Perhaps surprisingly, no, I don’t recall thinking that the dough was any less sticky. The biggest difference was in the final flavor of the loaf (more on the tangy/sour side), as well as in the caramelization of the crust. With honey, there’s noticeably better caramelization during the baking, so I’d recommend keeping it in the recipe.
What’s the surrounding temperature where you’re doing the mixing and stretching? I guess it’s possible that if it’s really cool (i.e., under 70–71F), the dough may need a little more time to rest prior to performing the stretch and fold. One hour of resting is normally good for getting the dough thoroughly hydrated and ready to handle, but it should be determined on the basis of stuff like the temperature where you’re actually making the bread.
Something else to consider with sticking is to wet your hands a bit before picking up the dough. I’ve found that to be very effective. Also, at least when I was just starting, I remember feeling like dough was really sticky – but I had less of an issue with it when I consciously began handling the dough gently yet “decisively,” for whatever that’s worth. It almost seems like treating it too warily leads to more of a mess.
Thank you for the great information. It’s encouraging to know that you had a similar experience with the sticky dough at the beginning. I tried wet hands and lightly floured hands and the dough still seemed to be sticky. Your point about learning how to handle the dough – “gently yet ‘decisively’” – makes a lot of sense. I think my inexperienced brain expected the dough to handle differently.
You must have ESP because your estimate of the temperature is right on the money. The galley was right in the 70-71° F range when we were stretching the dough. We allowed the dough to rest for an hour after mixing, and then went into the stretch and fold every 15 minutes routine. I think we’ll try 30-minute intervals between stretches and see how that changes things.
Thanks again for the help AND for the great starter!
My main question (read below for background) is, I finally received a wonderful Brod and Taylor bread proofer for a present, in my attempt to achieve a decent loaf with this recipe.
Can someone guide me on a more accurate temperature and time to use for first and second rise, (rather than just, leave overnight to rise, then proof in morning for 1-1.5 hours,) so that I can actually consistently produce a tasty well-risen loaf? TIA!!!
I have been making this recipe on and off for the past few years! with no consistent results Because I stubbornly only want whole grain sourdough bread. Can anyone help me achieve better results? Every so often it comes out ok but most of the time not. Today my starter was definitely healthy, but I think I may have let it rise too long on this particularly hot day (finished making it about 1pm and by 6 or 7pm it had risen a LOT! I guessed at that point I had waited too long but just went ahead and shaped for the final proof. What should I have done instead at that point? Punch down and let rise again? Waited longer for the final proof? (It was maybe an hour, but then I got no oven spring )
…Sometimes my starter is perhaps not the best, most of the time I still can’t figure out the timing thing, no matter how many tricks I read up on, how to tell when it is ready etc!
Eric,
I’ve become a fan of your sourdough spelt bread, and have begun to vary it with flax seeds, pickled jalapenos and gouda. Your rye bread with orange is also excellent. I put in a little coffee and cocoa as well.
Believe it or not, I can answer this question about bread I baked more than a year ago because of my obsession with both bread and photography. I was able to look up the photos by date and look at the time on them
Bulk Fermentation 10 hrs (February cold house), see time stamp on photos as well as growth of the doughs (not sure why I transferred the spelt dough…maybe to see bubble on sides).
I tried this recipe yesterday. Had a few “problems”. Used a rye starter. Dough was exceptionally sticky As others have mentioned. So much so that i could barely fold it and stuck all over my hands. Added more flour to the board each time I folded it. Bulk fermentation was complete at 9 pm so I shaped it as best I could, lined a large bread pan with towel sprayed with a little oil, floured, bran, covered with plastic, put in refrigerator. Took out in am, let set on counter 3-4 hours, baked in clay baker, took lid off after 35 minutes, temp was 160, 10 min later it was 208!! Darn. Nice oven spring, nice color but the crust is very thick. I used 3 tbs honey as called for and don’t like it. Other than being too sweet, it is delicious. Just gotta cut the crust off.
