Glad I got the sorghum...err...spelt?

When I first started this venture in the Gluten-Free world, I immediately went to the store to grab a variety of flours.  Stupid me forgot to take the list with me.  I remembered there was a flour I needed starting with an "S".  Looking...searching..."wtf is this?!"...hmmm...maybe "spelt" was it?  Sounds good to me.  OK, let's check out and head home.  Once I got home and read my list, I discovered I had picked up the wrong flour....DAMN!  And, spelt isn't even gluten free!  I was pissed, and I threw it in the freezer for a rainy day recipe experiment.  Well, yesterday was that rainy day minus the rain part.

I love, love, love bread, and I love, love, love baking bread.  Bread making is the most wholesome, gratifying, traditional things to make in the kitchen.  My love for bread and it's future role in this gluten free world was my biggest fear when experimenting with a GF diet.  Luckily, I can tolerate small amounts of gluten without being total screwed for the next couple days.  I decided to read up on this spelt flour I bought a couple months back and discovered it is a really cool, highly nutritious, grain!  It is NOT gluten free (so if you have full blown celiac, stop reading now), but it is a low gluten ancient grain many people can digest when being gluten or wheat sensitive.  I decided to give making a loaf of spelt bread a try, and I was so pleased with the results!  Great texture, whole grain, and a smooth sweet taste were what I found in this beautiful little bread.  As for my guts...well, I'll let you know how they feel about it in a couple days.  This was a great recipe; thank you to the contributor!  If you can tolerate spelt in your diet, I highly suggest this beautiful little grain.

Whole Grain Spelt Yeast Bread

*NOTE- I did not use the flax seed meal only because I was out; but, I do love flax, and I think it would be a great addiction for texture and flavor.  As a result, I increased the butter amount by a another half tablespoon due to the lack of oil from my omission of the flax.  I also free formed my bread, as opposed to putting in a pan; so, my baking time was less due to my bread not being so dense in a pan.

Ingredients (makes one loaf):

1 1/2 cups warm water (just barely hot to the touch)

1 package active dry yeast (1/4 ounce)

2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon whole flaxseed ground in a coffee mill

2 1/2 cups whole spelt flour 

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 3/4 cups whole spelt flour

1 tablespoon butter, melted (vegan butter could be used here)

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of flaxseed (optional). Mix in 2 1/2 cups of spelt flour. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.

Mix in 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and salt. Stir in 1 3/4 cups of spelt flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with spelt flour until it pulls away from the counter but is still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 1 to 2 cups of spelt flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 30 minutes).

Punch down and place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Allow to rise until dough has topped the pan by one inch. Depending on your yeast this will take between 1 - 2 hours.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not over bake.