RORIE’S ORGANIC NON-IRRADIATED COLD-MILLED WHITE SPELT FLOUR
perfectly-doable-spelt

Rorie’s Spelt Flour is organic, non-GMO, US-grown, cold-milled and non-irradiated. Unlike most spelt flours, it can be used cup-for-cup in place of wheat flour in every recipe without compromising the outcome’s texture. Top choice for veteran and beginner spelt bakers!


Plus, while most of the spelt flour in the US is heat treated to kill the naturally occurring bacteria in the grain, Rorie’s Non-Irradiated Cold-Milled White Spelt Flour has not been exposed to heat or radiation and is therefore is the ideal flour for building and maintaining a spelt sourdough starter, which depends on bacteria to thrive.

Pair this flour with Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix for a perfect spelt sourdough every time!
Below you will find Step-by-Step written instructions, a full series of FREE spelt sourdough tutorials and 40 FAQ videos to guide you along your spelt sourdough journey in a perfectly doable way.


Birchas Hamotzi. Sweet baked goods made with this flour are Birchas Mizonos.
 

All you need to start your spelt sourdough journey:

  • Step-by-Step Written Instructions (see tabs below)
  • FREE Series of Video Tutorials Click here.
  • FAQ Videos Click here.
  • Shopping List to get Started (can be found in "Get Ready-Get Set" tab below)
  • PRINTABLE Version of the Sourdough Instructions Click here.

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Meet spelt. Think of spelt as your gentle grain. It’s easier to digest than wheat because there is less gluten in spelt and the gluten in spelt is water soluble: Read limits, or for some eliminates, the bloat and sluggishness often associated with wheat!

Want the optimal value of spelt flour? Ferment it!

Fermenting spelt flour gives you a fantastic, delicious, health-promoting product called sourdough. Spelt sourdough bread has a lower glycemic index than most other bread, and it’s practically gluten free: the fermenting process activates dormant bacteria in the grain, which then break down the lectins, phytates and gluten in the flour so that your body doesn’t have to. It is an ideal choice for those with wheat, egg or yeast intolerance, those with insulin resistance and irregular blood sugar and even for those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity and autoimmune disease. Because it’s so energizing, it is a really healthy food for people without sensitivities, too. For me, spelt sourdough was the breakthrough I always dreamed of. It took 1 loaf of spelt sourdough, tasted in Jerusalem, to convince me that this bread was one I could enjoy every day and feel even better than I do eating any gluten free bread I ever tried. After 2 days in Jerusalem with Esther Black (@EstherBlack.health), then 27 failed batches of sourdough and countless hours on the phone with Esther over the following months, the world of spelt sourdough was finally and permanently unlocked for me. With the help of Esther’s endless knowledge and advice, I am thrilled to be able to welcome you inside. For my full sourdough story, click here.

The key to successful spelt sourdough baking is in the starter.

Starter is the fermented dough that becomes your natural yeast substitute. It’s the essence of sourdough baking. And the key to a starter that will get and stay strong for years of faithful baking is choosing the right spelt flour for the job. In contrast to most spelt flour sold in the US, Rorie’s Organic Non-Irradiated Cold-Milled Spelt Flour is not heat treated, and because it is US-grown, it does not undergo the irradiation that imported flours do. These practices ensure that the naturally occurring bacteria in the flour remain intact. Those bacteria are critical to long-term starter success.

Unlike wheat starter, which can flourish even without a full load of natural bacteria, spelt relies on all that bacteria to grow and stay strong. While it might seem to flourish initially, using a heat-treated or irradiated spelt flour to maintain sourdough starter means that your spelt starter will begin to die after 6-8 months, as it is continuously diluted with more low-bacteria flour each time you refresh it for baking.

A spelt starter that is built and maintained with Rorie’s Organic Non-Irradiated Cold-Milled Spelt Flour is naturally fortified to last for years. It is the ideal flour for building and maintaining a spelt sourdough starter. Pair it with Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix* and my free treasure trove of online tutorials, and you’ve got the most foolproof way to work with spelt sourdough.

* Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix cannot be used to feed starter because it contains ingredients other than pure spelt.

LET’S GET STARTED!

But first, a major disclaimer.
Sourdough starter is ALIVE!

