I’ve revamped this recipe after experimenting with different flour hydration levels, especially with freshly milled and refined flours. The changes resulted in a better texture and flavor, allowing me to eliminate the vital wheat gluten entirely. If you still prefer to use vital wheat gluten, feel free to add a tablespoon or two—the dough is wet enough to handle it without any other adjustments.
For the best results, handle your dough with care. The less you disturb it, the better the air bubbles will remain, especially when transferring it to the dutch oven.
Why I Love Freshly Milled Spelt for This Bread
We ran out of hard white wheat berries, so I decided to try 100% spelt Italian bread, and it turned out to be a game changer! Spelt is one of my favorite grains, and it works wonders, even though it’s classified as a soft grain. The fresh milled spelt gives the bread a distinct flavor that we couldn’t stop eating—it was half gone before it even cooled!
Can You Make This Bread Without Vital Wheat Gluten?
Absolutely! When I first developed my rustic Italian bread using freshly milled flour, I thought vital wheat gluten was essential. Turns out, it’s not! Here’s how to make the same recipe without it:
- Make Yudane: Start by boiling some water. Add 25 grams of spelt flour into a container on your scale, then pour 50 grams of boiling water over it. Stir well to form your yudane.
- Incorporate Yudane: Mix the yudane with the rest of the water in your recipe and continue as usual.
Can I add Vital Wheat Gluten for extra rise?
You bet! Because this dough is super high in hydration (the amount of water compared to flour), you can add a tablespoon or two of vital wheat gluten and it’ll only improve the rise a bit – win win!
Can I Use a KitchenAid Mixer?
Yes! This recipe has a higher hydration level, so start by using the wire whisk attachments on the highest speed to mix the dough without the yeast. Once the dough climbs up the whisks, switch to the dough hook, add the yeast, and knead for just 2 minutes to incorporate everything.
Want Better Dough Structure?
After the first rise, perform your stretch and folds. Let the dough rise again in the fridge. This cold rise will help improve the structure. When you’re ready to bake, gently shape the dough before transferring it to the oven. I highly recommend using a silicone bread sling and parchment paper to handle the dough with care.
Enjoy the delicious results!
100% Spelt Italian Bread, whole grain
Ingredients
- 490 g grain, spelt
- 400 g water
- 10 g sea salt, Celtic grey
- 12 g yeast (instant)
- ⅛ tsp vitamin c powder optional
- ⅛ tsp barley malt powder optional
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients EXCEPT THE YEAST for 3 minutes with the WIRE WHIP or WHISK, in mixer or by hand. It will be wet and sticky!
- Let the dough rest for 15-45 minutes so the flour can absorb the liquid – fresh flour takes longer to absorb the liquid, so the rest period is best.
- Sprinkle the yeast into the dough, and mix or knead for another 5 minutes. Your dough will be VERY WET.
- Transfer the dough into an oiled bowl with plenty of room to rise and a lid. Do one set of stretch and folds, as described in the next step.
- Preheat your oven and your dutch oven, by setting the oven to 450 F.
- Stretch and folds: Stretch a side of the dough up and press it gently into the top center of the dough ball. Imagine the dough is a clock, and you just did 12 o'clock. Move your hand to 1 o'clock, and repeat. Continue turning the bowl and doing these folds until the dough begins to take shape.
- Every in 15 minutes, do a set of stretch and folds.
- Turn out the dough on a floured or oiled surface.
- Sprinkle flour to line the bottom of your dutch oven, then gently place the dough into it, and sprinkle the top of the loaf with flour.
- I found it easiest to transfer the dough to the oven by gently picking it up from the center, as if doing a coil fold, and then placing it directly into the dutch oven and dust it with flour (optional).
- Place the lid on your dutch oven, and put it into the oven for 30 minutes
- Remove the lid and lower the oven temperature to 400 F, baking for another 25-30 minutes
- Remove from the oven when the center of the loaf reaches 210 F, and place on a cooling rack with air flow all around the loaf.
- Allow to cool at least 3 hours before slicing.
What can I use in place of the barley malt syrup?
You can use honey, maple syrup, or even sugar – gram for gram. Just something to feed the yeasties do their thing!