The fairy tale baker

Before going gluten/wheat free and vegan I lived on cheese sandwiches. Salad or toasted, day to day my lunch pretty much didn’t sway. Hella boring after a while but I ate the same foods for a lot of my meals. I didn’t even like the thought of different brand of bread being bought to sandwich the fillings together. Eating disorders…not a whole lot of fun!

Fast forward to now…. I eat an amazing varied array of food every single day and look for to the next meal with eager anticipation of what the new experiment will taste like. Grains, beans, lentils, veggies…and a whole heap of tofu.

As much as I love the variety and love of the new and interesting food I’ve been trying over the past year (and wouldn’t change it for the world) there is an occasion where I fancy something plain and simple….a sandwich…or even a slice of toast, PB and Banana….Courtney’s breakfast’s are bearing influence over me.

The one thing I haven’t been able to find or was yet to have made was a sandwich bread, wheat free, that didn’t taste like cardboard. Soda bread is all well in good, as are chapatti’s and of course bagels but sometimes you just want a sliced bread sandwich.

The weekend just gone I was on a mission to recreate Mama Peas Spelt Sandwich bread, the bread maker less version of course seen as I don’t have one nor do I intend forking out for one at this present moment in time… I have new runners I must purchase first and foremost.

The big problem for me when it comes to making bread is patience. I don’t have the patience to let it rise or put in the effort to give it a good kneading. I put in the 10 minutes of kneading, knowing that if I was going to give it a shot I was going to give it a good one. All my heart and sole had to on in to it.

Doubled in size, knocked back and kneaded for another few minutes, in to the loaf pan it went to rise once more… I had my doubts but it as it was supposed to and behaved itself wonderfully. I marvelled at it’s plump, soft, smooth appearance before I put it in to the properly preheated oven (another thing I don’t usually have the patience to wait around for).

15 minutes I took it out to give it a little tap test. Seen as I made half the recipe to produce a smaller loaf I wasn’t sure how long it would take to bake. It sounded perfect so I stuck it on the wire rack to cool. I couldn’t believe how light it felt. I was tempted to slice right in to it but again, bided my time. The fear that it would crumble filled my chest and made my hands slightly tense and I took to it with the bread knife.

I pretty much jumped for joy. Light, airy, perfectly cooked through, it was the sandwich bread I had dreamed would come out of the oven!!!

The only change I would make the next time is to buy a bigger loaf it and make a loaf twice the height to make a more humungous sandwich. PB and Banana toast will do for now!

I delved in to slice straight away before heading to the gym, right satisfied with my baking. Things will never be the same again…my exact corny words to my mother as I ran out the door. Silly story…wonderful bread, thanks mama pea!!!

Spelt Sandwich Bread (adapted from Peas and Thank You)

 Print this easy peasy recipe

Servings – 1 small loaf (about 8 servings, 16 slices)

Preparation Time – 2 hours

Cooking Time – 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

• 125ml (1/2 cup) warm water
• 1 tbsp dry active yeast
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (120g) wholegrain spelt flour
• 1/2 cup (60g) plain spelt flour

Directions

1. Mix together yeast, sugar and warm water and set to one side for 15 minutes until frothy.
2. Add olive oil to yeast mixture.
3. Mix together salt and both flours. Add wet to dry, bring together with your hands.
4. Place dough on to the lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place in a lightly old bowl, cover and put in a warm place until doubled in size.
5. Knock back dough, knead for another couple of minutes. Place dough in a non stick 2lb loaf tin, pressing out so it’s even spread across the bottom. Cover once more and place somewhere warm until doubled in size.
6. Preheat oven to 200C (400F). Bake loaf in the centre of the oven for 15 –20 minutes. Remove and tap on the bottom…if it sounds hollow it’s ready! Allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing for best results.

Tagged as: bread, spelt flour, spelt sandwich bread, toast, vegan, wheat free