Working with starter is a science with a specific method, but each starter is influenced by factors like the temperature in your home, the humidity of the environment, the unique nutrient content of the batch of flour you use (can you tell I work in the flour industry?!), and even the time of year. Like all living things, each starter is unique. Just like different children in the same family have different needs, milestones (my daughter’s first word was “bear,” not “Mama!” Go figure!) and hunger levels, each and every starter will assume its own unique pace and rhythm.

The recipes and methods you will learn here are as simplified and clear-cut as they can possibly be. If you follow the instructions right, chances are that your results will be great. But if you follow the instructions and don’t get great results, don’t panic. The first few times will be sloppier, and they might even – gasp – flop.

Getting to know your starter is part of the sourdough adventure.

Hang in and be patient with your starter, your dough and yourself. You will learn as you go. You will follow the path I’ve set out and get into your own signature rhythm of sourdough baking.

My FREE video tutorial series and written instructions will cover everything you need to know to:

(1) Build and maintain a spelt sourdough starter with Rorie’s Spelt Flour, how to refresh your starter for baking, and what to do with discard.
(2) Create mouthwatering sourdough baked goods with Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix.

Take it with a grain of salt! It’s an adventure.
Time to dive in and get your hands wet!

Before you begin your spelt sourdough journey, stock up on these.

  1. Starter!
    A strong starter is the key to excellent sourdough bread. Learn how to make your own starter in the next tab, or find a sourdough baker who can share.

    If you know a sourdough baker, ask if you could have 50 grams of starter – either wheat or spelt.
    • If you are using a spelt starter, simply add 80 grams water and 100 grams flour, and let it sit at room temperature until it gets bubbly, about 10-12 hours. This active starter can be left in your fridge and will become your new starter source for all your sourdough baking. Feel free to refresh it as many times as you need to build it up to as large as you’d like.
    • If it is a wheat starter, you can convert it to spelt by following these instructions by Esther Black, CHC:
      Measure 20 grams of wheat starter into a clean mason jar. Add 80 grams water and 80 grams spelt flour, then leave on the counter for 10-12 hours, until it gets bubbly. Then measure 20 grams from that mixture into another clean jar and feed it the same ratio again; discard the leftovers and wait 10-12 hours until the new mixture is bubbly. Repeat the process once more. Bubbly mixture #3 is your new wheat-free spelt starter, and you can refrigerate it until you are ready to refresh it for baking. Email Esther at estherblack.health@gmail.com with any wheat-to-spelt starter conversion questions.
  2. Unchlorinated Water
    Chlorine can make it difficult for the good bacteria to grow and flourish, so this one’s important.
  3. Rorie’s Spelt Flour, for building and feeding your starter
  4. Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix, for foolproof spelt sourdough baking
    Never attempt to feed your starter Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix! Aside from spelt flour, Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix contains coconut flour and salt, which will thwart your starter’s growth. On the flip side, don’t use Rorie’s Spelt Flour in my spelt sourdough recipes – my recipes were developed specifically for the Spelt Dough Mix and will not work with pure spelt flour. (Yes, I’ve tried it!) The blend of spelt and coconut is what creates the ease of shaping and the texture that is so unique in the outcome of my spelt sourdough.
  5. Good-quality digital kitchen scale that measures in grams
  6. Mason jars
    These are a must! I suggest getting a few. You will need one for storing your starter once it’s established and at least one additional one for when you want to refresh starter to use for making a batch of dough.
    I suggest having a few extra and getting a 2-, 3- and 4-cup jar so that you can make bigger or smaller batches.
  7. Very clean wooden, metal or plastic spoon, or a Danish whisk (if you like it – it’s not necessary!)
  8. Large glass or plastic bowl, preferably with a lid
    I like this one for a single batch. In the larger size.
  9. Large plastic tablecloths or unscented garbage bags, to “tent” or cover shaped baked goods as they rise
  10. Razor blade or very sharp knife for scoring
  11. Parchment paper

For artisan sourdough, add these 4 to your shopping list:
  1. A banneton (a round proofing basket) or similar-size bowl, approximately 8-9 inches
  2. Dutch oven
  3. Rice flour, for dusting
  4. Disposable shower caps (optional) – perfect user-friendly tent for covering your artisan dough in the banneton while it rises!
No mixer required for this recipe! It’s mixed by spoon, then by hand.

