My weekly shop at the organic grocer this week left me so excited. Why? Spelt grains were back in stock. They had been unavailable due to the floods early in the year. I filled my bag and put them in my basket with a little smile and carried on.

I love to grind my own grains. There is nothing better than freshly ground flour to make bread or any baked product for that matter. In my opinion it is totally superior. I had been getting frustrated by pre ground spelt flour from the shop as I was finding the mixtures of my baked goods to be bitter and possibly an indication that the flour could possibly be rancid. Has anyone else had this problem?

It was frustrating me so much that I emailed Jude Blereau (wholefood guru) and she felt it may be a possibility. Speaking of Jude Blereau I would so desperately love to be a part of her natural chef training program. It looks wonderful and I sigh each time i lurk around her site just day dreaming about it. Daydream is about all I can do at this stage of my life so with that being said I shall continue to grow and develop my own education about wholegrains as best possible until maybe one day i can take up the opportunity.


Walnut Spelt Bread with Sunflower and Sesame Seeds
(Inspired by Galton Blackistons “Summertime”)

Makes 1 x 900g Loaf

For the bread

450 g whole or white spelt flour
pinch of salt
25 g butter, softened
20 g honey
20 g dry yeast
1 large organic egg, lightly beaten
225ml milk

1 cup walnuts roughly chopped

For the topping

1 large organic egg, beaten with 2 T milk to make an egg wash
1 T each of Sunflower (soaked for at least an hour before if you can), white and black sesame seeds, mixed together

1 x 900g loaf tin, greased and lined with greaseproof paper


Place the flour, salt and softened butter in the bowl of a food mixer and, using the dough hook, mix thoroughly.

Combine the honey and yeast in a bowl.
Mix as best you can before adding the egg and mix
Mix together thoroughly

With the food mixer running, slowly add this mixture to the flour mixture (you may not need to use all of this mixture)
Allow the machine to knead the dough for 5 – 8 mins, or until it comes away from the sides of the bowl and does not stick to your fingers

Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover the dough with a clean, damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in volume.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead well with the palm of your hand until smooth and pliable. Work the roughly chopped walnuts into the dough at this stage.
Place the dough in the loaf tin and pat down gently. Set aside somewhere warm to prove again or until the dough has risen well above the top of the tin (this should take about 45 mins)

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius/ 400 degrees farenheit

When the dough has risen again, brush the top of the loaf with egg wash and scatter over the mixed seeds.
Bake in the centre of the pre heated oven for 20 – 25 mins – the loaf should sound hollow when you tap your knuckle on the top and bottom.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.