PKD Recipes

Spelt Walnut Bread

This is traditionally served with the cheese course throughout France. It is called Pain Au Noix.
Some differences when using spelt:
When incorporating spelt into an existing recipe, reduce the liquid by 10-15%. For non-yeasted bread reduce the knead time by ⅔ and allow 30 minutes rest at least for full development. I find the time and patience needed for baking non-yeasted spelt bread so very relaxing.
Making CHEF
Rise 12-24 hours
If using cold refrigerated chef (previously left over levain) about a half a day before baking your next loaf, allow it to come to room temperature. Mix the refrigerated previous chef with ⅓ cup of water and ½ cup of spelt flour. Allow it to sit out on the countertop in a glass jar for 12-24 hours or until it develops fine bubbles. For its rising I keep it in a glass covered jar with a rubber band to mark the beginning of the rising. Once it has fermented (12-24 hours) this becomes your chef for baking today. Adding almond milk to replace water in this recipe makes a softer crust.
Water Choices
Mineral water
Filtered water
Tap water that has been left out overnight to dissipate the chlorine.

Four steps to bake non-yeasted spelt walnut bread.
CHEF Step1-One begins with CHEF
LEVAIN Step2-Second is the LEVAIN
BAKING Step3-Third step is BAKING the bread
CARING Step4-The final step is caring for remaining LEVAIN

CHEF Step1 (Takes 4 days to make)
Day 1
⅓ C. water or 5 Tbsp water
½ C. spelt flour or 8 Tbsp spelt flour
Add water first then add flour.

Add all to a tall 2-3 quart clear glass container with a lid. Stir well to make a thick, soft dough. The exact consistency of the dough will vary with the flour. Do not add more flour or water. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, cover tightly with a lid and let stand in a moderate area (about 70ºF) for 24 hours. Put a rubber band around the jar at the top line of the CHEF. With a rubber band in place, one can easily view the rising CHEF. 70º is the temperature in a wine cellar or basement. The refrigerator is too cold for a beginning CHEF. Try a cool corner of the kitchen counter top or the back of a closet. Avoid placing the CHEF on the top of the refrigerator as this area contains refrigerator coils, undesirably warming the CHEF too quickly. For tropical environments or in the summer months, one may wish to use a thermometer to find a cool area of the kitchen or place the CHEF into the refrigerator at night and remove it in the morning.

CHEF Step1
Day 2
⅓ C. water or 5 Tbsp water
½ C. spelt flour or 8 Tbsp spelt flour
When you first observe the CHEF in the morning it will have doubled in volume. You can tell this has happened by the previously placed rubber band marking the beginning volume. Add water first then add flour. Stir vigorously adding fresh oxygen to the CHEF. Place in a 70ºF draft-free place for 24 hours. The CHEF should have the consistency of soft dough. Consider adding a little more flour or water to create this texture.

CHEF Step1
Day 3
⅓ C. water or 5 Tbsp water
½ C. spelt flour or 8 Tbsp spelt flour
Add water first then add flour. CHEF will now have the texture of a thick batter and will have doubled in volume. Let it stand at 70ºF in a draft free place for another 24 hours.

CHEF Step1
Day 4
CHEF is now fully ripe, with many bubbles and a batter like consistency, similar to pancake batter. It is ready to be added to the next step. If you do not want to bake bread today, refrigerate the CHEF up to 3 days. After 3 days, bring the CHEF again to room temperature, add ⅓ cup water of water and ½ cup flour, stir rapidly, aerating the 3-day-old-CHEF.

LEVAIN Step2
Rise 6-10 hours
1 ¼  cups of spelt flour
All the CHEF
Bring the CHEF to room temperature.  2 hours will bring refrigerated CHEF to room temperature. Add flour directly to the batter-like CHEF.  Stir vigorously adding fresh oxygen to the mixture. This should make the mixture very stiff. This stiff form is important for ripening the LEVAIN.

LEVAIN Step2
If the batter is too water-y it becomes very sour and tangy. Scrape down the sides and let stand in a cool 70ºF draft-free place for 6-10 hours, or until doubled. Inside a bread machine with the machine unplugged will do nicely. Do not let it rise beyond 10 hours or there will not be enough strength in the LEVAIN to encourage the bread to rise.

BAKING Step3
Ingredients
1 C. spring water
1 C. LEVAIN (save remaining *LEVAIN for baking another day)
1 Tbsp Himalayan pink crystal salt
1 C. roasted chopped walnuts
3 C. spelt flour

Preparation
Bring LEVAIN, flour, water, and the mixing bowl, all to room temperature. If your flour is cold from being kept in the fridge, warm it a little. Taking these extra steps helps the bread to rise nicely. It behave quite differently when all ingredients are first brought to room temperature. Mix LEVAIN and water with a wooden spoon or a wire whip. Continue stirring until the mixture is slightly frothy and the LEVAIN is partly dissolved. Add 1 cup of flour and stir until well combined. Add salt and just enough of the remaining flour to make a thick mass that is difficult to stir. Add roasted chopped walnuts. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead or put in a bread mixer with a dough hook for 15 minutes. Add more flour until the dough is firm and smooth, about 25-50 times. Stop kneading when the dough is soft, and a little dough pulled from the mass springs back quickly. Lay it aside while you clean the bowl and drizzle the clean bowl with olive oil Shape into a ball.

BAKING Step3
RISE THE DOUGH (2 hours)
rise 2 hours
Cover and let the dough to rise for 2 hours. Try a deep wide bowl, cover with a huge plate to keep drafts away. If you have a bread machine, lightly oil the inside of the machine. Keep the bread machine turned off with the door closed, a perfect place for a 2-hour rise.