For multipurpose sourdough, add these 4 to your shopping list:
  1. Raw honey
  2. Olive oil or avocado oil
  3. Baking sheets
  4. Oval metal challah pans or loaf pans for challah
The multipurpose recipe can be made by hand, but it comes out better when mixed in a machine with a dough hook.
Creating a live starter from scratch needs flour and water weighed on a kitchen scale, a clean jar and mixing spoon, and lots of consistency and patience. You’ll also need a relatively warm (not hot!) place to keep your starter while it grows. Once it’s established, a starter created with Rorie’s Spelt Flour can be maintained for years.

Watch each stage unfold on my video demo, and compare yours to mine to make sure you’re on the right track!

ATTENTION WHEAT SOURDOUGH BAKERS: If you’ve learned how to make wheat sourdough, realize that the methods you’ve used for wheat starter and dough will not work for spelt. The properties of the two grains are so different; spelt is water soluble, it is weaker and and it is far lower in gluten. You’ll notice that we don’t discard when making the starter, the ratios of water to flour are different, and working the dough has a completely different interpretation, among other differences. Get ready for an all-new experience – and please do not apply wheat sourdough methods to your spelt starter or dough.

Step 1

Pour 40 grams water and 50 grams Rorie’s Spelt Flour into a clean mason jar and mix with a spoon. Cover the jar loosely and leave it in a warm place for 24 hours.
Step 2

Add 40 grams water and 50 grams Rorie’s Spelt Flour to the mixture. Mix to combine, cover loosely and leave in a warm place for another 24 hours.
Step 3

Add 40 grams water and 50 grams Rorie’s Spelt Flour to the mixture. Mix to combine, cover loosely and leave in a warm place for 12 hours.
Step 4

Add 20 grams water and 25 grams Rorie’s Spelt Flour. Mix to combine, then cover loosely and leave in a warm place until the next feeding. Repeat this feeding every 12 hours until your starter is established, which means that it’s very foamy and frothy and grows to about double its size by 8-12 hours after a feeding. This can take anywhere from 5-14 days, but usually happens at around 8-10 days.

This step is where consistency comes in. Choose a time of day that works for you, whether it’s 6:30 am and 6:30 pm, 9 am and 9 pm or anytime that works with your schedule, and stick to it. You’ll know you got to the finish line – or starter line! – when after a number of days your starter starts looking like a frothy cup of beer, like the way mine does on the video demo. Oh, and about that smell – see below!

Making it Work!

If it seems like getting a starter off the ground is way too complicated, my sample timeline can help! Here’s how I fit starter-starting into my *ahem* somewhat busy schedule. (At one point, while trying out different brands of spelt flour, I had 7 starters going at once, all at different stages!)

Personally, I like to take care of Step 1 at night. Then I feed it again the next two nights, and after that, I begin feeding it twice a day, at the same time AM and PM. Choose a time that you can consistently stick to. (Psst – if you miss a feeding, just feed at the next feeding time and continue as usual.)

Sample Timeline
Saturday 8 pm Place 40 grams water and 50 grams flour in the jar, mix and loosely cover

Sunday 8 pm Feed mixture another 40 grams water and 50 grams flour, mix and loosely cover

Monday 8 pm Feed mixture 40 grams water and 50 grams starter, mix and loosely cover

Tuesday 8 am Feed mixture 20 grams water and 25 grams flour, mix and loosely cover

Tuesday 8 pm Feed mixture 20 grams water and 25 grams flour, mix and loosely cover

Wednesday 8 am Feed mixture 20 grams water and 25 grams flour, mix and loosely cover

Wednesday 8 pm Feed mixture 20 grams water and 25 grams flour, mix and loosely cover

… And so on! Keep at it until you hit that starter sweet spot: frothy, active and all geared up to make your dough rise. Check my starter video to make sure your starter is ready for baking.

What about Shabbos?
Starter is muktza - it cannot be touched, moved, or fed on Shabbos. You should start your starter as early in the week as possible so that it will be sturdy enough by the time Shabbos comes to withstand a skipped feeding. (My favorite time to start a starter is motzei Shabbos.) On Friday, do your regular morning feeding. Feed your starter again right before Shabbos, even if the full 12 hours have not yet passed. Skip the morning feeding on Shabbos. Follow up with another feeding right after havdalah on motzei Shabbos, then revert back to your regular feeding schedule on Sunday.

Bumps on the Road!

