Sourdough Spelt & Honey Loaf

Sourdough Spelt & Honey Loaf ingredients

• 100 g Active Sourdough Starter
• 300 g Warm Water (90-95°F / 32-35°C)
• 20 g Honey
• 200 g Spelt Flour
• 300 g Bread Flour
• 10 g Fine Sea Salt
• 1 tsp Olive Oil (for bowl)

How to make Sourdough Spelt & Honey Loaf

1. **Prepare the Autolyse (initial mix):** In a large mixing bowl, combine 200g spelt flour, 300g bread flour, and 300g warm water (at 90-95°F / 32-35°C). Mix with a spatula or your hands until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature (around 70-75°F / 21-24°C) to allow the flour to fully hydrate.
2. **Incorporate Starter and Honey:** After the autolyse, add 100g active sourdough starter and 20g honey to the dough. Mix thoroughly, either by hand using a "pincer" method (grabbing and tearing the dough) or a stand mixer with a dough hook on low speed, until the starter and honey are fully incorporated, about 2-3 minutes.
3. **Add Salt and Strengthen Dough:** Sprinkle 10g fine sea salt over the dough. Continue to mix for another 3-5 minutes until the salt is evenly distributed and the dough begins to show more elasticity and strength. The dough will still be somewhat sticky but should start to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
4. **First Bulk Fermentation (Warm Environment):** Lightly grease a clean bowl with 1 tsp olive oil and transfer the dough to it. Cover the bowl. Begin the bulk fermentation at room temperature (75-80°F / 24-27°C) for 4-6 hours, or until the dough has noticeably increased in volume by about 50-75% and feels airy.
5. **Perform Folds:** During the bulk fermentation, perform 3-4 sets of "stretch and fold" every 30-45 minutes during the first 2-3 hours. To do this, lightly wet your hands, gently grab a portion of the dough, stretch it upwards, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat this action 3-4 times to complete one set. This builds strength in the dough.
6. **Preshaping and Bench Rest:** Lightly flour your work surface. Gently turn the dough out onto the surface. Gently preshape the dough into a loose round or oblong shape using a bench scraper and your hands. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 20-30 minutes, which allows the gluten to relax.
7. **Final Shaping and Cold Proof:** Lightly flour your hands and work surface. Gently shape the dough into a tight boule (round) or batard (oval) for your banneton. Dust your banneton liberally with rice flour (or a mix of rice and bread flour) to prevent sticking. Carefully transfer the shaped dough, seam-side up, into the banneton. Cover the banneton with a plastic bag or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12-18 hours (cold proof).
8. **Preheat Oven and Dutch Oven:** About 45 minutes before baking, place your Dutch oven (with lid) inside your oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C). Allow it to preheat fully to ensure it's scorching hot.
9. **Score and Bake:** Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Gently invert the cold dough from the banneton directly into the Dutch oven. Using a sharp lame or razor blade, score the top of the dough with your desired pattern (e.g., a single long slash, a cross). Immediately place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake for 20 minutes.
10. **Finish Baking:** After 20 minutes, carefully remove the lid from the Dutch oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and continue to bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-210°F (93-99°C) using an instant-read thermometer.
11. **Cool Completely:** Carefully remove the baked loaf from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a wire rack. Allow the bread to cool completely for at least 2-3 hours before slicing. Slicing too early will result in a gummy texture.

More recipes you might like

Browse related collections

Cook smarter with Recipe Genius

Generate recipes, build meal plans, and create shopping lists with Recipe Genius.