BAKING Step3
LET THE DOUGH REST
Rest 30 minutes
Deflate the dough by pushing down in the center and pulling up on the sides. Knead the dough very lightly to form a tight ball. Place it on a lightly floured board. Cover with a clean damp canvas or linen cloth. Place in a moderately warm 74º – 80º draft free spot for 30 minutes.

BAKING Step3
SHAPE THE LOAVES (5 minutes)
Rest 5 minutes
Knead dough very lightly to form a ball. Flatten with the heel of your hand on a lightly floured surface into a disk about 8 inches in diameter. Shape dough into a torpedo or fit it within an oiled bread pan. Knead it tightly.

BAKING Step3
SECOND RISE OF THE DOUGH (2 hours)
Rise 2 hours
Place the dough seam side down in a traditional bread-baking pan that has been lightly oiled or place the loaf seam-side up in a well-floured couche within a basket. A basket or bowl with a diameter of 8 inches and a depth of 3 – 4 inches will do. Lay inside a clean, lightweight even linen towel dusted with flour. By letting the dough rest in a cushioned, floured container, this will give a loaf that will take on the shape and markings of the basket. The crust will be thicker and bolder from the extra flour becoming embedded in the dough upon rising. This creates a rustic, earthy looking crust. Place in a moderately warm 74º – 80º F draft free spot until almost doubled in volume, approximately 2 hours. Sometimes I wrap everything with a thick towel to protect the rising bread from any drafts. Cover and allow it to rise for an additional 2-4 hours until doubled in size. Or place it in the fridge overnight if you wish to bake the bread the following morning.

BAKING Step3
REFRIGERATED DOUGH
Rise 2-4 hours if refrigerated
When the dough is shaped it is at this point that the dough can be put into the refrigerator overnight. Refrigerating overnight is an important step to decrease the phytic acid content. The following morning (if you have placed the loaf in the refrigerator overnight) allow it 1-2 hours to come to room temperature and allow it to rise an additional 2-4 hours.

BAKING Step3
IMPORTANT STEP
Using a very sharp, serrated knife or a single-edge razor blade, score the loaf by making quick shallow cuts 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep along the surface. I always seem to forget this. If baking in a basket or free form, use a well-floured smooth linen or smooth cotton towel (called a couche) as an aid, gently roll one loaf from the couche (towel) onto a lightly floured wooden plank (known as a peel) so that it sits seam side down. Use the peel to slide the loaf onto the hot baking stone. At this point if you want a free form flatter rounder bread, just place it on the heated stone. I sometimes prepare my breads free form by braiding the dough and allowing it to rise. Once I preheat the oven and pop it in, spray the walls, I pull up a chair and watch the show unfold as the bread beautifully starts rising taking on a golden brown color. This glorious piece of dough made with water, salt, and flour suddenly are transformed as they begin to expand, inflate and take on a life of their own. The aromas fill my kitchen.

BAKING Step3
About 45 minutes to an hour before you are going to bake, pre-heat the oven to 450º F. Position the baking stone in the center of the oven. When the dough is first put into the oven spray the oven walls with water from a sprayer. Repeat this in about five minutes and again in another five minutes.
Preheat your baking stone or oven to 450º.

BAKING Step3
CREATING STEAM
Quickly spray the inner walls and the floor of the oven with cold water from spray bottle or splash water into the oven from a bowl. The idea is to create an abundance of hot steam. Avoid hitting the light bulb in some ovens, or it may burst. Close the oven door to trap the steam, wait three minutes and repeat the process. Alternatively get an old pan fill it with clean rocks and pour water over the heated stones. I use both techniques.

BAKING Step3
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Rap the baked loaf with the back of your knuckles. If it sounds hollow, it is done, if not bake for an additional 5 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.
NOTE.
Now I try to bake bread on flower days according to the bio-dynamic methods described by Rudolph Steiner. There is an online calendar here. Or Marie Thun’s calendar can also be purchased. The days for tasting wine also correspond to fruit day or baking days. An iTunes app is available.

CARING FOR LEVAIN Step4
Once you have measured out the LEVAIN for the Spelt Bread Recipe, you will have a bit left over. Add to what you have left-over, 5 tablespoons of water (⅓ cup) and 8 tablespoons of flour (½ cup). Add the water first, then flour. Mix to aerate. Allow it sit out while the bread bakes; then place in a cool place like the refrigerator. This becomes your new CHEF.

CARING FOR LEVAIN Step4
For a sweeter bread, fed the CHEF twice in a 24 hour period just before baking your next loaf. To bake your next loaf, allow CHEF, flour, water, and mixing bowl, all to come to room temperature. The process for making these non-yeasted breads is indeed a long one, but once you experience biting into a savory warm slice of spelt bread, made fresh from your own stone lined oven, you will be handsomely rewarded through your efforts. Early on I did a taste test. I thought my first loaves were flat and I assumed the taste would also be flat. I compared a slice from a commercially made loaf of non-yeasted spelt bread to my own, and my own won hands down.

Baps Cinnamon & Raisin

When incorporating spelt into an existing recipe, reduce the liquid by 10-15%. For non-yeasted bread reduce the knead time by ⅔ and allow 30 minutes rest at least for full development.

Serve these warm at breakfast with tupelo honey. The origin of its name, baps, is from the 16th century. Baps baked by the Scots is not sweet; the Irish have sweet baps made with currants. This recipe makes about 5 baps.

