Spelt Recipe: No-Knead Artisan Spelt Bread

Sometimes kneading a loaf of bread can be fun to work out the frustrations of the day... and sometimes you'd just rather enjoy a loaf of bread without the hassle. This no-knead spelt bread recipe is amazingly easy and has just 4 ingredients - no sugar at all, and only enough fat for greasing the bread pan. The texture of the bread is amazing too... it has that wonderful open crumb of artisan loafs. It also has a delightfully light, crispy golden crust. And did I mention it's super-easy too?

As mentioned before in the baking with spelt section, spelt flour has a lower glycemic index compared to the usual wheat flour used to make bread. The lower GI helps to moderate the effect that starches, like bread, has on blood sugar levels. Spelt is a good substitute for regular flour in diabetic recipes. However, the bread obviously still has carbohydrates, so it needs to be eaten in moderation and watching portion control.

Ingredients

Makes 1 - 9"x5" standard bread loaf (OR a medium round loaf)

• 1/2 tsp instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
• 1.5 to 2 tsp of salt
• 1.5 to 2 cups of tepid water
• * 3.5 cups light spelt flour, plus a little extra for flouring a working surface
• Optional: 2 tbsp chia seeds for sprinkle (for an extra nutritional boost)
• Oil for greasing the pan.

* You can use whole spelt if you like, but you will need to add 1 tbsp of xanthan gum (which imitates gluten) to the dough. Otherwise the bread will be too dense and thick.

Directions

Plan ahead: this bread needs 18-24 hours to rise. This isn't optional; it really does need that amount of time to develop taste and texture ... instead of kneading the bread, you'll be letting nature do the work instead. Luckily it only takes 5 minutes to put together.

After 18-24 hours, you'll see that the dough is full of bubbles (this will form the open crumb of the bread - so yummy) and probably looks even wetter than it did when you mixed it.

• If you're using active dry yeast, sprinkle it in about 1/4 cup of warm water to let activate (this isn't necessary with instant yeast).

• Mix together the spelt and the salt.

• Stir in enough water to form a very wet dough, more like a stiff batter. It will be very wet and sticky. This bread dough is very forgiving, so don't worry if you add a bit too much water (you just might need to bake it a bit longer).

• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and ignore it for 18-24 hours.

• Pour the dough onto a well-floured surface. The dough should be really sticky and super-stretchy. Stretch the dough by grabbing one end, pulling it outwards, and folding it on top. Do the same with the other side too. Think of it as folding a piece of paper into thirds.

Baking the Loaf

You can choose to either:

• Bake a normal bread, in a regular 9x5" loaf pan (cast-iron is great, if you have it - the Lodge Cast Iron Loaf Pan is great, and doesn't cost a fortune either - but any cast iron loaf pan would work); or
• Bake in a covered, cast iron pot or dutch oven, which will result in a loaf with a thicker, darker crust.

If using a regular loaf pan:

Grease the pan well (coconut oil works great, but you can use any kind you want). Pour the dough in and let it rest for another hour or so. Then pre-heat the oven to 425 F. If you'd like a chewier top crust, you can also lightly baste the top of the loaf with oil. Sprinkle the loaf with the chia seeds, if using. Put the loaf pan in the pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and baked through.

If using a covered, cast-iron pot (3.5 quarts is a good size):

There's no need to grease a seasoned cast-iron pot. Pre-heat the oven to 450 F. Place the empty pot, covered, into the pre-heated over for 15 minutes. Remove the empty pot from the oven, take off the lid, and pour in the dough (be careful, the pot is very hot!). Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake another 15-20 minutes.

When you remove the bread from the oven, you should be able to hear the crust 'crackling' as it cools down. If you can resist, wait 15-20 minutes before cutting into the bread - this will help prevent the dough from becoming gummy when you cut it.

This deliciously crispy, no-knead spelt bread can be part of your diabetes diet plan - but plan accordingly, as it's hard to eat just one slice especially when it's fresh out of the oven! Test your blood sugar levels after consuming the bread until you are confident you know how your body reacts. Be sure to consult with your doctor or diabetes educator if you need help adjusting your eating plan or medication. There are also many other cookbooks with tasty spelt recipes.