Spelt Flour

Spelt flour is made from a ground grain called “spelt.” You can get both white and whole-grain spelt flour.

It is fairly expensive compared to wheat flours.

Cooking Tips

When baking with spelt flour, you may need to increase the leavener to compensate for its being heavier than wheat flour.

Spelt flour does not absorb as much liquid as does wheat flour, so when swapping in spelt flour for wheat flour reserve up to 1/3 of the liquid until you see how it is taking it.

Unless you are avoiding wheat flour deliberately, try mixing wheat flour with spelt flour 50/50, as the wheat flour will help to make less crumbly baked goods.

It has a weaker gluten that wheat flour, so don’t knead for as long or it will break down. Some bakers advise that about 1/3 the kneading time as for wheat bread dough should do it.

Nutrition

Contains some gluten; not a good choice for celiacs

Storage Hints

Store in refrigerator if you are going to use it frequently, or freeze if you are not, as it goes rancid very quickly.

History Notes

Spelt flour was very commonly used by the Romans.