I like spelt and I like it better when the bread is 100 percent spelt rather than partly spelt. I'm not that way with rye or whole wheat. I am flexible with those. So this time, I went all the way and made a new starter. This took a couple of extra days, but I learned something about spelt. Spelt flour requires less water than wheat in both the starter and the dough. I found myself adding spelt flour a few times.
Only 10 or 20 grams of regular starter will jumpstart the new one without having to go through the effort and anxiety of creating a starter from scratch. In the evening, I added to the bit of starter to about 50g of water and 50g of spelt flour and the spelt starter was happy in the morning, though a bit on the wet side.
Sponge
133g spelt starter
186g slept flour
186g water
Mix, cover, and put in fridge overnight. Forgot to take it out in the morning and left it in the fridge for 25 hours. Took it out in the evening and got rid of excess liquid and added 10g spelt flour. Left out the sponge for eight hours. Then put sponge back in fridge to make dough that evening. Life gets in the way of bread.
Dough
302g spelt flour
11g salt
110g water
Mix and mix ingredients with sponge until all doughy and uniform. I did three stretch and folds at intervals of 15 to 30 minutes. I then covered the dough and put it in the fridge for 24 hours.
Baking
Preheated oblong la cloche in oven at 475 degrees for one hour. Took out dough and shaped it for oblong bread. Did a few slashes on top. Rolled bottom of dough in rice flour and sprinkled rice flour - generous amount - onto bottom - especially corners - of oblong la cloche.
Baking time a surprising 43 minutes. Usually breads take less time for that shape. I thought the taste was great. The spouse's review was eh okay. Translation: Better than normal bakery bread, but nothing extraordinary. He has become too accustomed to a regular diet of homemade bread; plus, he is a rye man and nothing else pleases him quite like a good rye. I still love the spelt.
Just so you'll know I'm reading and appreciating your bread adventures.... There's a typo in your sponge ingredients: 186g slept flour. Hmmmm...well rested flour? :)
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