My old Panasonic does not seem to have an appropriate program, so I will try my hand at handmade Spelt bread. If you could please share your Dan Lepard recipe that would be much appreciated.
Which Panasonic do you have? I think mine is the SD255 and it advises to use the rye program but you could also use the wholemeal setting if you wanted to test it.
I made the DL Spelt & Ale loaf on Sunday by hand, it's delicious (it's the biggest one in the photo). Keep a close eye on it as it rests because it doesn't take long at all to balloon.
This dough only needs to increase in size by half but if you're using a tin, as I did, you can get away with letting it get a little bit bigger but be careful.
INGREDIENTS:
300ml dark ale (actually any beer will do and I recommend using a 500ml bottle so you have enough left for a wee glass to reward your efforts)
2 tsp fast action yeast
1/2 a 500mg plain vitamin C tablet crushed to a powder (you can happily forget this step if you don't have any vitamin C, just don't use the flavoured or chewy kind)
450g spelt flour plus a little extra for dusting
1tsp fine sea salt
50g unsalted butter, melted, plus a little extra for greasing the tin
Note: for step 6 below, DL's method of kneading is minimalist. Wet your hands then pick up the dough by scooping your hands under at 3 and 9 o'clock. Pick it up so it folds itself in half then drop it back in. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until you've done this 4 times. Repeat again after 15 then 30 minutes. It will quickly become pillowy and silky.
METHOD:
- Bring the ale to the boil in a pan and simmer it for a minute or two to drive off some of the alcohol, which could slow down or even stop the yeast.
- Pour this back into the measuring jug and leave until just warm, then top up to the full quantity with warm water if necessary.
- Pour the liquid into a mixing bowl, add the yeast and stir well.
- Add the vitamin C, spelt flour and salt, and stir well again.
- Pour in the melted butter and squidge together until even, cover and leave for 10 minutes. (No kneading here, only combining the ingredients evenly)
- Knead the dough, and repeat after 15 and 30 minutes, and then cover and leave for 15 minutes.
- Line a tray with non-stick baking paper, lightly buttered, and lightly flour the work surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle, then roll it up tightly and place it seam side down on the tray, and leave, covered, until increased in size by a half. Don’t leave it too long, as the malt acting on the dough means the whole thing could collapse! Depending on how warm your kitchen is, this can be anything from 30 minutes to an hour.
- Heat the oven to 220C, 200C fan assisted, 425F, gas mark 7. Dust the surface of the loaf with flour and make quite a deep slit down the center of the loaf with a very sharp knife.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 200C/180C fan assisted/390F/gas mark 6 and bake for a further 20-25 minutes until the crust looks like you want it to.
