At a Glance
Dinkel Vollkorn is a moist, aromatic wholegrain spelt loaf with a tender crumb and nutty flavor. Long, controlled fermentation improves digestibility and develops sweetness without excessive sourness. Use an active spelt or mixed-cereal starter and avoid overworking — spelt gluten is delicate and benefits from gentle handling[1][2][1].
Not suitable if:
- • You need a very open, airy crumb (spelt produces a tighter crumb than wheat) → start with a basic wheat loaf
- • You don't have an active starter → create a starter first
🛒 Recommended Products
We recommend the following tools for this recipe:
Digital Kitchen Scale
Essential for accurate flour and water measurements
Large Mixing Bowl
Space to mix and rest sticky wholegrain doughs
Banneton Proofing Basket
Shapes the loaf and helps manage high-hydration spelt dough
Dutch Oven
Creates steam for a better crust and oven spring
Dough Scraper
Helps handle sticky spelt dough and transfer to banneton
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Ingredients
Weigh all ingredients on a kitchen scale. With wholegrain spelt, hydration and percentages matter more than appearances; measure, don't estimate[1][2].
| Ingredient | Amount | % | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholegrain spelt flour (Dinkel Vollkorn) | 500g | 100% | Freshly milled or well-sieved wholegrain for best flavor |
| Water | 375g | 75% | Lukewarm (75-85°F / 24-29°C). Adjust ±10g if dough feels extremely slack |
| Active spelt or mixed starter | 150g | 30% | Bubbly, 4-6 hours after feeding at room temp |
| Salt | 10g | 2% | Fine sea salt, dissolved in water for even distribution |
| Optional honey | 15g | 3% | Enhances crust color and balances wholegrain bitterness |
Schedule
Weekend Version
Relaxed timing with room-temperature fermentation and afternoon bake
Weekday Version
Mix in the evening and bake after work the next day
💡 Tips
- If dough ferments faster than expected, chill in the fridge to slow activity[1]
- Shaped dough keeps 24–48h in fridge; use this window to fit baking into your schedule[2]
Step by Step
Autolyse
Combine wholegrain spelt flour and water in a large mixing bowl. Mix until hydrated; cover and rest 30 minutes. Autolyse improves hydration and gluten development without overworking the fragile spelt proteins[1][2].
⏱ 30 minutes
Add starter and salt
Dissolve salt (and honey if used) in a small amount of water, add starter to the dough. Mix gently using a dough scraper with folding motions until incorporated. Avoid aggressive kneading; spelt tears easily[1][2].
⏱ 10 minutes
Bulk fermentation with folds
Cover and ferment at 68-72°F (20-22°C). Perform 2 sets of gentle folds spaced 30-60 min apart: reach under the dough and fold without stretching aggressively. Wholegrain spelt needs minimal manipulation to retain structure[1].
⏱ 5-6 hours (varies)
Shape
Dust work surface sparingly with spelt or wheat flour. Turn dough out using a dough scraper. Shape gently into an oblong or boule; avoid tightening too much. Place seam-side up in a floured banneton or lined bowl.
⏱ 5-10 minutes
Final proof
Cover and proof until the dough shows a visible rise and passes the poke test (springs back slowly). For deeper flavor, proof 10–18 hours in the fridge at 38–45°F / 3–7°C. Cold proof firms dough for easier scoring and better oven spring[2][1].
⏱ 1.5-2 hours at room temp or 10-18 hours in fridge
Bake
Preheat oven to 460°F/240°C with your Dutch oven inside for 30–45 min. Turn loaf onto parchment paper, score with a bread lame. Transfer to the Dutch oven, cover and bake 20 min, then uncover and reduce heat to 420°F/215°C for another 30–35 min until deep brown. Use an instant-read thermometer to check internal temp ~200–205°F / 93–96°C[1][2].
⏱ 50-60 minutes
Cool
Using oven mitts, transfer loaf to a wire rack. Cool completely — at least 2 hours (preferably longer). Cutting too early yields a gummy crumb because starches and moisture haven't stabilized[1][2][1].
⏱ 2+ hours
Tips & Variations
Variations
Seeded Dinkel
Add 60g mixed seeds (sunflower, flax) during final mixing
→ Adds texture and extends perceived freshness
Lightened Crumb
Replace 100g spelt with 100g strong bread flour
→ Slightly more open crumb and stronger structure
Honey & Nuts
Add 15g honey and 50g toasted walnuts
→ Warmer flavor profile and added crunch
Pro Tips
- 💡 Always weigh flour on a kitchen scale — wholegrain flours vary in density[1]
- 💡 Slice with a serrated bread knife after the loaf has fully cooled to preserve crumb
- 💡 Use a dough scraper to handle sticky dough cleanly
Common Issues
Not going as planned? Common issues for spelt wholegrain loaves:
Storage
Bread bag / bread box
4-6 days
Keep whole loaf or cut side down to retain humidity
Linen towel
3-4 days
Wrap in linen to allow slight airflow and avoid sweating
Freezing
3 months
Slice and freeze; toast directly from frozen
⚠️ Do not store in the refrigerator — staling accelerates due to starch retrogradation and changes crumb quality[2][1].