Spelt sourdough — a 40% spelt blend with open crumb
A 40% spelt sourdough at 78% hydration. Nutty, tender, faster fermenting than wheat, and an excellent introduction to ancient grains.
Spelt is the gateway ancient grain. It looks like wheat, tastes deeper, and ferments faster — which is the most important thing to remember when you bake with it. Cut your timeline by about 20% and the dough rewards you with a tender, slightly sweet crumb.
Why this works
Spelt has weaker gluten than modern wheat. Long bulk fermentations overproof spelt dough, leading to slack, blowout-prone loaves. Shorter fermentation + 78% hydration produces a tender open crumb without losing structure.
At a glance
- Yield
- One 900 g boule
- Prep
- 45 minutes
- Cook
- 40 minutes
- Total
- 20h
Ingredients
- Bread flour
- 300 g
- Whole spelt flour
- 200 g
- Water
- 390 g (78%)
- Active starter
- 100 g
- Salt
- 10 g
Equipment
- Digital scale
- Mixing bowl
- Bench scraper
- Round banneton
- Dutch oven
- Lame
Directions
Common questions
Baker notes
- Whole spelt is darker; sifted spelt is lighter and more bread-flour-like. Whole gives more flavor.
- If you sense the dough overproofing during shape, refrigerate immediately.
- Spelt sourdough toasts beautifully — try it with butter and honey.
FAQ
Can I go 100% spelt?
Yes — drop hydration to 72%, increase starter to 25%, and cut bulk to 3 hours. Expect a tighter crumb.
Where to go next
Spelt is the loaf for the household member who normally avoids whole grain. The nuttiness wins them over.
Crosodo Blog entries are recipe and craft notes from working cottage bakers. Recipes assume working with an active starter and basic equipment. Cottage food sales are governed by your state's law — see our state directory for legal details.