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.

Pita with Yeast

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.

CAUTION With PLD yeast can be harmful. To avoid this try baking on a bio-dynamic flower day and using some left over chef from bread baking.
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Chef (or 1 tsp Sekowa Bachferment yeast)
¼ C warm water
1 C spelt flour
½ tsp Himalayan salt
½ tsp tupelo honey
Preparation
Dissolve Sekowa yeast in warm water. Add honey and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 5 minutes until water is frothy.

Combine salt and spelt in a bowl. Make a small depression in the middle of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture. Slowly add additional flour until well kneaded. Coat large bowl with olive oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough around so all is coated.
Allow to rise in a warm place for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size. Once doubled in size, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 10-12 small pieces. Form pieces into balls. Place balls on floured surface.

Preheat oven to 500º. While oven is heating, let balls sit covered for about 10 minutes. Preheat your baking stone. Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.

Bake each circle for 4 minutes or until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 2 additional minutes. Remove each pita with a spatula and add additional pitas for baking. Take spatula and gently push down puff. In order to remain soft, immediately place in storage bags.

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.

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.

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 bread.
CHEF Step1-One begins with CHEF
LEVAIN Step2-Second is the LEVAIN
BAKING Step3-Third step is BAKING the bread
CARING LEFT OVER LEVAIN Step4-Making a new CHEF
= = = =

CHEF Step1 (Takes 4 days to make)
Day 1
3 Tbsp water
5 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. Because I have PLD, I omit adding any additional yeast.

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. Or if you happen to have a place about 70º like a wine cooler, then this is perfect for a developing chef.

CHEF Step1
Day 2
3 Tbsp water
5 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
3 Tbsp water
5 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.

PREPARING TO BAKE
Ingredients
⅓ C. water
1 C. LEVAIN (save remainder for baking another day)
1 Tbsp Himalayan pink crystal salt
2 ¼  – 4 C. spelt flour

PREPARING TO BAKE
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. 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. Shape into a ball.

PREPARING TO BAKE
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.
Rise 2 hours.

PREPARING TO BAKE
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.

PREPARING TO BAKE
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 or line your bread pan with parchment paper. Knead it tightly.

PREPARING TO BAKE
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.

PREPARING TO BAKE
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
IMPORTANT STEP
Score Dough
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
Pre-heat the oven to 450º F about 45 minutes to an hour before you are going to bake. 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.

If you are lucky enough to own a combi-steam oven such as the Miele, there is a spelt bread Masterchef mode.

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. Or heat a clay pot and its cover in the oven transferring the risen ready to bake dough into the heated clay pot.

BAKING
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.
NOTE.
Now 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.

COOLING THE BAKED BREAD
Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting for 24 hours. I usually cannot wait and a slice into the freshly baked bread straight away. It crumbles and is difficult to slice. Then I do wait 24 hours before putting it in a bread slicing machine. The bread behaves much differently when allowed to cool. The texture is firmer.

CARING LEFT OVER 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 LEFT OVER 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.

Yeast Substitution Replacement Non Yeast Ferment 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 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. This recipe requires spelt flour and water.
NOTE
Try baking on flower days 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. An iPhone app for flower days is available.
Rudolph Steiner on Bread baking. “Honey and salt stand at opposite poles . . .and create a dynamic field. Salt and honey take their place and the bread rises under the influences of tension between them. The bread rose steadily around 6 am, whereas yeast bread rose at midnight.” Consider trying to freshly grind flour from grains.

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 the water in a recipe makes for a softer crust.

WATER CHOICES
Mineral water
Filtered water
City tap water that has been left out overnight to dissipate any residual chlorine.

