Ingredients

300g White spelt flour (75%) + a little more for dusting

100g Chestnut flour (25%)

150g Water at room temperature (37.5%)

100g Warm milk at around 40 degrees C (25%)

4g Fresh yeast (1%)

6g Salt (1.5%)

Egg for eggwash

Method

1. Mix the yeast with a little of the water and leave to stand for 5 minutes.

2. Add the yeast and the rest of the water to 200g (2/3) of the spelt flour with the rest of the water and mix well to make a sponge. Leave to ferment overnight.

3. Add the remainder of the ingredients (aside from the egg) to the sponge and mix well. Knead for around ten minutes.

4. Ferment for around 45 minutes, fold and stretch the dough, then ferment for a further 45 minutes.

5. Divide the dough into 3 pieces of around 220g (or 1/3 of the total uncooked loaf weight if making a larger loaf). Shape each piece in to a round and leave to rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

6. Roll out each piece into a sausage about 1.5 x the length of your loaf tin.

7. Plait the pieces and tuck the ends under so it is the length of your tin. Dust the plait with spelt flour and transfer to the tin. Prove for 45 minutes.

8. Heat the oven to 240°C/Gas 9.

9. Beat the egg and brush over the top of the loaf.

10. Bake for 10 minutes at 240°C/Gas 9, then reduce oven temperature to 180°C/Gas 4 and bake for a further 30-40 minutes or so until the crust is a chestnut colour.

11. Turn out of the tin and cool on a wire rack.