Watery Starter
If you feed your starter the regular 20 grams water/25 grams flour ratio and you see that it still seems more liquidy than usual, it means that your starter is still hungry. (The live bacteria give off a liquid called “hooch” when they need food.) Simply add an extra 5 grams of flour and mix again. You might need to add that extra 5 grams of flour for a few feedings before your starter regulates. If your starter just keeps looking liquidy, that’s your signal to start feeding it 30 grams flour every time! (Remember, each starter is different. Yours might just be a hungrier starter, always.)

Why is My Starter Not Growing?
Here are a few possible causes for a starter that stops growing:
  • The water used was not unchlorinated, or the water filter was contaminated (i.e. hasn’t been changed in a while)
  • Spoon or jar was not squeaky clean
  • Environment is too cold
  • Environment is too hot! Sometimes people put their starters near the oven or stove, where the temperature can be hot enough to slightly cook the outer parts of the jar.

Check these factors to make sure each is in order. If you’ve done all you can and are still not getting any activity after 10 days, throw out your starter and start again.

Note that building a starter in the winter will always take longer. Spring/summer is the best time of year to build a new starter.

Ready to bake? See you at the next tab!
Once your starter is active, it is considered “established.” Your established refrigerated starter is your source of yeast for sourdough baking. Stored in your refrigerator, your starter will become thick; it will go into hibernation for however long it takes until you choose to refresh part of it for baking.

Sourdough baking requires advance planning – probably the biggest adjustment from using commercial yeast. Each time you want to bake, you will need to scoop a small amount of starter from your refrigerated jar into a fresh jar and feed it to wake it up, or refresh it, for its job of making your dough rise. You need to feed and reactivate your starter about 10-12 hours before you plan to put up your dough. For the fluffiest outcome, it’s recommended (but not required) to do 2 rounds of feedings, which means that the first refreshing feeding will actually be 20-24 hours before you want to put up your dough. In this tab, you’ll learn when and how to refresh your starter.

Planning your Baking Session
Scheduling is one of the biggest hurdles of sourdough baking, but trust me, you can make it work! Watch my demo on scheduling for clarification. Hope it helps!

When scheduling your baking, keep in mind that there are two parts to the sourdough baking process: “hands on” time and “hands off” time.

Hands on = when you need to be busy with your dough, either by actively stretching and folding, shaping and tenting, or monitoring it to catch it at the optimal time for baking. (Can’t bake it too early, and can’t leave it too long. More on that in the recipe tabs.)

Hands off = when your dough needs a nice long chunk of time to rest and rise.

  • First, take a look at the recipe you want to make and identify the hands on vs. hands off times. Hands on times need to be scheduled for daytime when you will be around, while hands off times are usually best scheduled for overnight. Once you choose your recipe, you will decide if you’re making your dough in the morning or at night.
    • Multipurpose dough needs minimal hands on time to make the dough, then at least 12 hours of hands off time while the dough ferments and rises. After that it’s hands on until the dough is ready to bake. I always put it up at night, so that I can sleep while it rests and then wake up for hands on time.
    • Artisan dough needs hands on time right away for a good few hours, then a period of about 8 hours of hands off to rise, followed by another hour of hands on until you can refrigerate it for a nice long chunk of hands off time. I suggest you start it off mid-morning when you can be home and available to work with your dough for about 2 hours (actually, you're only working with it for 2 minutes, but there is time in between), then go on with your day for about 8 hours of hands off time, topped off by 1 hour of hands on time again toward evening. At this point, you can leave it overnight while you sleep during hands off time and be up early with your dough for the final hands on and baking steps.
  • Once you decide when you're making your dough, you need to rewind and place your first refreshing session about 20-24 hours before that. If you’ll be starting your dough making at night, refresh your dough for the first time the night before, then again the morning before. If you’ll be starting your dough in the morning, refresh once the morning before, then again the night before. (Keep in mind that if need be, you can cut out the first refreshing feeding. A double feeding is optional but often produces a fluffier outcome.)

For example, say you want to put up a multipurpose dough on Wednesday night. You’ll scoop out some starter and feed it on Tuesday night, then feed it again Wednesday morning, and then prepare your dough Wednesday night. For an artisan dough that you want to prepare on Wednesday morning, you would scoop out some starter and feed it on Tuesday morning, then feed it again Tuesday night, then start your dough making process on Wednesday morning.

Why to Refresh More Starter Than Your Recipe Needs
Rule number one: always return what you borrowed. I mean, from the starter jar.