CHEF
Rise 12-24 hours
If using cold refrigerated chef (previously left over levain) about a half a day before baking your next loaf, allow it to come to room temperature. Mix the refrigerated previous chef with ⅓ cup of water and ½ cup of spelt flour. Allow it to sit out on the countertop in a glass jar for 12-24 hours or until it develops fine bubbles. For its rising I keep it in a glass covered jar with a rubber band to mark the beginning of the rising. Once it has fermented (12-24 hours) this becomes your chef for baking today. Adding almond milk to replace water in this recipe makes a softer crust.

Water Choices
Mineral water
Filtered water
Tap water that has been left out overnight to dissipate the chlorine.

Levain
Rise 6-10 hours
Take the entire levain that you have previously mixed and after allowing it to rise 10 – 12 hours, add 1 cup spelt  flour. Stir vigorously. Allow to rise in a covered glass jar for 6 – 10 hours. Use ½  cup of this Levain. Put the remainder aside for another baking day. It will keep in the refrigerator. I store mine in our wine cooler.

Ingredients
½ C. levain or
3 tsp yeast
¼ C. warm almond milk
1 Tbsp Tupelo honey

4 Tbsp coconut oil
2 C. spelt flour
¾ tsp Himalayan Pink Crystal salt

¼ C. warm almond milk
¼ C. warm water

½ C. raisins
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp date sugar

Preparation
Rise 1 hour if using yeast
If using yeast, warm the milk so you can stick a finger into it easily. Dissolve the honey in the water and sprinkle the yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes. In a larger bowl mix together the flour and ¾ teaspoon of salt rub in the oil. Add to the now bubbling yeast, the warm milk, warm water and mix in the flour salt butter mixture with your hands to get a soft dough. Stretch the dough. It should be sticky. Invert the bowl onto the countertop and knead adding more flour if necessary.
Flatten the dough with a rolling pin then add the raisins to the dough. Roll dough to disperse raisins throughout. Then roll dough flat again. Sprinkle with cinnamon and Tupelo honey. Roll into a log so cinnamon is in a spiral throughout the dough.
If additional water is needed add to your hands as you work the dough. Cut into 5 pieces. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour.
Rise 1 hour.

Both Methods
Rise 30 minutes
Preheat oven 400º. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth. Cut into 5 pieces and shape each into a ball. Put the balls on a parchment lined pan cover and set them aside to rise for 30 minutes while the oven warms.

Bake 15-30 minutes 400º
Bake in a preheated oven until the baps turn golden brown. Serve hot from the oven. Serve with a pitcher of honey.

Left Over Levain
Earlier you had some left over levain to save for another baking day. Take the left over levain and add to this ⅓ cup of water + ¼ cup of spelt flour; adding the water first. Mix well to aerate, adding fresh oxygen. Allow to rise a bit while you finish baking the bread then place in a cool area or in the refrigerator (I put mine in the wine cooler) for baking another day. This then becomes your new CHEF. Some have tried freezing the chef while they are traveling.

For a sweeter bread, fed the CHEF twice in a 24 hour period just before baking your next loaf. To bake your next loaf, allow CHEF, flour, water, and mixing bowl, all to come to room temperature. The process for making these non-yeasted breads is indeed a long one, but once you experience biting into a savory warm slice of spelt bread, made fresh from your own stone lined oven, you will be handsomely rewarded through your efforts. Serve hot from the oven with a little pitcher of tupelo honey.

Bread Machine Rye Black Peasant Bread

CHEF
rise 12-24 hours
If using cold refrigerated chef (previously left over levain) about a half a day before baking your next loaf, allow it to come to room temperature. Mix the refrigerated previous portion with ⅓ cup of water and ½ cup of spelt flour. Allow it to sit out on the countertop in a glass jar for 12-24 hours or until it develops fine bubbles. For its rising I keep it in a glass covered jar with a rubber band to mark the beginning of the rising. Once it has fermented (12-24 hours) this becomes your chef for baking today.
LEVAIN
knead 5 minutes
rise 6-10 hours
Add the entire CHEF
1 ¼ cup spelt flour
Knead for 5 minutes, allow the newly formed LEVAIN to rise for 6-10 hours inside the bread machine with the bread machine turned off.

Ingredients
1 C. LEVAIN (save the rest for baking another day)
¼ C. warm water (warm to the inside of the wrist)
1 Tbsp dark molasses
1 Tbsp Tupelo honey
¾ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp Himalayan pink crystal salt
2 tsp Vital Gluten (can omit)
¾ C. rye flour
¾ C. spelt flour
water as needed

Preparation
knead 15 minutes
Allow the LEVAIN and all ingredients to come to room temperature. Warm the water a little. If your flour is cold from being in the fridge, warm it a little. This meticulousness helps the bread to ferment and rise nicely. The dough behaves quite differently if all ingredients are brought to room temperature. Mix the LEVAIN and water together and place in the bread machine on the dough cycle. Let it run for about 5 minutes or until the LEVAIN is partly dissolved. While the bread machine is mixing add molasses, honey, coriander, salt, Vital Gluten and just enough of the remaining ¾ cup flour so it forms a thick mass. Stop the bread machine. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour until the dough is firm and smooth, about 25-50 times. The dough is ready when a little dough pulled from the mass springs back quickly. Shape the dough into a ball and return to the bread machine.

Rise the Dough 2 hours in the bread machine
rise 15 minutes
Let the dough rest on the lightly floured surface, while you lightly oil the bread machine pan. Place the dough in the bread machine and turn once to coat with oil.
rise 2 hours
It needs to rest about 2 hours with the bread machine turned off and the door closed.

Let the Dough Rest 30 minutes
rise 30 minutes
Deflate the dough by pushing down in the center and pulling up on
the sides. Shape into a tight torpedo and place back into the bread machine for 30 minutes.

