Maple Sprouted Spelt Sourdough

This Sprouted Spelt Sourdough brings the health benefits & flavor of BOTH sprouted & fermented ancient, whole grains, which may as well be pure magic! This loaf is 50% whole-grain spelt which brings a hearty & rich nutty flavor, plus a light sweetness from the addition of maple syrup.

You will have a darker caramel colored crust with a very soft interior crumb that is well-fermented. You will notice that the crumb is more closed as a result of the bran & germ present in the spelt flour, which is where so much of the nutrition is held. If you are new to sprouted, whole-grain baking, or to sourdough, this recipe will help you establish a good foundation as the dough is very pleasant to handle.

If you are an experienced baker, then I have noted additional hydration so you can push the hydration a bit further. This loaf holds a special place in my heart because this exact flour is what I first used when I reintroduced wheat back into my diet after a decade of being gluten-free & was the first step in what has become a very special sourdough journey. I hope you enjoy this nutrient-rich loaf around your family table, it is a wonderful daily staple loaf that pairs well with so many flavors.

Ingredients

255g One Degree Organics Sprouted Organic Spelt Flour
*335g Filtered Water
50g Organic Maple Syrup
100g Sourdough Leaven (starter)
255g Strong Organic Bread Flour (approx 12% protein)
13g Quality Salt ( I love Redmond Real Salt) + 15g of additional water
(*this formula will give you an 80% hydration loaf, if you would like to push hydration further,
you can increase your initial water amount to 375g which will bring you to a total of 87.5%
hydration but will require a bit more strength building of your dough)

Directions

Feed your starter in preparation for baking.

You will need 100g of starter available for this bake. Use your starter at peak, when pillowy & airy.

Measure water, maple syrup & leaven into a large mixing bowl & gently mix together until it looks milky. Add both types of sprouted spelt & bread flour to the wet ingredients.

Mix all ingredients with a dough whisk or your hands until no dry flour remains. You can hand-mix or use a mixer (I prefer hand mixing). Rest Dough for 30 minutes covered with a light tea towel.

Add salt and the remaining water. Sprinkle salt across the dough & add remaining water. Dimple the salt into the dough & mix well for several minutes until the dough starts to become smooth.

I find that the “slap & fold” mixing method works well when working with a high volume of whole-grain flour. Every 30 minutes stretch & fold your dough. Gently lift & stretch your dough over itself, stretching each “rounded corner” over/on top of itself, rotate your bowl as you go and you will have approximately 8 segments of your dough that you stretch. Stretch it until there is resistance but not tearing.

Repeat this 4 times total, in 30 minute intervals. This will cover a span of 2 hours, cover with a light towel in between stretches.

Allow your dough to rise until just under doubled. The timing will vary with your kitchen temperature & water temp. Keep in mind that sprouted, whole-grain flour will ferment more quickly due to the bran/germ & oils present in the grain. In my kitchen, this took 4 hours with a dough temperature of 75-77 degrees. If your kitchen is colder, it will take longer, if it is warmer, it will be shorter.

Gently scrape your proofed dough out onto a lightly floured surface, lightly shape into a round dough ball without pressing the air out of it & allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. Perform a final shape of your dough into a boule (round) or batard (oval) loaf (dependant on the size/shape of your banneton & baking vessel). Cold ferment overnight in the fridge.

Please note that your loaf may continue to rise in the cold fridge, it is an active dough with the whole-grain so you want to be sure your fridge is quite cold.

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees with your dutch oven inside. When your oven is at temperature, place your dough onto a piece of parchment, score down the center for steam release & place inside your dutch oven. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden & your crust is set.

Allow to cool for an hour before slicing & enjoy!

Notes
*Oven temps will vary so you may need to adjust if these times do not work for you. If
you need to create more steam, use an ice cube when you load your dough into your
dutch oven.

Kristyn

Kristyn is the owner & baker of Old Oak Sourdough, an organic sourdough micro-bakery in Southern California. Kristyn began baking sourdough in 2020 for her family to see if sourdough could be the answer to some of their health challenges. Getting back to real bread ingredients; organic sprouted flour, water & mineral rich salt with a proper long-fermentation was indeed the answer!

Seeing the value of baking in this way was life changing & quickly Kristyn began baking for family & friends that were also struggling with gluten sensitivities & related health challenges. Over the past four years she has continued to grow in her passion for sourdough & bake for her community. What started as a couple loaves in her home oven, has increased to over 150 loaves per week out of her home-based cottage bakery. Baking sourdough has helped bring a new level of health & wellness to her family, as well as a new career & a unique way to serve her community.

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