Here is my favourite bread recipe made with spelt flour, an ancient Egyptian grain which is much easier to digest than wheat. I've made bread using this recipe for several years now so this is foolproof if you follow the steps carefully and makes a gorgeous loaf with a crunchy crust and a soft, fluffy mouthwatering inside.

Spelt Loaf

1. 450 g white spelt flour
2. 1 sachet quick dried yeast
3. 1 tsp salt
4. 1Tsp Honey
5. 10 fl oz hand hot boiled water
6. Glug olive oil

Put your oven on to heat to 170 degrees (150 for a fan oven)

Mix the flour, yeast and salt together in a mixing bowl. Dissolve the honey in the hot water (making sure the water isn't too hot or it will kill the yeast).

Add a glug of olive oil to the flour then pour in all the honey water. Mix with a wooden spoon until it all comes together then tip out onto a floured surface.

Start kneading, adding more flour if it is a little sticky. Knead until firm and elastic and the dough springs back when you gently push a finger into it which takes between 5 and 15 minutes depending on the freshness of the flour.

Shape and put into a buttered 1lb loaf tin on top of a baking sheet. Set on top of the oven as it is heating to rise, covered with a clean t-towel, until it has doubled in bulk and is nicely rounded over the top of the tin which can take from between 40 minutes to an hour depending on room temperature.

Gently put in oven, without jarring so it doesn't deflate, and set your timer for 18 minutes. After that time tip out of the tin onto the baking sheet on its side and put back in the oven for a further 3 minutes.

Take out of oven if the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, if not put back in for a couple more minutes. Cool on a baking rack resisting cutting for at least half an hour to keep the light fluffy texture.

For More Spelt Recipes