Second Rise of the Dough 2 hours
rise 2 hours
Place the dough seam side down inside the bread machine pan and close the bread machine door but do not turn it on. Allow the bread to rise until almost doubled in volume, approximately 2 hours. Sometimes about this time I might wish to go to sleep. If I do, I place the bread machine pan with the dough covered inside the refrigerator. This step greatly decreases the phytic acid content.

Cold Refrigerated Dough
rise 2-4 hours
In the morning I take it out and allow it to come to room temperature for 1-2 hours, then rise the previously refrigerator dough an additional 2 hours, then bake.

Baking the Bread
bake bread
Open the door to the bread machine and remove the pan. Close the door and turn on the bread machine on the bake cycle. If you have a choice set it to dark crust. Allow it bake for an hour or however long your bake cycle is. Once finished baking, remove the loaf from the bread machine, rub a little oil on the outside crust and wrap it in a towel as it cools. If the bread is allowed to fully cool overnight, it has a different crumb when sliced. The bread continues to bake as it cools.

Left over LEVAIN to make into a new CHEF
Earlier you had some left over levain to save for another baking day. Take the left over levain and add to this ⅓ cup of water + ¼ cup of spelt flour; adding the water first. Mix well to aerate, adding fresh oxygen. Allow to rise a bit while you finish baking the bread then place in a cool area or in the refrigerator (I put mine in the wine cooler) for baking another day. This then becomes your new CHEF.

Bread Machine Spelt Bread

Some differences when using spelt:
When incorporating spelt into an existing recipe, reduce the liquid by 10-15%. For non-yeasted bread reduce the knead time by ⅔ and allow 30 minutes rest at least for full development. I find the time and patience needed for baking non-yeasted spelt bread so very relaxing.
CHEF
rise 12-24 hours
If using cold refrigerated chef (previously left over levain) about a half a day before baking your next loaf, allow it to come to room temperature. Mix the refrigerated previous chef with ⅓ cup of water and ½ cup of spelt flour. Allow it to sit out on the countertop in a glass jar for 12-24 hours or until it develops fine bubbles. For its rising I keep it in a glass covered jar with a rubber band to mark the beginning of the rising. Once it has fermented (12-24 hours) this becomes your chef for baking today. Adding almond milk to replace water in this recipe makes a softer crust.
LEVAIN
knead 5 minutes
rise 6-10 hours
Add the entire CHEF
1 ¼ Cup spelt flour
Knead for 5 minutes, allow the newly formed LEVAIN to rise for 6-10 hours inside the bread machine with the bread machine turned off. Do not allow it to rise for longer than 10 hours or there will not be enough oomph to get your bread to rise. This will usually make greater than 18 ounces of LEVAIN.

Prepare the Bread
1 ¼ cups of LEVAIN (save remainder for another baking day)
¼ cup warm water (warm to the inside of the wrist)
1 tablespoon of tupelo honey
¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink crystal salt
2 teaspoons Vital Gluten (can omit)
1 ½ cup spelt flour

Preparation
knead 15 minutes
Allow the LEVAIN and all ingredients to come to room temperature. Warm the water a little. If your flour is cold from being kept in the fridge, warm it too a little. This meticulousness helps the bread to ferment and rise nicely. The dough behaves quite differently if brought to room temperature. Mix the LEVAIN and water together and place it in the bread machine on the dough cycle of the bread machine. Let it run for about 5 minutes or until the LEVAIN is partly dissolved. While the bread machine is mixing add ¾ cup of flour to the bread machine. Add the honey, salt, vital gluten and just enough of the remaining ¾ cup flour so it forms a thick mass. Stop the bread machine. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour until the dough is firm and smooth, about 25-50 times. The dough is ready when a little dough pulled from the mass springs back quickly. Shape the dough into a ball.

Rising the dough, 2 hours in the bread machine
rest 15 minutes
Let the dough rest on the lightly floured surface, while you lightly oil the bread machine pan. Place the dough in the bread machine and turn once to coat with oil.
rise 2 hours
It needs to rest about 2 hours with the bread machine turned off with the door closed.

Let the Dough rise 30 minutes
rise 30 minutes
Deflate the dough by pushing down in the center and pulling up on
the sides. Shape in back into a tight torpedo and place back into the bread machine for 30 minutes.

Second Rise of the Dough Takes 2 hours
rise 2 hours
Place the dough seam side down inside the bread machine pan and close the bread machine door but do not turn it on. Allow the bread to rise until almost doubled in volume, approximately 2 hours. Sometimes about this time I might go to sleep. If I do, I place the bread machine pan with the dough inside the refrigerator. In the morning I take it out and allow it to come to room temperature for about an hour. This process greatly decreases phytic acid.

Cold Refrigerated Dough
rise 2-4 hours
If your dough is cold, take it out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature (about 1-2 hours), then allow it to rise an additional 2 hours. Then bake the bread.

Baking the Bread
score loaf
bake bread
Open the door to the bread machine and remove the pan. Close the door and turn on the bread machine on the bake cycle. If you have a choice set it to dark crust. Using a very sharp, serrated knife or a single-edge razor blade, score the loaf by making quick shallow cuts ¼ to ½ inch deep along the surface. I always seem to forget this.

Bake for an hour or however long your bake cycle is. Once finished baking, remove the loaf from the bread machine, rub a little oil on the outside crust and wrap it in a towel as it cools.
cool overnight
Allow to cool thoroughly before slicing. The slices come out better when cool. The bread continues to bake as it cools.

Left over LEVAIN to make a new CHEF
Earlier you had some left over levain to save for another baking day. Take the left over levain and add to this ⅓ cup of water + ¼ cup of spelt flour; adding the water first. Mix well to aerate, adding fresh oxygen. Allow to rise a bit while you finish baking the bread then place in a cool area or in the refrigerator (I put mine in the wine cooler) for baking another day. This then becomes your new CHEF. Some have tried freezing chef when traveling.

Baps

When incorporating spelt into an existing recipe, reduce the liquid by 10-15%. For non-yeasted bread reduce the knead time by ⅔ and allow 30 minutes rest at least for full development.

Serve these warm at breakfast with that special all fruit spread you’ve been saving. The origin of its name, baps, is from the 16th century. Baps baked by the Scots is not sweet; the Irish have sweet baps made with currants. This recipe makes about 5 baps.

CHEF
rise 12-24 hours
If using cold refrigerated chef (previously left over levain) about a half a day before baking your next loaf, allow it to come to room temperature. Mix the refrigerated previous chef with ⅓ cup of water and ½ cup of spelt flour. Allow it to sit out on the countertop in a glass jar for 12-24 hours or until it develops fine bubbles. For its rising I keep it in a glass covered jar with a rubber band to mark the beginning of the rising. Once it has fermented (12-24 hours) this becomes your chef for baking today. Adding almond milk to replace water in this recipe makes a softer crust.

Water Choices
Mineral water
Filtered water
Tap water that has been left out overnight to dissipate the chlorine.

Levain
rise 6-10 hours
Take the entire chef that you have previously mixed and after allowing it to rise 10 – 12 hours, add 1 C spelt  flour. Stir vigorously. Allow to rise in a covered glass jar for 6 – 10 hours. Use ½  Cup of this Levain. Put the remainder aside for another baking day. It will keep in the refrigerator. I store mine in our wine cooler. Original recipe is below.

Modified Baps recipe without yeast or sugar
Ingredients
½ C. levain or
2 tsp yeast
¼ C. warm almond milk
1 Tbsp Tupelo honey

4 Tbsp coconut oil
2 C. spelt flour
¾ tsp Himalayan Pink Crystal salt

¼ C. warm almond milk
¼ C. warm water

Preparation
Rise 1 hour if using levin
Add the now bubbling levain (it resembles cottage cheese), the warm almond milk, tupelo honey and mix together. Stir with a wire whip.
In a larger bowl mix together the flour and ¾ teaspoon of salt rub in the oil. Add to the now bubbling mixture, the warm milk, warm water and mix in the flour salt oil mix with your hands to get a soft dough. Stretch the dough. It should be sticky. Invert the bowl onto the countertop and knead adding more flour if necessary. If additional water is needed add to your hands as you work the dough. Cut into 5 pieces. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour.
Rise 1 hour.

Preparation
Rise 1 hour if using yeast
If using yeast, warm the milk so you can stick a finger into it easily. Dissolve the honey in the water and sprinkle the yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl mix together flour, salt and rub in softened coconut oil (butter). Add to the now bubbling yeast, the warm milk, warm water and mix in the flour salt oil (butter) mixture with your hands to get a soft dough. Stretch the dough. It should be sticky. Cut into 5 pieces. Cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour.
Rise 1 hour.

Both Methods
Rise 30 minutes
Preheat oven 400º. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth. Cut into 5 pieces and shape each into a ball. Put the balls on a parchment lined pan cover and set them aside to rise for 30 minutes while the oven warms.

Bake 15-30 minutes 400º
Bake in a preheated oven until the baps turn golden brown. Serve hot from the oven. Serve with a pitcher of honey.

Left Over Levain
Earlier you had some left over levain to save for another baking day. Take the left over levain and add to this ⅓ cup of water + ¼ cup of spelt flour; adding the water first. Mix well to aerate, adding fresh oxygen. Allow to rise a bit while you finish baking the bread then place in a cool area or in the refrigerator (I put mine in the wine cooler) for baking another day. This then becomes your new CHEF. Some have tried freezing the chef while they are traveling.

For a sweeter bread, fed the CHEF twice in a 24 hour period just before baking your next loaf. To bake your next loaf, allow CHEF, flour, water, and mixing bowl, all to come to room temperature. The process for making these non-yeasted breads is indeed a long one, but once you experience biting into a savory warm slice of spelt bread, made fresh from your own stone lined oven, you will be handsomely rewarded through your efforts.

Rye Black Peasant Bread

CHEF
rise 12-24 hours
If using cold refrigerated chef (previously left over levain) about a half a day before baking your next loaf, allow it to come to room temperature. Mix the refrigerated previous chef with ⅓ cup of water and ½ cup of spelt flour. Allow it to sit out on the countertop in a glass jar for 12-24 hours or until it develops fine bubbles. For its rising I keep it in a glass covered jar with a rubber band to mark the beginning of the rising. Once it has fermented (12-24 hours) this becomes your chef for baking today. Adding almond milk to replace water in this recipe makes a softer crust.
Water Choices
Mineral water
Filtered water
Tap water that has been left out overnight to dissipate the chlorine.