You never want to have less than 1 cup of starter in the fridge. So when you’re refreshing your starter for baking, you will need to make a bit more active starter than you actually need for the recipe, because otherwise, you will have no active starter to return to your refrigerated jar. If you like to make discard recipes, like pancakes, waffles, and crackers (we eat them by the ton in my house), you will want to have LOTS of extra starter in your fridge, and you will need to multiply your refreshing ratios so that you replenish plentifully. Note: feel free to refresh your starter anytime you want extra discard. Just follow the refreshing steps, wait 10-12 hours till it gets bubbly, then stick it right back into your refrigerated jar! Once you have a strong source of starter, you can always make more to keep your supply abundant.

Use It or Lose It
Once your starter looks bubbly, you need to use it. Unlike wheat starter, which stays active for a longer window of time, spelt starter will give you a window of just 1 to 1 ½ hours from the time it peaks until it falls and needs to be fed again (and given another 10-12 hours) to be used for baking. Bear in mind that a second feed will sometimes go faster, so if you are not that flexible with the time of day you can bake, it might work better to do only one feed and know that you can catch it.

How to Refresh Your Spelt Starter – By the Recipe
If you want the benefit of the optional double-feed for fluffiness but don’t want to have so much extra starter when you’re done, you can halve the amounts of starter, flour and water in the first feeding.

  • Rorie’s Multi-Purpose Spelt Sourdough recipe requires one bag of Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix, water, honey and oil, plus 150 grams of active starter.

    To achieve about 180 grams of active starter (enough for making the recipe + replenishing your refrigerated jar), place 50 grams of starter in a clean 3-cup mason jar. Add 80 grams water and 100 grams flour. Mix with a clean spoon until a thick pasty dough forms.

    Lightly cover the jar and let it sit in a warm place for 7-12 hours until the mixture at least doubles in size and is covered with frothy bubbles.
  • Hinda’s Artisan Spelt Sourdough Loaf recipe requires 500 grams of Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix, water, and 40 grams of active starter.

    To achieve enough starter for making the recipe and replenishing your refrigerated jar, place 25 grams of starter in a clean 2-cup mason jar. Add 40 grams water and 50 grams flour and mix with a clean spoon until a thick pasty dough forms.

    Lightly cover the jar and let it sit in a warm place for 7-12 hours until your mixture at least doubles in size and is covered with frothy bubbles.

Do not attempt to make the dough too soon! A strong, active starter is the key to fluffy and delicious sourdough bread.

Those frothy bubbles are your best indication that your starter is raring to go. While wheat sourdough bakers suggest that your starter should double or even triple in size, with spelt starter you need not be so concerned about how much it grew in volume. Spelt starter is ready when it has vigorous bubbles and looks frothy. (Wheat sourdough bakers also suggest doing a “float test,” which does not apply to spelt starter.) Check my video demo to make sure you’re on the right track!

Note: If you double either recipe, you will have to double the amount you feed your starter, too.

Is It Supposed to Smell?

Wheat starter and spelt starter have several differences: spelt is thinner, it usually does not have such big bubbles like wheat does, and… the smell is less pleasant! While wheat starter smells more like dough with a tinge of sour, spelt starter has a more sour smell that hits you strongest right when you open the jar. Don’t get scared off – it’s supposed to smell like that. Remember, wheat and spelt don’t look the same, react the same or smell the same.

Too Much Starter!

You’ll always have some leftover starter. And after a while, you might find that dumping all that leftover starter back in your refrigerated jar has left you with way too much starter altogether!

I love extra refrigerated starter because my family eats lots of sourdough pancakes and crackers. Those are the absolute best uses for extra starter! Just don’t attempt to use frothy or room-temperature starter in a discard recipe – only refrigerated starter will work! You can find some of my favorite discard recipes in the discard recipes tab. There are lots of discard recipes online that work just fine with spelt too, but no guarantees.

If you don’t want your extra starter (and don’t have a friend who can use it), you can throw it away, which is why it’s called discard, after all.

What’s All That Liquid at the Top?!

Once active starter is refrigerated and not fed, it will lose most of its bubbles, get thicker and in essence go into hibernation. Sourdough starter can hibernate in the fridge for years!

The brown liquid that may form on the top of the starter is called “hooch.” It is a sign that the microbes in your starter are hungry and want to be fed. Hooch has a strong smell and sour taste that you don’t want to mix into your starter. When you’re ready to take some starter from your jar to activate for baking, simply pour off the hooch liquid first.

Old Starter

If your starter was sitting in the fridge unfed for a long time, it might smell extremely sour – or the bread you tried making with it might have come out extra sour. Either way, you’re wondering what you can do to freshen it up a bit.

Esther Black’s tip worked for me: you can “clean” your starter by measuring 10 grams of it into a fresh mason jar and feeding it 100 grams water and 100 grams flour. Mix it together and leave it on the counter until it bubbles (about 10-12 hours). After it does, Esther says to just use that cleaner version as your new starter source.

If you have any questions about cleaning your starter, please email estherblack.health@gmail.com.
As soon as your starter is fed and active, like the sample on my video demo, it’s time to make your dough. My multipurpose dough doesn’t require special equipment and is less labor-intensive, so it’s perfect for beginners or sourdough bakers who want a simple recipe to churn out their daily bread. For rolls, a razor is helpful but a sharp knife can also be used.

For information on how much to eat at your seudah, click here.

Rorie’s Multipurpose Spelt Sourdough

(this recipe can be found on the spelt dough mix bag)
Yields 3 medium challahs or about 20 rolls or pitas

Note: I highly recommend working with a kitchen scale. Sourdough can be sensitive, so exact measurements are helpful, especially because grams are so tiny!

You will need:
  • 600 grams unchlorinated water (2⅔ cups)
  • 100 grams raw honey (⅓ cup)
  • 150 grams refreshed sourdough starter (spelt or wheat)
  • 1 bag Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix
  • 45 grams olive oil (¼ cup)

Step 1: Put Up the Dough

In a standing mixer bowl fitted with the dough hook, add water, honey and refreshed sourdough starter and mix to combine. Add Rorie's Spelt Dough Mix and knead on low just until a ball of dough forms. (Don’t overmix.) While mixer is mixing, drizzle the oil all over the dough and mix for 20 seconds to coat. Place the dough in a large glass or plastic bowl and cover completely so no air can enter.

Rising option 1 – classic ferment: Allow the dough to rise at room temperature until it grows to double or triple its original size. When it’s ready, you will notice a lot of air pockets and bubbles on the sides and at the top of your bucket or bowl. This can happen anywhere between 10-24 hours. Time will vary depending on the season and the temperature in your home. Once your dough looks ready, proceed immediately to shaping, as leaving your dough to ferment beyond its peak could cause over-fermenting, which will make your dough very sticky, hard to shape, and more sour-tasting. If you begin to shape and your dough is overly sticky, place your dough in the fridge for an hour. Cold dough is easier to work with.

Rising option 2 – the time management option: Let your dough rise at room temperature for at least 4 hours, but not longer than 6 hours. If you cannot monitor your dough for some reason or you made it earlier in the day and want to bake it the next day rather than late that night, refrigerate it. This will buy you time by (a) doubling the dough’s remaining rising time and (b) preventing it from over-fermenting before you are ready to bake.

Working with spelt sourdough requires you to become an intuitive baker. You know how I always say that we have to learn to listen to and follow our bodies’ cues? I don’t know about you, but some days I wake up hungrier than others. Some days I don’t feel hungry when my family is ready to eat dinner, so I eat later, when I do. Similarly, the bacteria and yeast in each batch of sourdough will digest and build at its own pace. There really is no way to predict or control it... really like most things that are alive!!!

Click here to view the scheduling video for tried and tested suggestions on when to feed your starter, put up your dough, shape and bake for this specific recipe.

Step 2: Shaping and Baking

Note on hafrashas challah: challah need not be taken at all from a recipe made with 1 bag (2.5 lbs) of Rorie’s Spelt Mix. A double recipe, which uses 5 lbs. of flour, requires hafrashas challah with a bracha.

Rolls

Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape about 20 100-gram pieces of dough into balls using a “pinch and tuck” method (check my video demo for details). Place rolls on the baking sheet a few inches apart.

Completely cover the baking sheet in a tented plastic bag. Keep rolls covered for 2 hours if not refrigerated, or 3 hours if the dough was not refrigerated, or until the rolls close to double in size.

Preheat the oven to 425°F at least 30 minutes before baking. Dust and score each roll (check the video for instructions), then bake for 10-14 minutes.

Transfer to a cooling rack.

