At a Glance
A country-style Dinkelbrot made with 100% spelt flour and toasted hazelnuts. Uses a long autolyse and moderate hydration to accommodate spelt's fragile gluten network, producing a moist crumb and pronounced nutty aroma. Toasting hazelnuts before adding concentrates flavor and reduces sogginess in the crumb.[1][3][8]
Not suitable if:
- • You need a very tight, high-gluten crumb → compare spelt and wheat
- • You don't have an active spelt starter → create a starter
🛒 Recommended Products
We recommend the following tools for this recipe:
Digital Kitchen Scale
Essential for accurate flour and water measurements
Glass Jar for Starter
Good container for maintaining and feeding spelt starter
Banneton Proofing Basket
Supports loaf shape and surface pattern during final proof
Dutch Oven
Produces consistent steam and oven spring for crispy crust
Dough Scraper
Helps handle sticky, high-hydration spelt dough
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Ingredients
Weigh all ingredients on a kitchen scale. Spelt absorbs water differently than wheat—measure by weight, not volume.[1][3][8]
| Ingredient | Amount | % | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| White spelt flour (Dinkel Type 630 or similar) | 500g | 100% | Use fresh-milled or high-quality retail spelt for best flavor[1] |
| Water | 400g | 80% | Start with 76-80% hydration; adjust in autolyse if dough becomes too slack[3][8] |
| Active spelt sourdough starter | 100g | 20% | Active and bubbly, 4-8 hours after feed depending on temp[1][5] |
| Salt | 10g | 2% | Add after autolyse to avoid tightening gluten too early[7] |
| Hazelnuts (toasted, roughly chopped) | 100g | 20% | Scale nuts to ~20% of flour to avoid a heavy loaf; lightly grind if you want more integration[2][3] |
Schedule
Weekend Version
Relaxed timeline using room temp bulk ferment and same-day bake
Weekday/Retard Version
Mix and shape in evening, retard overnight for baking next day
💡 Tips
- If dough feels too slack after autolyse, reduce water 10–20g next bake or use bassinage method[3]
- Cold retard (12–18h) develops flavor and helps handle high hydration spelt dough without overproofing[3][6]
Step by Step
Autolyse
Mix spelt flour and water in a large mixing bowl until just hydrated. Rest 30–60 minutes. Autolyse lets pentosans and enzymes hydrate the flour, improving extensibility and fermentation control for spelt[8][1].
⏱ 30-60 minutes
Add starter and salt, develop dough
Add active glass jar starter and salt. Mix until incorporated. Use gentle stretch-and-folds in the bowl every 30–45 minutes (3–4 sets) rather than vigorous kneading to protect spelt's fragile gluten[1][2].
⏱ 15-30 minutes over bulk ferment
Toast hazelnuts and incorporate
Toast hazelnuts on a tray at 300°F/150°C for 8–12 minutes until fragrant. Cool, roughly chop or lightly grind. During a fold, add nuts and distribute using a dough scraper to lift and fold so nuts integrate without deflating dough[1][2].
⏱ 10 minutes
Bulk fermentation
Keep dough at 21–24°C. Bulk ferment until volume increases ~30–50% and bubbles appear. Use the poke test and visual cues rather than strict time—spelt ferments faster when warm.[8][3]
⏱ 3-6 hours depending on temp
Shape
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape gently into an oblong or bâtard without degassing. Place seam-side up in a floured banneton or lined bowl. Use a dough scraper to help transfer if sticky.
⏱ 5-10 minutes
Final proof (room temp or fridge)
Proof until the dough yields slowly to the poke test. For flavor and easier handling, retard 12–18h in the fridge. Cold proof firms the dough and concentrates acids for classic Dinkelbrot tang.[3][6]
⏱ 1.5–3 hours at room temp or 12–18 hours in fridge
Bake
Preheat oven to 250°C/480°F with your Dutch oven inside for 30 min. Turn loaf onto parchment paper, score with a bread lame and place into preheated pot. Bake covered 15–20 minutes, then uncover and reduce to 200°C/400°F for 30–35 minutes until crust deepens. Use an instant-read thermometer — internal temp ~96–98°C / 205–208°F.[1][3]
⏱ 45–60 minutes total
Cool
Remove loaf with oven mitts and cool on a wire rack at least 2 hours. Spelt crumb firms as it cools; cutting early yields gummy texture[1][8].
⏱ 2+ hours
Tips & Variations
Variations
Coarsely ground hazelnut swirl
Grind 50g hazelnuts into a paste and fold for pronounced nut pockets
→ More integrated hazelnut flavor without big pieces
Mixed nuts and seeds
Replace 30g hazelnuts with 30g sunflower or pumpkin seeds
→ More crunch and varied texture
Lower hydration
Reduce water to 360g (72%) for easier handling
→ Slightly tighter crumb, easier shaping
Pro Tips
- 💡 Weigh everything with a digital kitchen scale for repeatable results[1]
- 💡 If crumb is gummy next bake: ensure starter is mature, bake to proper internal temp, and allow full cooling[5]
- 💡 Distribute nuts during lamination folds to avoid clumping[2]
Common Issues
Common issues when baking spelt with nuts and how to fix them:
Storage
Counter (bread bag or box)
3–5 days
Store cut side down; spelt keeps moisture but stales if refrigerated
Linen towel
3–4 days
Wrap in linen to allow slight breathability
Freezing
3 months
Slice before freezing and toast slices directly from frozen
⚠️ Avoid fridge storage — it accelerates staling through starch retrogradation[6][8]
Sources
-
[1]
Humbly Homemade – Authentic German Spelt Bread with Sourdough | Dinkelbrot – Link
-
[2]
The Fresh Loaf / Baked Collective – Dinkel-Walnussbrot - Spelt Walnut Bread | The Fresh Loaf – Link
-
[3]
Dirndl Kitchen – German Sourdough Bread Recipe (With Rye) - dirndl kitchen – Link
-
[4]
Greek Chemist in the Kitchen – Sourdough Bauernbrot (German Farmer's Bread) - The Baked Collective – Link
-
[5]
Allrecipes / German Culture – Dinkelbrot – Traditional German Spelt Bread Recipe - German Culture – Link
-
[6]
The Clever Carrot / Allrecipes – Authentic German Bread (Bauernbrot) Recipe - Allrecipes – Link
-
[7]
German Culture (Germanculture.com.ua) – Dinkel Bread - Greek Chemist in the Kitchen – Link
-
[8]
Plötzblog / The Fresh Loaf – Sauerteig Dinkelbrot mit Haselnüssen - Plötzblog – Link