At a Glance
Emmer (an ancient hulled wheat) produces a nutty, full-flavored wholegrain loaf with a tender crumb when handled gently. A long, controlled fermentation and slightly lower hydration than modern wheats keep the crumb cohesive and reduce gumminess[1][2].
Not suitable if:
- • You haven't maintained a starter → create a starter first
- • You expect a light sandwich loaf → try a white wheat loaf instead
🛒 Recommended Products
We recommend the following tools for this recipe:
Digital Kitchen Scale
Precision weighing is essential for wholegrain hydration control
Large Mixing Bowl
Room to mix high-hydration wholegrain dough without spilling
Dough Scraper
Makes handling sticky wholegrain dough much easier
Banneton Proofing Basket
Supports shape and surface tension for wet wholegrain loaves
Dutch Oven
Traps steam to help oven spring and crust development
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Ingredients
Weigh all ingredients on a kitchen scale. Emmer absorbs water differently than modern wheat — accuracy matters[1].
| Ingredient | Amount | % | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole emmer flour | 450g | 100% | freshly milled or fine wholegrain emmer |
| Water | 315g | 70% | room temperature (adjust ±5% depending on flour) |
| Active wheat or mixed starter | 90g | 20% | ripe, doubled after last feed |
| Salt | 9g | 2% | fine sea salt |
| Optional: honey | 10g | 2.2% | for mild sweetness and better crust coloring |
Schedule
Weekend Version
Relaxed schedule with room-temperature bulk fermentation
Weekday Version
Night mix, fridge retarder, bake next evening
💡 Tips
- Emmer dough ferments faster at warm temps — use the fridge to slow fermentation[2]
- If bulk rises too quickly, shorten room temp bulk and finish in the fridge
Step by Step
Autolyse and mix
Combine whole emmer flour and water in a large mixing bowl. Mix until hydrated and let autolyse 30–60 minutes. After autolyse, add starter and salt; mix gently with a dough scraper until incorporated. Emmer gluten is fragile — avoid aggressive kneading[1].
⏱ 30–40 minutes including autolyse
Folding during bulk
Perform 3 sets of gentle stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes during the first 2 hours of bulk fermentation. Use wet hands to lift and fold; emmer benefits from gentle handling to build structure without breakdown[2].
⏱ First 2 hours of bulk
Bulk fermentation completion
Bulk is complete when the dough has increased ~30–50% and shows small surface bubbles. Wholegrain emmer won't double like white doughs; judge by texture and finger indentation[1].
⏱ 3–6 hours (depends on temp)
Shape
Turn dough onto a well-floured surface (use emmer or spelt). Shape gently into an oblong or bâtard; avoid degassing. Place seam-side up into a floured banneton or lined bowl.
⏱ 10 minutes
Final proof
Proof at room temp until slightly risen (30–60% increase). For deeper flavor and easier scoring, proof 8–14 hours in the fridge. Cold retard firms crumb and increases acidity, which complements emmer's flavor[2].
⏱ 1–2 hours at room temp, or 8–14h refrigerated
Bake
Preheat oven with your Dutch oven inside to 250°C/480°F for 30–45 minutes. Turn proofed loaf onto parchment paper, score with a bread lame, transfer to Dutch oven, cover. Bake 20–25 min covered, then 25–30 min uncovered at 200°C/400°F until crust is deeply colored. Use an instant-read thermometer to check internal temp 96–98°C (205–208°F)[1].
⏱ 45–60 minutes
Cool
Remove loaf with oven mitts to a rack and cool at least 2 hours. Cutting too soon yields a gummy crumb because starches haven't set[1][2].
⏱ 2+ hours
Tips & Variations
Variations
With seeds
Add 60g mixed seeds (sunflower, flax) during mixing
→ Extra texture and shelf-life extension
Lightly sweetened
Add 20g honey in the water
→ Softer crust and subtle sweetness
Mixed ancient grains
Replace 100g emmer with spelt or einkorn
→ Softer crumb, slightly different flavor profile
Pro Tips
- 💡 Measure hydration by weight with a digital scale — adjust water by 2–3% for different flours
- 💡 Use a dough whisk for initial mixing if you have one to reduce clumping
- 💡 Slice with a serrated bread knife after the loaf has fully cooled
Common Issues
If things go wrong, check these common issues and quick fixes:
Storage
Bread bag or box
4–6 days
Store cut side down to retain moisture
Kitchen towel
3–4 days
Use a linen towel to avoid trapping too much moisture
Freezing
3 months
Slice before freezing; toast slices directly from frozen
⚠️ Avoid fridge storage — cool temperatures speed staling via starch retrogradation[2]