Spelt Buns

In our household  - I am attempting to wean my family off of wheat and onto more ancient grains.  The grain I have been playing around with the most has been Spelt.  You can find it at several of the local grocery stores as well we have some local farmers who are growing organic spelt and actually sell the mills so you can grind your own flour.  Pretty fancy.

I tried using this recipe for a loaf of spelt bread but I found it didn't work quite right; for buns though, this recipe is great. This is actually one of my Grandmothers recipes that I just tweaked a little.

Spelt Buns

Step One: 

Heat (either on stove top or microwave)
 3/4 c milk or water
 1/3 c sugar
 1/2 c butter
 1/2 tsp salt

Then cool to lukewarm

All three steps ready to combine.

Step Two:

While this above mixture is cooling: mix the sugar in to the lukewarm water and then add the yeast.
Tip: For best results the water cannot be too cool (it won't fully bloom or it will take forever to do so) and it cannot be too hot (it kills the yeast).  What I find works well is allowing the water to get hot enough out of the tap that I can feel the heat on my fingers but not so hot I cannot keep my fingers in the water.

2Tbsp yeast (dry active)
1tsp sugar
1/2 c lukewarm water

Allow the yeast to bloom for at least 5 minutes

First cup shows what yeast should look like after a minute - second cup shows what it should like after 5 minutes.

Step Three:

Beat 3 eggs
add lukewarm milk mixture
and add the yeast mixture all into one bowl
mix together and  then add

4 1/2 c - 5 c Spelt flour

Mix until smooth and elastic-y.

This is right before I put the saran wrap over everything for the first rise.

Leave in a warm place with saran wrap over the bowl until it has doubled in size.
Then punch it down (you will need more flour for this as the dough is still sticky)

Add enough flour and kneed it in so that the dough is manageable. Keep in mind this is a very light dough and that spelt does not rise as much as regular wheat flour so use enough flour to handle the dough but not so much that the dough become dense or heavy.

Portion into golf ball size balls and place them on a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Brush them lightly with olive oil and cover again with saran wrap.  Let them rise again until they double in size and then place them directly in the oven. Bake at 425F for approximately 20 minutes.

This picture makes them look like biscuits but they are buns in texture and flavour.
I will have to try to get better pictures next time I make them.