Spelt flour can be used as a substitute for some or all of the wheat or white flour in baked goods.
Spelt flour is made from an ancient grain and can be a substitute for wheat, white or other flours in baking and cooking. Spelt adds a slightly nutty flavor to baked goods, making it a nice substitute in brownies and cookies, but is also excellent in yeast breads and rolls. Spelt flour is also higher in protein and lower in calories than wheat and white flours, which makes it a favorite among health-conscious bakers. Unlike wheat and white flour, however, spelt flour does not require the same amount of kneading or beating to break down the gluten, and overkneading spelt-flour baked goods can result in a crumbly texture in the finished product. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Calculate the amount of spelt flour you wish to substitute in a recipe. In yeast breads, some or all of the wheat or white flour may be replaced with spelt. If replacing all of the regular flour with spelt, the final product may be denser than if you use 1/2 or 3/4 spelt with some wheat or white flour. Retaining some of the wheat or white flour will help form a softer more elastic dough after kneading.
2. Adjust kneading times for yeast breads to accommodate the faster breakdown of gluten in spelt flour. If replace half or less of the wheat or white flour with spelt flour, knead the dough for the length of time listed in the original recipe. If spelt is used to replace more than half the flour, reduce the kneading time. For example, if the recipe calls for three cups of white flour with instructions to knead for six to eight minutes, and you replace 2 1/2 cups with spelt flour, reduce the kneading time from six to eight minutes to three to five minutes. The dough will still be fairly smooth and elastic when ready but may be slightly sticky when more spelt flour is substituted.
3. Reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees and consider covering the spelt dough for the first half of the baking time. Additionally, cook the spelt flour product on the middle or upper rack in the oven, not near the bottom, especially if using a gas oven. Some spelt baked products can brown easily on the surface but remain undercooked on the inside. Covering the dough with foil for the first half of the baking time can help trap heat and cook the dough more thoroughly, then remove the foil to allow the outside to brown. Reducing the oven temperature slightly will help give the dough more time to cook before browning (or burning) and help keep the bottom from burning and turning really hard.
4. Let the dough for yeast breads and rolls rise slightly before baking. While the dough will not rise as much as with white or wheat flour alone, shaping the dough and loosely covering it, and then setting the pan on the stove while the oven preheats can provide a bit of a boost to the rising powers of the yeast. The dough will rise more the more white or wheat flour is used.
5. Experiment with recipes until the desired result is achieved. Keep in mind that the final product will never be the same as when using the original ingredients, even if substituting spelt flour for only part of the wheat or white flour. It can take several tries, adjusting the amounts of ingredients and spelt flour, until a desirable finished product is achieved.
Tags: wheat white, white flour, wheat white flour, spelt flour, some wheat