian 2008 April 1
on spelt grain?

I'm not familiar with this grain except to say I sometimes buy Sonoma spelt bread when on holidays and enjoy it very much but I know little about this grain origin and characteristics.

How about a link for people like me who are behind the times?
TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 April 1

Thanks, Roland, for knocking some sense into me. Why? I don't know. Fear of not having the bread turn out well?...since it's so expensive? This is a real concern as folks here are not that crazy about heavy bread. But, I'll go for it. Soon.

BTW, we don't have much choice when it comes to spelt. It looks rather white, so I reckon it's white spelt we have here?
rbd 2008 April 1
If you sift a bit, and all's gone through the sive, you've got white!

And (white) Spelt tends to make a fairly light loaf (hold back the liquids!)

Roland
northwestsourdough's picture
northwestsourdough 2008 April 2

I think whole Spelt would have much better flavor. I think there would also be a great difference if the enzymes were at the right level, as you can see in my experiment, the bread certainly needed diastatic malt. White Spelt does make a fluffy loaf, I will have to experiment more to see what differences there are with the added diastatic malt. Teresa
bianchifan's picture
bianchifan 2008 April 2
I use spelt very often, no whole grain bvread withoutr spelt :)
Mostly whole meal, but sometimes white meal also( for baguettes f.i.).
Pure slelt dough  needs to be kneed very carefully, it's a short windows from time of well done to  be  overkneeded.  The spelt gluten  seems to be  quite weaker than wheat, so I often add a tablespoon of accerola. (At  Iserhägers labority they found the addition of 0,008% ascorbic acid will stabilize the gluten significantly)

TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 April 2

Uhm....so if I want a higher rate of success for my very first 100% wholegrain spelt bread, and I don't have:

1. diastatic malt (can't find)
2. ascorbic acid (prefer a 'natural' alternative....don't hit me!)

what can I use? Orange juice? How about my homemade malted barley?
Or magical kung fu?


bianchifan's picture
bianchifan 2008 April 2
real kung fu, not magical...
Diastatic malt will weaken the always weak structure, it's a very hard way of baking.
I tried it some times, it's difficult.
I never used malt without addition of accerola (vitamin C).
BTW..TP..why don't you make your own diastatic?
TeckPoh's picture
TeckPoh 2008 April 2
[quote=bianchifan]
BTW..TP..why don't you make your own diastatic?
[/quote]

Do you mean:

1. soak barley grains
2. sprout
3. dry
4. pound

If so, yes, I've a jar of the magic grains.

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