Large Batch Spelt Sourdough Bread

This makes a lot of bread. 6 loaves to be exact. They weigh between 800-900 grams each. I have a step-by-step tutorial under the recipe. You can substitute spelt for hard wheat flours, but I suggest you try spelt. It has a sweet, nutty flavor that I prefer over other grains.

INGREDIENTS  

Levain

• 36 g sourdough starter room temp.
• 177 g filtered water
• 177 g all-purpose flour

Spelt Dough

• 1890 g filtered water
• 60 g honey or maple syrup
• 54 g sea salt
• 1440 g bread flour
• 1200 g spelt

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Day 1: In the evening, combine your levain ingredients.
• Day 2: In the morning, pour your levain into a large container. Add water, salt, and honey. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Add the bread flour and spelt. Mix with your hands until a rough dough is made. Cover and let sit for 1 hour.
• Now work the dough with 7 stretch and folds. First 3 are 15 minutes apart. Next 3 are 30 minutes apart. After the final 30 minute rest, stretch and fold one last time.
• Let sit until doubled. I usually wait until the evening when everyone is in bed.
• Dump dough unto a well floured surface. Separate the dough into 6 balls, between 800-900 grams each. Let sit for 20 min.
• Get your proofing baskets ready. Shape the loaves one more time and plop into basket. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to bake.
• Day 3: When ready to bake, place your baking vessel* into the oven and preheat at 500℉ for 1 hour.
• Dump your refrigerated loaf onto parchment paper and score. Quickly move it into your preheated baking vessel and cover. Turn temp down to 450℉. Bake for 35 minutes.
• Remove lid and continue to bake an additional 10 min or till browned to your liking. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack.
• Repeat Day 3 steps whenever you want to bake another loaf. You can leave your other loaves in the fridge up to one week.

NOTES

*I use enameled cast iron pots. I’ve tried cooking on a baking stone with very little success. The lid helps trap moisture to create a nice chewy crust.

Day 1 (Evening)

First, we make the levain, which is just a fancy French word for ripe starter. In a medium sized bowl, weigh out 36 g of room temperature starter. Then, add 177 g all purpose flour and 177 g of filtered water.

Give it a nice stir, cover, and leave on the counter till morning.

Day 2 (Morning)

Your levain should be at least doubled in size and very bubbly. Pour the levain into a very large container. Add the water, honey, and salt. Stir well until the salt is dissolved. I prefer to do all this mixing by hand. It’s very therapeutic.

Add the spelt and bread flour. Mix until you have a sticky, shaggy dough. Don’t worry. The dough will be smooth and easy to work with as time goes on

Cover and let it rest for 1 hour.

After the rest, you will now work the dough using the stretch and fold method. This method, just like kneading, activates the gluten in wheat flour, making it easier to work with and shape. I prefer this method, because it requires very little strength on my part, compared to regular kneading. We will do seven stretch and fold sessions with six rests in between. The first three rests are 15 minutes long, and the last three rests are 30 minutes long

Side note: I love using this triple timer (no longer available for purchase) to help me keep track of which rest I’m on. I pre-load three 15 minute timers. Once they’re all used up I know I can move on. Then in a similar way I pre-load three 30 minute timers, and when *those* are all used up I do my last (seventh) stretch and fold. 

To start a session, wet your hands before working the dough to prevent too much sticking. Take up the side of the dough farthest from you, stretch it up, and fold it over.

Rotate the container a quarter turn and repeat. Do this four times, until all four sides of the dough have been stretched. Re-cover the dough and let it rest for the prescribed time. After the last stretch and fold, cover your container and let it rest until it’s doubled in size. I like to let mine rest until the end of day, when everyone is in bed.

Dump your dough onto a nicely floured work surface. It will be massive and beautiful.

Get out a scale and a bench knife. Having the bench knife is particularly helpful if the dough is still slightly sticky (say that three times). Divide up the dough into sections, weighing them as you go. They should weigh between 800-900g each.

Shape the dough sections into smooth balls. You do this by cupping the dough and dragging it across the counter in a rolling motion. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just try to get them into a uniform shape. Let them rest for 20 minutes.

We’re in the home stretch now! Time to get out your baskets or whatever you choose to keep your loaves in during the final proof. Have them lined and ready to go.

I have a video below showing how to do the final shape. I learned this technique from Lilly’s Loaf on YouTube. I don’t know how, but I’ve noticed that when I skip this final shaping, the bread doesn’t rise as well. They look janky in the basket, but will smooth out nicely after proofing.

Now you have to decide where you will refrigerate these. We have a walk-in cooler, which allows me to place the loaves back in the big proofing container and let them hang out there (I use two of these containers to fit all the loaves). If you have limited fridge space, you could wrap each one in a plastic bag and try to find space in the drawers or back of the fridge. Careful not to stack or they won’t be able to rise.

Day 3 (and beyond)

When you’re ready to bake, get a cast iron pot and place in your oven. Let it preheat with the oven at 500°F for 1 hour. My oven fits two pots just fine, so I bake two loaves a day. Spread out your baking for whatever fits your schedule. Just try to get all the loaves baked before they’re 7 days old.

After the 1 hour is up, go get your loaves out of the fridge. Have a piece of parchment paper ready.

Dump the loaf in the middle of the parchment paper. You don’t have to have a lame for scoring the loaf, but it does help with the overall look. You just need a cut to let the steam escape.

Remove the pot from the oven. It will be VERY hot. Use good oven mitts and be careful where you place the pot. Remove the lid on the pot and quickly pick up the loaves with the parchment paper and place into the preheated pot. Cover, return to the oven, lower heat to 450° F, and bake for 35 minutes.

Remove lids and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until it’s browned to your liking.

Remove pots from the oven. Take the loaves out and place on a wire rack to cool.

And there you have it! Admire your bread for 5 seconds until the children come running to gobble it all up. Repeat Day 3 steps for any remaining loaves you have.