Pita

Follow rolls directions until you get to preheating the oven. Then do this instead: preheat the oven to 500°F at least 30 minutes before baking. After the rolls have completed their rising time, gently roll out each one with a rolling pin to form a thick round pita. Bake immediately for 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Braided Challah

Measure 3, 4 or 6 even-sized balls (depending on how many ropes you like to braid for your challah). Press each ball down gently, being careful not to rip the dough, until it resembles a flat, wide strip. Take one long side of the strip and fold it over, then repeat on the other side to create a rough cylinder. Roll out the cylinder until smooth, keeping the center fuller and the ends more narrow. Do not add any flour. If it feels slightly sticky, add just a bit of oil onto your hands and surface. Once all ropes are ready, quickly re-roll each one if they have shrunken, then pinch all together at the top and braid as usual. (A single recipe of dough should yield 3 medium challahs.)

Place challahs in a metal oval pan and “tent” in a large plastic bag or clear plastic tablecloth. Let rise for 2-3 hours, until doubled in size. Bake in a preheated oven at 425°F for 12 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

All baked goods can be wrapped and frozen once completely cool. Defrost uncovered at room temperature or in an oven set to below 350°F.

This recipe was developed by Hinda Davis @savtahinda / Hindafdavis@gmail.com especially for Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix. Don’t attempt to make this recipe with pure spelt flour; the coconut flour ratio is critical to the recipe’s success.

For information on how much to eat at your seudah, click here.

You will need:
  • 40 grams refreshed starter (see Refreshing Your Starter tab)
  • 345 grams unchlorinated water
  • 500 grams Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix
  • Brown rice flour, for sprinkling

Step 1: Combine Dough Ingredients Using a kitchen scale, measure 345 grams of unchlorinater water into a clean glass bowl or directly into your sourdough bucket. Set your scale to zero and measure 40 grams of refreshed active spelt sourdough starter. Mix with a clean spoon or a Danish whisk.

Measure 500 grams of Rorie’s spelt dough mix into the mixture. Mix with a spoon or kneed by hand just until a sticky thick dough forms. The mixture should be shaggy and not yet homogeneous but all the flour should be absorbed. Please do not over work the dough or kneed too much as spelt is a delicate grain.
Tightly cover the bowl or bucket with a lid or plastic wrap. Allow to rest for 1 hour.

Step 2: First Stretch and Fold Wet your hands and your working surface. Scoop the dough onto the wet surface; it will be sticky. Do 1 round of “stretch and folds,” stretching and folding the dough on all sides until it forms a circle. (Watch the video for instructions.) Return to the bowl or bucket, cover tightly so that no air can enter, and allow to rest 1 hour.

Step 3: Second Stretch and Fold Once more, wet your hands and the surface area. Scoop the dough onto the wet surface; it will be more moist and softer than it was the first time. Do one more round of “stretch and folds,” then return to the bowl or bucket. Cover with an airtight lid or so that no air can enter and allow dough to double in size; this should take about 8 hours. (Set that timer so you don’t forget!)

Step 4: Pre-Shape and Cold Ferment Note on hafrashas challah: challah need not be taken at all from a single or double recipe. Some separate challah from a triple batch without a bracha. Making 4X the recipe uses slightly over 5 lbs. flour and requires hafrahas challah with a bracha.

Wet your hands and the surface area. (Remember: don’t add flour! Only add water to help you work with the dough.) Your dough will be thicker, more firm and easier to work with than it was 8 hours ago. This time, do about 6 rounds of “stretch and folds” to get a nice, smooth, round ball of dough that will become your loaf of bread. Don’t over work your dough. Unlike wheat, the less you handle the dough, the stronger it will be.

Dust your dough with rice flour. Then, with cupped hands, draw your dough toward you. Lift and turn slightly, then repeat the cupped motion until all sides have been “tightened” this way. Refer to the final artisan loaf video for visual instructions. Cover your shaped dough with a bowl, bucket or towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

When you uncover the dough, it will have spread; use water, not flour, to help you work with the sticky dough. Cup your hands and roll the dough toward you on all sides to shape the dough once more into a round, tight ball. At this point, feel free to add more rice flour to your work surface if needed.

Place a clean, thin kitchen towel at the bottom of a clean glass or plastic bowl, or use a lined banneton (AKA a “proofing basket”). Sprinkle the towel or banneton lining with brown rice flour. Carefully flip your dough onto it, seam-side up. Cover tightly with a plastic bag or disposable shower cap. Allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for 10-12 hours.

