Farm Friend, Polly has kindly shared this special spelt bread recipe. It includes lots of local flavours including honey and beer! Although she uses wholegrain spelt flour from our range as the key ingredient, she also supplements with white wheat flour and rye flour to vary the flavour.

Enjoy!

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Polly’s Special Spelt Bread
(From Polly Robinson at Food Safari, Suffolk www.foodsafari.co.uk )

Makes 2 loaves

500g Maple Farm Kelsale Wholemeal Spelt flour
300g Maple Farm Kelsale unbleached white wheat flour
2 tsp of dried fast action yeast
2 tsp of Sophia’s very delicious Suffolk honey
3 tsp of Hill Farm Oil gives a good colour
600ml of tepid water
100ml of beer (optional but adds good flavour ) – possibly Adnams ? !
2 tsp salt

• In a bowl mix the yeast, honey, oil, water and beer – stir and leave for 10-15 minutes until frothy.
• In a mixer or by hand mix the flour, salt with the yeast mixture and knead for about 5 minutes by machine (or about 10 minutes by hand)
• Grease a large air-tight container and then transfer the dough.
• Store in the fridge for a good 12 hours – this slows down the proving process, slightly sours the dough and gives it a much better texture (and I think it keeps for longer)
• When you’re ready to make the bread, bring the dough gently back to room temperature – this will take about a couple of hours
• Knead again by hand to warm it up a bit
• Divide into to two
• Leave to prove finally for another 1hr
• Bake at 220 degrees C for 30-45 minutes until it sounds hollow

Polly says:

“To be honest, I vary the mix of flours quite a lot and sometimes make it whiter and often add about 20% Maple Farm Kelsale rye flour too.”