Four steps to bake non-yeasted breads.
CHEF Step 1-Begin by making a CHEF
LEVAIN Step 2-Second is the LEVAIN
BAKING Step 3-Third step is BAKING
CHEF Step 4-The final step is caring for left over CHEF

CHEF Step 1 (Takes 4 days to make.)
Day 1
⅓ C. water or 5 Tbsp water
½ C. flour or 8 Tbsp spelt flour
Add water first then add flour. I have been told to add a tiny pinch of yeast (Sekowa Bachferment special) to assure a vibrant CHEF. I have not found this step to be necessary. For first time bakers, try a tiny pinch of yeast to assure that you produce a vibrant CHEF or STARTER. This yeast step may be omitted. Add all to a tall 2-3 quart clear glass container with a lid. Stir well to make a thick, soft dough. The exact consistency of the dough will vary with the flour. Do not add more flour or water. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, cover tightly with a lid and let stand in a moderate area (about 70ºF) for 24 hours. Put a rubber band around the jar at the top line of the CHEF. With a rubber band in place, one can easily view the rising CHEF. 70º is the temperature in a wine cellar or basement. The refrigerator is too cold for a beginning CHEF. Try a cool corner of the kitchen counter top or the back of a closet. Avoid placing the CHEF on the top of the refrigerator as this area contains refrigerator coils, undesirably warming the CHEF too quickly. For tropical environments or in the summer months, one may wish to use a thermometer to find a cool area of the kitchen or place the CHEF into the refrigerator at night and remove it in the morning.

CHEF Step 1
Day 2
⅓ C. water or 5 Tbsp water
½ C. flour or 8 Tbsp spelt flour
When you first observe the CHEF in the morning it will have doubled in volume. You can tell this has happened by the previously placed rubber band marking the beginning volume. Add water first then add flour. Stir vigorously adding fresh oxygen to the CHEF. Place in a 70ºF draft-free place for 24 hours. The CHEF should have the consistency of soft dough. Consider adding a little more flour or water to create this texture.

CHEF Step 1
Day 3
⅓ C. water or 5 Tbsp water
½ C. flour or 8 Tbsp spelt flour
Add water first then add flour. CHEF will now have the texture of a thick batter and will have doubled in volume. Let it stand at 70ºF in a draft free place for another 24 hours.

CHEF Step 1
Day 4
CHEF is now fully ripe, with many bubbles and a batter like consistency, similar to pancake batter. It is ready to be added to the next step. If you do not want to bake bread today, refrigerate the CHEF up to 3 days. After 3 days, bring the CHEF again to room temperature, add  1/3  cup water of water and ½ cup flour, stir rapidly, aerating the 3-day-old-CHEF.

LEVAIN Step 2
rise 6-10 hours
1 ¼ C. rye flour
All the CHEF
Bring the CHEF to room temperature.  2 hours will bring refrigerated CHEF to room temperature. Add flour directly to the batter-like CHEF. Stir vigorously adding fresh oxygen to the mixture. This should make the mixture very stiff. This stiff form is important for ripening the LEVAIN. If the batter is too water-y it becomes very sour and tangy. Scrape down the sides and let stand in a cool 70ºF draft-free place for 6-10 hours, or until doubled. Inside a bread machine with the machine unplugged will do nicely. Do not let it rise beyond 10 hours or there will not be enough strength in the LEVAIN to encourage the bread to rise.

BAKING Step 3
Ingredients 15 minutes
1 Tbsp dark molasses
¼ C. warm water touch inside of the wrist
1 Tbsp Tupelo honey
¾ tsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 C. LEVAIN
1 Tbsp Himalayan pink crystal salt
¾ C. rye flour
¾ C. spelt flour
water as needed

Knead 15 minutes
Bring LEVAIN, flour, water, and the mixing bowl, all to room temperature. If your flour is cold from being kept in the fridge, warm it a little. Taking these extra steps helps the bread to rise nicely. It behave quite differently when all ingredients are first brought to room temperature. Mix CHEF and water with a wooden spoon or a wire whip. Continue stirring until the mixture is slightly frothy and the LEVAIN is partly dissolved. Add 1 cup of flour and stir until well combined. Add salt and just enough of the remaining flour to make a thick mass that is difficult to stir. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead. Add more flour until the dough is firm and smooth, about 25-50 times. Stop kneading when the dough is soft, and a little dough pulled from the mass springs back quickly. Shape into a ball.

BAKING Step 3
RISE THE DOUGH (2 hours)
rise 2 hours
Cover and let the dough to rise for 2 hours. Try a deep wide bowl, cover with a huge plate to keep drafts away. If you have a bread machine, lightly oil the inside of the machine. Keep the bread machine turned off with the door closed, a perfect place for a 2-hour rise.
LET THE DOUGH REST
rest 30 minutes
Deflate the dough by pushing down in the center an dpulling up on the sides. Knead the dough very lightly to form a tight ball. Place it on a lightly floured board. Cover with a clean damp canvas or linen cloth. Place in a moderately warm 74º – 80º draft free spot for 30 minutes.
SHAPE THE LOAVES
rest 5 minutes
Knead dough very lightly to form a ball. Flatten with the heel of your hand on a lightly floured surface into a disk about 8 inches in diameter. Shape dough into a torpedo or fit it within an oiled bread pan. Knead it tightly.
SECOND RISE OF THE DOUGH
rise 2 hours
Place the dough seam side down in a traditional bread-baking pan that has been lightly oiled or place the loaf seam-side up in a well-floured couche within a basket. A basket or bowl with a diameter of 8 inches and a depth of 3 – 4 inches will do. Lay inside a clean, lightweight even linen towel dusted with flour. By letting the dough rest in a cushioned, floured container, this will give a loaf that will take on the shape and markings of the basket. The crust will be thicker and bolder from the extra flour becoming embedded in the dough upon rising. This creates a rustic, earthy looking crust. Place in a moderately warm 74º – 80º F draft free spot until almost doubled in volume, approximately 2 hours. Sometimes I wrap everything with a thick towel to protect the rising bread from any drafts. Cover and allow it to rise for an additional 2-4 hours until doubled in size. Or place it in the fridge overnight if you wish to bake the bread the following morning.
Refrigerated Dough
rise 2-4 hours if refrigerated
When the dough is shaped it is at this point that the dough can be put into the refrigerator overnight. Refrigerating overnight is an important step to decrease the phytic acid content. The following morning (if you have placed the loaf in the refrigerator overnight) allow it 1-2 hours to come to room temperature and allow it to rise an additional 2-4 hours.
IMPORTANT STEP
score loaf
pre-heat the oven to 450º F.
Using a very sharp, serrated knife or a single-edge razor blade, score the loaf by making quick shallow cuts 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep along the surface. I always seem to forget to score the loaf. If baking in a basket or free form, use a well-floured smooth linen or smooth cotton towel (called a couche) as an aid, gently roll one loaf from the couche (towel) onto a lightly floured wooden plank (known as a peel) so that it sits seam side down. Use the peel to slide the loaf onto the hot baking stone. At this point if you want a free form flatter rounder bread, just place it on the heated stone. I sometimes prepare my breads free form by braiding the dough and allowing it to rise. Once I preheat the oven and pop it in, spray the walls, I pull up a chair and watch the show unfold as the bread beautifully starts rising taking on a golden brown color. This glorious piece of dough made with water, salt, and flour suddenly are transformed as they begin to expand, inflate and take on a life of their own. The aromas fill my kitchen.