Step 5: Score and Bake Place a Dutch oven or cast-iron pot and its cover into the oven. Preheat the oven, with the pot inside, to 500˚F. Once the oven has reached 500˚F, wait an additional 45 minutes to ensure that the pot reaches optimal baking temperature.

Once your pot is ready, prepare a piece of parchment paper and remove your dough from the refrigerator. Dust the parchment paper with rice flour, then invert the loaf onto it. Lightly dust the top of the loaf with rice flour, then score the loaf using a sharp razor blade or a lame (bread scoring knife).

With heat-resistant mitts, remove the hot pot from the oven. Lift the parchment paper, with the dough on it, and carefully place inside the hot pot. Fold the edges of the parchment paper inside the pot. Cover the pot (don’t forget to use an oven mitt!) and bake at 500˚F for 25 minutes. Then remove the lid and lower the temperature to 425 F and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes. Do not leave your pot with dough out of the oven while the temperature in your oven goes down to 425 F. Rather, leave the uncovered pot in the oven that was on 500 F and allow the temperature to gradually come down to 425 F while the bread bakes.

Note: every oven temperature is slightly different so adjust the time or temperature if your dough is baking faster or slower. A great way to ensure proper bake times is to purchase an oven thermometer to check your actual oven temperature. You may be surprised to find your oven can be off by even 20-30 degrees which will have a huge impact on the outcome of your bread. Remove the pot from the oven, lift out the loaf and place it on a cooling rack. Allow loaf to completely cool before attempting to slice the loaf.

Sliced or whole loafs can be wrapped and frozen once completely cool. Loafs should only be defrosted uncovered or at room temperature. Serve loafs at room temperature or rewarmed in a warming draw of oven set to under 300 F

Spelt Sourdough Crackers


You will need:
  • 1 cup unrefreshed spelt starter
  • 1 cup Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix *
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil or avocado oil

*This recipe requires Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix. The coconut flour in the blend adds elasticity that you will not get from using spelt flour alone.

Instructions:
Mix ingredients by hand until the batter is very smooth and lump-free; for an easier mix, place ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on medium speed until a ball of dough forms. Place dough in a lightly oiled glass or plastic bowl. Cover and allow to rise for 4-6 hours, or until it close to doubles in size. (Do not allow to rise longer than 6 hours, or you risk having the dough over-ferment and get all liquidy, which makes it hard to shape.)

Separate the dough into 2 pieces. Place each piece onto a piece of parchment paper and roll out the dough to less than ¼-inch thickness – you want them thin, but not so thin that they will rip. Slice with a sharp knife into the size and shape that you want your crackers to be. To keep your crackers flat, poke with a fork 4 times per cracker; if you like your crackers to puff up and crack open in the oven (seriously, my kids stuff them with hummus or guacamole sometimes!), don’t poke. Brush crackers with water, then sprinkle on your topping of choice (optional – also delicious without toppings!).

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Lift each sheet of parchment paper onto a metal cookie sheet and bake crackers for 12-16 minutes, depending on exact thickness.

Birchas Mezonos

Sourdough Pancakes/Waffles


For this recipe, you will need to use pure spelt flour, not Rorie’s Spelt Dough Mix; the salt will disturb the recipe.

You will need:
  • ½ cup unrefreshed starter
  • 1 cup Rorie’s Organic Spelt Flour *
  • 1 ½ Tbsp. raw honey, dissolved in ¼ cup hot water
  • ¾ cup almond milk (or milk of choice, water can also be used)
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 2 Tbsp. olive or avocado oil
* Do not use Rorie’s Spelt Mix for this recipe. The salt and coconut flour will interfere with the fermentation.

Instructions:
For morning waffles, put up your mixture at night. Combine unrefreshed starter, spelt flour, raw honey dissolved in hot water, and milk of choice. Let it sit on the counter, covered, for 10-12 hours. After 10-12 hours, add remaining ingredients and mix.

For waffles: Pour mix onto hot waffle iron or electric waffle maker. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot.

For pancakes: Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle. Use 1-3 tbsp. per pancake, depending on the size you want. Fry on one side until air bubbles are visible in the batter, then flip and cook until bottom is lightly browned.

For other discard recipes, Google “discard recipes” and check out your options. Most wheat-based discard recipes will work for spelt discard, too.
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