FOUR STEPS to bake non-yeasted bread:
CHEF Step 1
LEVAIN Step 2
BAKING Step 3
LEFTOVER LEVAIN Step 4

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
PREPARATION
First add water then add flour. Some add a tiny pinch of yeast known as Sekowa Bachferment special to assure a vibrant CHEF. Many have not found this step to be necessary. Add all to a tall 2-3 quart clear glass container with a lid. Stir well making 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 mixed CHEF. With a rubber band in place, one can easily view the amount the Chef has risen. 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
PREPARATION
When you first observe the CHEF in the morning it will have doubled in volume. You can tell this has happened by observing the previously placed rubber band marking the beginning volume. First add water 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
Add ⅓ C. water and ½ C. flour, stir rapidly, aerating the 3-day-old-CHEF. The 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, skim off any accumulated liquid. The fluid on top might look a bit dark. Bring the CHEF once again to room temperature. This may take about two hours.

LEVAIN Step 2
rise 6-10 hours
1 ¼ cups of spelt flour
Use all the CHEF

LEVAIN Step 2 PREPARATION
Bring the CHEF to room temperature. 2 hours will bring a 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 batter 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.

BAKING Step 3
Third step is BAKING the spelt bread

LEFTOVER LEVAIN Step 4
Fourth step is caring for left over spelt LEVAIN converting it back to a CHEF for baking for another day.
Once you have made the LEVAIN you will not use all of it for the bread recipes. Take the left over LEVAIN and this will become your new CHEF to bake with another day. To this left over LEVAIN make this is the same bowl or container so the bits cloning to the wall or the jar are used. Add ⅓ cup water of water and ½ cup flour, stir rapidly, aerating the mixture. Allow to stand while you prepare a clean glass jar. I use a scraper to add it to a clean jar. Once made, this left over LEVAIN can become your new CHEF. Check that it has risen a bit and has become bubbly, it can be put in a cool place until you bake with it another day. When you are ready to use this new CHEF, pour off any liquid that has accumulated on the top. Add to this CHEF ⅓ cup water of water and ½ cup flour and allow it to rise for 6-8 hours. Once it is bubbly then add the entire CHEF to 1 ¼  cups of flour. This then becomes your new LEVAIN. Let the new LEVAIN stand for 6-10 hours. Incorporate a portion of this LEVAIN into your bread recipe, again taking any left over LEVAIN to become your next CHEF.
. . .
BROWN RICE CHEF

This is a Brown rice chef from the web. I have not tried this recipe but have posted it for our gluten free friends.

A knowledgeable gluten free sourdough baker suggested to feed the chef every 8 hours and use a fermented drink called Water Kefir add it directly to the chef on the first day. Water Kefir is a culture that is used to make a dairy free drink much like lemon soda. I purchased my grains and made the water kefir using water, sugar, raisins and lemon. It fermented in less than 48 hours and I put a few tablespoons of it into brown rice flour and water. I built the chef gradually feeding it every 8 hours until I had the amount I needed. I was happy to see activity beginning shortly after 48 hours. Each subsequent feeding created increasing activity with large and small bubbles and hissing sounds when I stirred it down. This very live chef easily leavened the bread recipe without the use of eggs, commercial yeast, baking soda, or baking powder which was of prime importance to me being allergic to eggs and sensitive to the other ingredients.

I call this chef Boosted Brown Rice Chef because I have boosted its activity with Water Kefir. I find I can get a dependable chef every time when I use water kefir as a booster.

If you do not want to add flour and water for 4 days to make a CHEF and you are lucky enough to live in Germany, this honey based yeast creates a lactic acid ferment that is also permissible. Sekowa Special Backferment is available on this translated page.
. . .
WATER KEFIR RECIPE
You will need water kefir grains
Nearly fill a wide mouth quart jar with water.
Add 2 tablespoons sugar, stirring to dissolve
Add 20 raisins
Add a slice of lemon or lime
Add the contents of your bottle of water kefir grains into the quart jar.
Cover with a paper towel or cloth and secure with a rubber band.
When raisins float to the top, scoop them and the lemon slice out and discard.
Ferment the water kefir for 6 more hours on the counter with the paper towel.
Then store in fridge and use as needed.
When you have used the liquid down to about an inch in the jar start a new batch in a new jar and pour the water kefir grains plus the liquid their in right into the new jar, cover and ferment.