Bread baking schedule did not go as planned because I started about noon. My starter was ready! Just have to figure out how to post a picture
Hi Eric, greeting from the UK. I am very new to bread baking and only been baking for last couple weeks. So far have baked 5 breads in total all sourdough wholemeal spelt. I love your videos which makes all steps crystal clear. My first ever bread was a beginner’s luck Baked in a Le Creuset stone round pie dish covered with another round pie dish!
Next four breads were a little less successful. Two of them didn’t raise well and were flat, last one was a little doughy and under cooked inside while tough crust outside, although thermometer was showing 88C. Another difference in the last one was I have proofed it in the oven at around 25-30C as it was freezing cold here. It was risen a little extreme and very puffy before baking. What is the best practice on proofing the dough in the oven? Can I bake in cast iron le creuset? Your advice is much appreciated on the above. Many thanks
I don’t know what is wrong, but I failed again My dough doesn’t look so hydrated at first mix, I tried to add a liite more water. In the oven, it raised a bit, but it was almost unbacked at the end. The bread was very heavy.
Hi. Just joined the forum. I’m looking for a recipe using white spelt and a spelt starter. It doesn’t have to be 100% spelt - and I’d like to use the white spelt if possible. I do have the whole spelt as well.
Hey Eric, you are a GENIUS! I have been trying to bake my own 100% Spelt Sourdough recipe over the last 2 months and whatever I tried, I seemed to produce the same horizontal and dense loaf. I was losing faith. But today I tried your recipe and method - the results are stunning and delicious, I am SO PROUD. Thank you. For me the crucial elements were probably the addition of the Agave to boost the starter, the way of folding and not handling the dough too much and the cloche which is just great for the rise (I was using a casserole pot before). Can I ask if you have any advice on adding seeds? Where would you introduce them? Should they be pre-soaked?
Vanessa
Hi @eric, how much instant yeast would I need to replace 1/4 cup of sourdough starter in your Spelt recipe? Am I right in guessing about 1/4 tsp of instant yeast? Thanks in advance for your answer…
I followed this procedure exactly as outlined in the video and weighed all the ingredients. When I went to form the loaf, the dough was less like a wet dough and more like a batter. It spread out on the counter and I had to scrape it into the proofing basket. Any troubleshooting ideas for why my dough was so runny? It’s pretty warm here, did I let it sit too long overnight?
Hi Eric,
This is really a great recipe. I’ve been using it for several months now and it’s the only type of bread we eat at home.
I have a little question. I’m in the process of preparing your recipe now, and somehow I must have gotten the flour - water ratio wrong. The dough is way too dry. I continued anyway and let it rest. So far I’ve folded it once and am waiting for the second time. My question is can I still add water to the dough or is it too late now?
Maybe too late for the loaf you are/were working on, but in case not, or for future reference, you can definitely add more water pretty much any time during the bulk (long, first) proofing phase. The earlier the better, but even right up to the end if you need to.
hi, thanks for posting this recipe, love spelt! I prepped some yesterday and baked it this morning, turned out really well, tastes fantastic! Usually avoid US recipes, I have lots of cups, they are all different sizes, so was pleased to see that you gave metric measurements. I too have a ‘Romertopf’, brilliant for baking practically anything from roasts to bread. Sometimes I use an iron ‘dutch oven’ but the great thing about the romertopf is that, being clay, if you soak it in water first, it steams the bread as its baked, gives a great crust. Thanks again.
Because I stubbornly only want whole grain sourdough bread. Can anyone help me achieve better results? Every so often it comes out ok but most of the time not. Today my starter was definitely healthy, but I think I may have let it rise too long on this particularly hot day (finished making it about 1pm and by 6 or 7pm it had risen a LOT! I guessed at that point I had waited too long but just went ahead and shaped for the final proof. What should I have done instead at that point? Punch down and let rise again? Waited longer for the final proof? (It was maybe an hour, but then I got no oven spring 
. Lucky me ! I hope I will make it better next time, because, first time was flat 
Baked in a Le Creuset stone round pie dish covered with another round pie dish!
