Honeyed Spelt and Oat Loaf

Ingredients

•    1 cup water
•    1 cup milk
•    1 cup rolled oats
•    3 tbs rapeseed oil (or softened butter)
•    2 tbs honey
•    7 g sachet of instant yeast
•    2 tsp salt
•    2½ cups wholemeal spelt flour (approx)
•    2 ½ cups white spelt (approx)

Method

Combine water, milk and oats in a microwave bowl and make into porridge.  It should be quite wet and a little runny. Leave to cool until luke warm before stirring in the honey, yeast and salt.

Stir in equal quantities of wholemeal and white spelt until a rough, shaggy, tacky ball forms.

Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and knead once or twice only before covering with the upturned bowl.  Leave for 20 minutes or so.

Repeat twice more – the dough should become less tacky and take on a silky plump feel.

Sprinkle semolina/medium cornmeal on a baking tray and heat oven to 220c fan (240c if no fan).

Hold up the ball of risen dough and shape by drawing hands round and underneath the ball, turning it as you do to form a tight skin over the surface and then place  the shaped boule onto the tray.

Leave to prove for approx 30 minutes until well risen before placing in the hot oven.

After 5 minutes turn the oven down to 190c fan (200c) and bake for  30 minutes or until well browned and hollow sounding if tapped.  The loaf can be returned to the oven directly on the oven shelf bars if another five minutes or an extra crust needed.

PS: a little extra honey and some broken walnuts and raisins kneaded in make a wonderful loaf for cheeses or toasted at breakfast.

Added by: Helen Donoghue