Amazing Spelt Buns

Posted by Barb O'Shea February 16, 2014

Amazing Spelt Buns

Sunday tends to be my bread making day in winter. I enjoy making the dough and also the way warm bread makes the house smell....and eating warm buns, well, it's just one of life's pleasures :-)

I have been looking for more whole grain recipes and when I was at the store, looked at the line of Bob's Red Mill products. They have something called Spelt flour. It says that this is a non-hybrid relative of today's wheat that dates back more than 9000 years. Nutritionally, because it's highly water soluble, its vital nutrients are supposed to be more readily absorbed into the body. Well, let's just say I was intrigued so I found a spelt bread recipe. It was pretty simple ingredients-wise, although I found I needed to add a bit more flour (which I included in the recipe below.)

I tend to let my whole grain buns rise a bit longer. I think that makes them a bit lighter to eat. These buns have a sweet taste to them due to the honey rather that sugar used in this recipe.

Ingredients:

5 1/2 cups spelt flour (One 24 ounce package)
2 cups hot water (120 - 130 degrees)
1 tablespoon dry active yeast
1/2 cup butter, softened and divided
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour

In a large bowl, add hot water, yeast and a squirt of honey. Mix well and allow the yeast to proof (10 minutes). Next, add 1/4 cup butter, honey, sea salt, and 2 1/4 cups of spelt flour to the bowl and mix well. Add enough flour to make the dough thick enough to knead. (This is where I'd used the whole package of spelt flour, so I added 1/2 cup of all purpose flour). Knead dough on a floured surface for 5 -7 minutes, or until smooth and no longer sticky. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a towel and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.

Next grease two cookie sheet pans with shortening and shape buns, rolling until smooth. Cover pans with clean dish towels and let rise for 1 hour. Heat oven to 350. Meanwhile, melt 1/4 cup butter in the microwave. Brush over buns before placing them in the over. Bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy!