It’s what everyone’s been waiting for….

A Spelt Ciabbata recipe! By far the most common question I get is about using spelt flour for sourdough baking! So I did some research (and some experimenting:), and here you have an awesome & simple spelt ciabbata recipe! Its airy, fluffy and the dough is easy to work with!

It can be made with all-white spelt or a combo of whole spelt and white spelt, and both work great!

Spelt flour is a healthier alternative to wheat! It’s rich in protein, fiber, vitamin b, zinc, and lots of other good stuff😉!

There are a few things to know before baking with spelt flour!

Here are some common questions about baking with spelt flour:

What is the difference between white spelt and whole spelt?

The difference between white spelt and whole spelt is like the difference between white flour and whole wheat flour. Both white spelt and whole spelt are rich in nutrients and vitamins. White spelt is ground without the outer bran, while whole spelt is the entire grain ground up, so it has additional nutrients.

Think of whole spelt like whole wheat when baking! You’ll want to keep the whole spelt to just a percentage of your dough if you want to keep it light and airy!

This recipe I did 35% Whole Spelt! Its delicious!

Why is my dough so Sticky?

Spelt absorbs less water than white flour, which causes your dough to be sticky. So when you use spelt flour instead of white in sourdough baking, you reduce the water by about 10%! Even if the dough starts a bit more dry than you are used to, you’ll see that as it sits, it’ll get stickier and more elastic.

So if the recipe calls for 750 grams of water, I’d start with 675 grams of water!

Why is my spelt loaf flatter?

Spelt flour does not have as much strength as white flour. Therefore it can spread out a bit more when baking. The way to combat this is with:

Reducing Hydration: By lessening the amount of water in the dough, the dough is more firm and stronger. I would start with reducing it by about 10%
Adding Stretch and Folds- when you stretch and fold the dough, it builds strength in the dough (like kneading challah dough), so with spelt recipes, be sure not to skip any stretch and folds- and if you have the time, throw in 1-2 extra stretch and folds within the first hour of rising! Another thing you can try: For your first 2 stretch & folds, go around the bowl 2 times instead of 1 time (8 stretches instead of 4) It’s not essential, but it’ll help the shape of your loaf.
(With ciabatta, its not as necessary but it’s an added plus.)
Watch the rising time: Spelt dough will rise faster than dough made with white flour. Don’t let it rise for too long. Check on it 3 hours after the last stretch and fold and if its 75-100% doubled, it’s good to go!