Spelt flour cookbook

[Maine Girl]

I was wondering if any of you who uses Spelt Flour has a cookbook that you like. Or if you know what the secret is to baking with spelt flour since it's gluten is very sensitive. Thanks in advance Stephanie

[Grainlady]

YEP! The Spelt Cookbook - by Helga Hughes. Look for recipes for spelt on-line, and you'll find some at Summers Sprouted Flour Company - http://www.creatingheaven.net/eeprod...c/recipes.html

And don't forget to look for recipes calling for DINKEL - the German word for Spelt, and the Italian FARRO, and the French know it as EPEAUTRE.

Because it's a non-hybridized grain (an ancient form of wheat), it has a lower glycemic impact than wheat.

I mill my own wholegrain spelt flour, and avoid white spelt flour entirely (which has had the bran and germ removed). I often use wholegrain spelt flour in recipes where a lot of gluten-development isn't needed - cakes, pastry, quick breads.... I also make spelt bulgur.

Because it has less gluten, and a more "delicate" gluten type, it will absorb less hydration. The gluten in wheat is like a sponge. Therefore, if you substitute spelt flour for wheat flour, you may have to use less hydration or more spelt flour. This gives recipes designed for using spelt flour a higher success rate than substituting spelt for wheat in recipes. It also requires less kneading (yeast breads) to develop the gluten in spelt. Don't expect high-rising loaves of yeast breads made with spelt, unless you also use a high-gluten bread flour for a large portion of the flour in the recipe, or add vital wheat gluten to the recipe.

The gluten in spelt is 5,000 parts per million, compared to wheat which BEGINS at 50,000 parts per million and go up.