BAKING Step 3
Creating Steam
Position the baking stone in the center of the oven. When the dough is first put into the oven spray the oven walls with water from a sprayer. The technique is to quickly spray the inner walls and the floor of the oven with cold water from spray bottle or splash water into the oven from a bowl. The idea is to create an abundance of hot steam. Avoid hitting the light bulb in some ovens, or it may burst. Close the oven door to trap the steam, wait three minutes. Repeat this in about three minutes and again in another three minutes. Alternatively get an old pan, place some clean rocks in it and fill it with water. I use both techniques.
Bake for about 20 minutes then lower the heat to 400º and bake another 20 minutes until golden brown.
Rap the baked of the loaf with the back of your knuckles. If it sounds hollow, it is done, if not bake for an additional 5 minutes. If you can wait, allow the bread to cool before slicing. 24 hours is best. I cannot wait and slice into it first thing. Then I do wait to put the entire loaf through a slicing machine.
BAKING Step 3
I try to bake bread on flower days according to the bio-dynamic methods described by Rudolph Steiner. There is an free online calendar here. Or Marie Thun’s calendar can also be purchased.

CHEF Step 4
Earlier you had some left over levain to save for another baking day. Take the left over levain and add to this ⅓ cup of water + ¼ cup of spelt flour; adding the water first. Mix well to aerate, adding fresh oxygen. Allow to rise a bit while you finish baking the bread then place in a cool area or in the refrigerator (I put mine in the wine cooler) for baking another day. This then becomes your new CHEF. Some have tried freezing the chef while they are traveling.

For a sweeter bread, fed the CHEF twice in a 24 hour period just before baking your next loaf. To bake your next loaf, allow CHEF, flour, water, and mixing bowl, all to come to room temperature. The process for making these non-yeasted breads is indeed a long one, but once you experience biting into a savory warm slice of spelt bread, made fresh from your own stone lined oven, you will be handsomely rewarded through your efforts. Early on I did a taste test. I thought my first loaves were flat and I assumed the taste would also be flat. I compared a slice from a commercially made loaf of non-yeasted spelt bread to my own, and my own won hands down.

Spelt Bagels no Yeast

Start by grinding spelt grain fresh every day. Mix this freshly ground flour with water to make a CHEF. Allow it to stand from 6-10 hours. Adding water first, then flour to make a CHEF.

Some differences when using spelt:
When incorporating spelt into an existing recipe, reduce the liquid by 10-15%. For non-yeasted bread reduce the knead time by &#8532 and allow 30 minutes rest at least for full development.

CHEF
rise 12-24 hours
If using cold refrigerated chef (previously left over levain) about a half a day before baking your next loaf, allow it to come to room temperature. Mix the refrigerated previous chef with ⅓ cup of water and ½ cup of spelt flour. Allow it to sit out on the countertop in a glass jar for 12-24 hours or until it develops fine bubbles. For its rising I keep it in a glass covered jar with a rubber band to mark the beginning of the rising. Once it has fermented (12-24 hours) this becomes your chef for baking today. Adding almond milk to replace water in this recipe makes a softer crust.

Water Choices
Mineral water
Filtered water
Tap water that has been left out overnight to dissipate the chlorine.

Four steps to bake non-yeasted breads.

CHEF Step 1-Begin by making a CHEF
LEVAIN Step 2-Second is the LEVAIN
MAKING BAGELS Step 3-Third step is MAKING the bagels
LEFTOVER CHEF Step 4-The final step is caring for left over CHEF

CHEF Step 1 (Takes 4 days to make.)
Day 1
⅓ C. water or 5 Tbsp water
½  C. spelt flour or 8 Tbsp spelt flour
Add water first then add flour. I have been told to add a tiny pinch of yeast (Sekowa Bachferment special) to assure a vibrant CHEF. I have not found this step to be necessary. For first time bakers, try a tiny pinch of yeast to assure that you produce a vibrant CHEF. This yeast step may be omitted. Add all to a tall 2-3 quart clear glass container with a lid. Stir well to make a thick, soft dough. The exact consistency of the dough will vary with the flour. Do not add more flour or water. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, cover tightly with a lid and let stand in a moderate area (about 70ºF) for 24 hours. Put a rubber band around the jar at the top line of the CHEF. With a rubber band in place, one can easily view the rising CHEF. 70º is the temperature in a wine cellar or basement. The refrigerator is too cold for a beginning CHEF. Try a cool corner of the kitchen counter top or the back of a closet. Avoid placing the CHEF on the top of the refrigerator as this area contains refrigerator coils, undesirably warming the CHEF too quickly. For tropical environments or in the summer months, one may wish to use a thermometer to find a cool area of the kitchen or place the CHEF into the refrigerator at night and remove it in the morning.

