Old-fashioned spelt bread

By Sari Huhtala

This spelt bread is perfect for those who are tired of the wheat belly, but still want to be able to enjoy a piece of toast in the mornings, or a sandwich for lunch. Baking this bread became a weekly ritual with my grandson, who I recruited as a baking assistant by the age of two. So, I figure, if this dough can be scrunched, rolled and squished by a toddler and still turn out great, then making this bread would be a breeze for even the most novice kneaders.

Spelt bread

(Makes 1 loaf)

• ½ tbsp dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 ½ tbsp honey
• 1 ½ tbsp melted butter, or vegan butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 cups spelt flour

Combine yeast, water and honey in a large bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in butter and salt and 2 cups of spelt flour. Stir with a wooden spoon. Add remaining cup of spelt slowly, until it’s too stiff to stir. Turn out onto floured board and knead dough for about 5 minutes. Place dough in bowl, cover and set aside to rise until doubled, or about 2 hours. Lift dough into a parchment paper-covered loaf pan, cover lightly with a clean towel, and let rise for about an hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake bread for about 45 minutes.