Water Kefir is a good tonic that strengthens the digestive system. Try drinking small sips before meals. 2 tablespoons is enough for a bread chef. Water kefir gets fizzy with time. It’s a tonic with probiotics and enzymes.

English Muffins Spelt No Yeast

Spelt English Muffins are  delicious with Kumquat all fruit spread or Lilikoi jam.
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 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 muffins.
CHEF Step 1 – CHEF
LEVAIN Step 2 – LEVAIN
BAKING Step 3 – MAKING muffins
CHEF Step 4 – Converting left over

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

Preparation
First add water then add flour. Some add a tiny pinch of yeast known as Sekowa Bachferment special to assure a vibrant CHEF. Many have not found this step to be necessary. Add all to a tall 2-3 quart clear glass container with a lid. Stir well making 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 mixed CHEF. With a rubber band in place, one can easily view the amount the Chef has risen. 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.

NOTE
Try baking on flower days 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.

Day 2
⅓ C. water or 5 Tbsp water
½  C. flour or 8 Tbsp spelt flour

Preparation
When you first observe the CHEF in the morning it will have doubled in volume. You can tell this has happened by observing the previously placed rubber band marking the beginning volume. First add water 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.

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.

Day 4
The 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, skim off any accumulated liquid. The fluid on top might look a bit dark. Bring the CHEF once again to room temperature. This may take about two hours. Add ⅓ C. water and ½ C. flour, stir rapidly, aerating the 3-day-old-CHEF.

LEVAIN – Step 2
rise 6-10 hours
1 ¼  cups of spelt flour
Use all the CHEF

Preparation
Bring the CHEF to room temperature.  2 hours will bring a 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 batter 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.

ENGLISH MUFFIN
Step 3-MAKING the Bread
1 C. water
1 C. LEVAIN
1 Tbsp Himalayan pink crystal salt
2 ¼- 4 C. spelt flour

Preparation
Bring LEVAIN, flour, salt, 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 behaves quite differently when all ingredients are first brought to room temperature. Mix the 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 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 water to your hands kneading the dough in a large ceramic bowl. English muffin dough must be slightly over kneaded, and be much wetter than regular bread dough, so keep wetting your hands as you work and knead in as much water as possible.

RISE THE DOUGH
rise 2 hours
Stop kneading when the dough is soft.  Finally, cover and let the dough to rise for 2 hours. Try a deep wide bowl, cover with a huge plate to keep drafts away or if available, put it in a cold oven covered with a moist cloth. Cover all with a plastic bag. The moist dough will rise more quickly than its stiffer bread counterpart, because it is wet.

DIVIDE THE DOUGH
rise 2 hours
Divide the dough into (8) eight equal pieces and form each piece into a smooth round ball. Put the rounds on a very generously floured baking sheet, cover and let rise in a warm place 2 hours. The round balls of dough will have flattened down and spread out a bit.

HEAT GRIDDLE
Try (2) two cast iron griddles heating them between low medium – medium heat, much cooler than for pancakes. With a wide pancake turner and a magician’s sleight of hand, pick up the muffins, dust with cornmeal, and place them flour side down on the hot griddle. Turn after about 5 minutes (when brown on the bottom). Keep turning at 5-minute intervals to prevent the crust from burning. They are done when the sides, are springy. If in doubt open one and taste. Or one can take the little balls of dough by hand and gently place them on the hot griddle.

The final result was that these tasted great and looked like English muffins. The addition of a bit of kumquat all fruit spread, enhanced the English Muffin flavor. If you want more holes in your muffin, knead it more and increase the water.

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. 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

These bread recipes use spelt flour, rice flour, corn flour, rye flour. Some 800 years ago Hildegard von Bingen, (St. Hildegard) wrote this about spelt:

“The spelt is the best of grains. It is rich and nourishing and milder than other grain. It produces a strong body and healthy blood to those who eat it and it makes the spirit of man light and cheerful. If someone is ill boil some spelt, mix it with egg and this will heal him like a fine ointment.”