CHEF Step 1 NOTE
Now I try to bake on a flower day from Maria Thun’s biodynamic calendar. She has experimented practically applying Rudolph Steiner’s techniques to everyday life including when to grow certain things, when to taste wine and when to bake. Maria Thun on wine.

CHEF Step 1
Day 2
⅓ C. water or 5 Tbsp water
½  C. spelt flour or 8 Tbsp spelt flour
When you first observe the CHEF in the morning it will have doubled in volume. You can tell this has happened by the previously placed rubber band marking the beginning volume. Add water first then add flour. Stir vigorously adding fresh oxygen to the CHEF. Place in a 70ºF draft-free place for 24 hours. The CHEF should have the consistency of soft dough. Consider adding a little more flour or water to create this texture.

CHEF Step 1
Day 3
⅓ C. water or 5 Tbsp water
½  C. spelt flour or 8 Tbsp spelt flour
Add water first then add flour. CHEF will now have the texture of a thick batter and will have doubled in volume. Let it stand at 70ºF in a draft free place for another 24 hours.

CHEF Step 1
Day 4
CHEF is now fully ripe, with many bubbles and a batter like consistency, similar to pancake batter. It is ready to be added to the next step. If you do not want to bake bread today, refrigerate the CHEF up to 3 days. After 3 days, bring the CHEF again to room temperature, add ⅓ cup water of water and ½ cup flour, stir rapidly, aerating the 3-day-old-CHEF.

LEVAIN Step 2
rise 6-10 hours
1 ¼  cups of spelt flour
All the CHEF
Bring the CHEF to room temperature.  2 hours will bring refrigerated CHEF to room temperature. Add flour directly to the batter-like CHEF. Stir vigorously adding fresh oxygen to the mixture. This should make the mixture very stiff. This stiff form is important for ripening the CHEF. If the batter is too water-y it becomes very sour and tangy. Scrape down the sides and let stand in a cool 70ºF draft-free place for 6-10 hours, or until doubled. Inside a bread machine with the machine unplugged will do nicely. Do not let it rise beyond 10 hours or there will not be enough strength in the LEVAIN to encourage the bread to rise.

MAKING BAGELS Step 3
Ingredients
2 C. white spelt flour
1 C. LEVAIN
1 tsp Himalayan salt
2 tsp olive oil
1 C. water

MAKING BAGELS Step 3
Preparation
Bring LEVAIN, flour, water, and the mixing bowl, all to room temperature. If your flour is cold from being kept in the fridge, warm it a little. Taking these extra steps helps the bread to rise nicely. It behave quite differently when all ingredients are first brought to room temperature. Mix CHEF and water with a wooden spoon or a wire whip. Continue stirring until the mixture is slightly frothy and the LEVAIN is partly dissolved. Add 1 cup of flour and stir until well combined. Add salt and just enough of the remaining flour to make a thick mass that is difficult to stir. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead. Add more flour until the dough is firm and smooth, about 25-50 times. Stop kneading when the dough is soft, and a little dough pulled from the mass springs back quickly. Shape into a ball.
knead 15 minutes

MAKING BAGELS Step 3
RISE THE DOUGH
rise 2 hours
Cover and let the dough to rise for 2 hours. Try a deep wide bowl, cover with a huge plate to keep drafts away.

MAKING BAGELS Step 3
LET THE DOUGH REST
rest 30 minutes
Deflate the dough by pushing down in the center an dpulling up on the sides. Knead the dough very lightly to form a tight ball. Place it on a lightly floured board. Cover with a clean damp canvas or linen cloth. Place in a moderately warm 74º – 80º draft free spot for 30 minutes.

MAKING BAGELS Step 3
SHAPE THE BAGELS
rise 5 minutes
Knead dough very lightly to form a ball. Flatten with the heel of your hand on a lightly floured surface into a disk about 8 inches in diameter. Shape dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a rope about 20 inches in length, tapering the ends slightly. Bring the tapered ends together and overlap by 2 inches. With the end that is facing outward, wrap and enclose the other end and pinch to seal. Set aside on a lightly floured surface, cover with a clean linen or canvas cloth, and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

MAKING BAGELS Step 3
Just before the next step, bring 6 cups of water to a boil and stir in 1 tablespoon of coarse salt. Maintain heat at a gentle simmer. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
simmer in water 2-4 minutes
pre-heat over 400º
bake 25 minutes
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and light sprinkling of yellow cornmeal. After their brief rest, the bagels are placed into simmering water for about 2-4 minutes, flipping them over with a slotted spoon halfway between cooking time. Remove and place onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or to a light golden brown. Cool for several minutes before slicing.

LEFTOVER CHEF Step 4
Earlier you had some left over levain to save for another baking day. Take the left over levain and add to this ⅓ cup of water + ¼ cup of spelt flour; adding the water first. Mix well to aerate, adding fresh oxygen. Allow to rise a bit while you finish baking the bread then place in a cool area or in the refrigerator (I put mine in the wine cooler) for baking another day. This then becomes your new CHEF. Some have tried freezing the chef while they are traveling.

LEFTOVER CHEF Step 4
For a sweeter bread, fed the CHEF twice in a 24 hour period just before baking your next loaf. To bake your next loaf, allow CHEF, flour, water, and mixing bowl, all to come to room temperature. The process for making these non-yeasted bagels is indeed a long one, but once you experience biting into a savory warm bagel, made fresh from your own stone lined oven, you will be handsomely rewarded through your efforts.