Less Gluten Sweet Challah Spelt Dough Recipe

Sweet Challah Spelt Flour Dough Recipe

The health benefit of whole grains, reduced gluten,
and delicious challah. It’s easy to mix in the bread machine
on the dough cycle. This dough was wonderful to work with.
The picture is beautiful challah made by me using this recipe.
It looks like something out of a magazine.

Divide up the mound of dough according to
what size loaves you desire. This recipe will make
one very large family size loaf (about 8 slices)
or half that or 1/3 of that.

You need to know that this dough wants to spread
and flatten. So I keep it firm but flexible, not too wet.
It also helps to make your braids in parchment-lined
loaf pans, rather than laying them on cookie sheets.

You can try making it totally gluten free by changing
the flour to 2-1/3 cups of oat flour and 1-1/3 cups tapioca
starch/flour. It should work as well but I haven’t had a
chance to try it.

INGREDIENTS 

3⁄4 cup water

2 eggs 

1⁄3 cup oil

1 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 cup raw or coconut sugar

3 2⁄3 cups spelt flour

4 teaspoons instant yeast

1 tbs. ground flax seeds (optional)

raisins (optional).

DIRECTIONS

Put the ingredients into your bread machine in
the order recommended by the manufacturer.

Select ‘dough cycle’.
In my bread machine, I am able to add in raisins
after the first mixing – it beeps. Check your machine
for directions on adding optional ingredients in after
starting the dough cycle.

When taking out dough, if too sticky, roll in a
thin dusting of rice flour to ease shaping.
Be careful to keep dough moist. Use only enough
rice flour to make your dough strands.

Braid loaves and place in parchment-lined baking
pan (or 8″ x 4″ loaf pans).

Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rise for
40 minutes.

Here’s a picture of what I created from these ingredients.
Four small challahs for two plus 4 small rolls.

I brush my loaves with water and place a giant
bowl of hot water on a rack under the rising
dough. (I leave the hot water in while I bake).

Preheat oven to 350°F.

If you want them to shine, brush with a beaten egg
and a tbs. of water just before baking. I did not do this
and they are beautiful as you can see in the picture.

Coat top with egg yolk and sprinkle with poppy or
sesame seeds, if desired.

Approximate bake times:
Check for doneness.
One large challah 45 minutes.
Two smaller challahs -35 minutes.
Three small challahs – 20 minutes.

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