Fresh-Milled Khorasan & Spelt Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

Flour

Milled fresh and cooled for 10 to 15 minutes

• 270g (2¼ cups) fresh-milled khorasan (Kamut) flour
• 180g (1⅔ cups) fresh-milled spelt flour

Dough

• 310g (1¼ cups + 1 tsp) whole milk, room temperature
• 40g (2 tbsp) honey
• 40g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 8g (1¼ tsp) fine sea salt
• 5g (1¾ tsp) instant yeast

Pan and Finish

• 5g (1 tsp) unsalted butter, for the pan
• 10g (2 tsp) unsalted butter, melted, for the crust

Total flour: 450g

Hydration: 69%

Pro tip: Weigh the flour. Fresh-milled flour is fluffy, and a cup of it can swing by 20g or more depending on how you scoop.

Equipment

Method

Mill and Weigh the Flour

Fresh flour first, and let it cool before it touches the dough.

1. Mill the grain. Mill about 280g khorasan berries and 185g spelt berries on a medium-fine setting. A small surplus covers what stays in the mill. Don't sift. The bran and germ are the whole point.
2. Cool and weigh. Spread the flour in a wide bowl and let it sit 10 to 15 minutes. Fresh flour comes out warm, and warm flour pushes your dough temperature up and speeds the yeast. Then weigh out exactly what you need.

Tip: Warm flour makes a warm dough. Cool it first and your rise stays predictable.

Mix and Rest the Dough

A short soak lets the bran drink before you knead.

1. Mix flour and milk. Put the khorasan, spelt, and milk in your mixer bowl. Stir with a spatula or the dough hook on low until no dry flour is left, about 1 minute. It will look shaggy and wet. That's right.
2. Let it rest. Cover the bowl and walk away for 30 minutes. This rest is an autolyse. The bran softens, the flour hydrates, and the dough comes together with far less work.

Wait: PT30M

Knead the Dough

Add the rest of the ingredients and stop at the first good window.

1. Add the yeast, salt, honey, and butter. Sprinkle the instant yeast and salt over the dough. Drizzle in the honey and add the soft butter in small pieces.
2. Knead. Knead with the dough hook on low for 3 minutes, then medium-low for 6 to 8 minutes. The dough should be smooth and slightly tacky. A small piece should stretch thin enough to see light through it, a windowpane, without tearing right away. Fresh-milled dough tears sooner than white-flour dough, so a thin but ragged window is fine. Spelt gluten breaks down when you overwork it, so stop at the first good window. No mixer? Knead by hand on a lightly oiled counter with wet hands for 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Check the temperature. Aim for a dough temperature of 76 to 80°F (24 to 27°C). If it's warmer, give it a shorter rise.

Tip: Don't add flour to fix stickiness. Wet your hands instead.

First Rise

Go by the dough, not the clock.

1. Ferment until puffy. Move the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise at 76°F (24°C) for 60 to 75 minutes. This bulk fermentation is done when the dough is about 50 percent bigger and puffy, not doubled. Khorasan and spelt tire out sooner than modern wheat.

Wait: PT1H10M

Tip: If you poke the dough and the dent springs back fast, it needs more time. A slow, partial spring means it's ready.

Shape and Pan

A tight roll gives you a tall, even slice.

1. Shape the loaf. Grease a 9x5 inch (23x13 cm) loaf pan with the pan butter. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and pat it into a rectangle about 9 inches (23 cm) wide and 12 inches (30 cm) long, short side facing you. Roll it up tightly from the short side, pinch the seam closed, and set it seam side down in the pan.

Tip: Press the dough into the corners of the pan so the top bakes level.

Final Proof

Bake when it crowns, not when it looks huge.

1. Proof the loaf. Cover the pan and let the dough proof for 45 to 60 minutes, until it crowns about 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the rim. Start preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C) for the last 20 minutes.

Wait: PT50M

Tip: An over-proofed whole grain loaf collapses in the oven. Under-proofed is the safer mistake.

Bake and Cool

Bake it through, brush it, and wait for the crumb to set.

1. Bake. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40 to 45 minutes. If the top browns fast, tent it loosely with foil after 25 minutes. The loaf is done when it sounds hollow on the bottom and reads 195 to 200°F (90 to 93°C) in the center.
2. Finish and cool. Turn the loaf out right away and brush the top with the melted butter. Cool on a wire rack for a full hour before you slice.

Tip: Slice too early and the crumb turns gummy. The hour is part of the recipe.

Shape the Loaf

A tight roll builds surface tension and a clean, even slice.

Classic Pan Loaf (recommended)

One tall sandwich loaf in a 9x5 pan

1. Pat flat. Pat the dough into a 9 x 12 inch (23 x 30 cm) rectangle.
2. Roll tight. Roll from the short side, pinch the seam, and place seam side down in the pan.

Proof test: Press a floured fingertip into the side of the dough. It should fill back slowly and leave a small dimple.

Bake the Loaf

A moderate oven cooks the center through without scorching the honey crust.

Oven: 175°C / 350°F. Internal temperature when done: 90°C / 195°F.

Standard Oven (Recommended) (recommended)

Middle rack, loaf pan on a sheet pan if your oven runs hot on the bottom

Equipment: 9x5 inch loaf pan, wire rack

1. Preheat. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with the rack in the middle.
2. Bake. Bake 40 to 45 minutes.
3. Tent if needed. Cover loosely with foil after 25 minutes if the top is dark.
4. Check. Look for 195 to 200°F (90 to 93°C) in the center.
5. Cool. Turn out, brush with butter, and cool on a rack for 1 hour.

Note: Whole grain crumb is still setting for the first hour out of the oven. Be patient with the knife.

Storage

• Room temperature: 3 to 4 days in a bread bag or wrapped in a clean towel
• Refrigerated: Not recommended. The fridge dries whole grain bread out faster.
• Frozen: Up to 3 months, sliced
• Refresh: Toast frozen slices straight from the freezer.

Slice what you'll eat in two days and freeze the rest the day you bake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought whole grain flour instead of milling?

Yes. Use the same weights of whole grain khorasan and spelt flour. Whole grain flours vary in how thirsty they are, so hold back 15g of the milk and add it only if the dough feels stiff after the rest.

My loaf sank in the middle. What happened?

Almost always over-proofing. Spelt and khorasan gluten tire sooner than modern wheat. Bake when the dough crowns about 1 inch above the rim, not when it looks as big as a bakery loaf.

Why is this dough stickier than regular whole wheat?

Fresh-milled bran soaks up water slowly, and the 30-minute rest does most of the work. Use wet hands, skip the extra flour, and give it five more minutes before you judge it.

Can I swap the grains?

Hard white or hard red wheat swaps 1:1 for the khorasan. If you add einkorn, hold back 20 to 30g of milk, since einkorn drinks less.

Can I make it dairy-free?

Use any unsweetened plant milk and swap the butter for the same weight of olive oil or coconut oil. The crumb is a touch less rich, but it still makes a good sandwich.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice (about 65g)): 185 calories, 31g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 5g fat, 4g fiber, 275mg sodium. Makes 12 servings.